CHS Girls Fall to Colts Neck

Spearheaded by 23 points apiece from Lauren Clarke and the West Virginia-bound Brooke Hampton, the Colts Neck Cougars (27-3) used mini second-half spurts and clutch free throw shooting down the stretch to knock off the Columbia Cougars (22-5). Columbia had a lead as many as nine points in the first half but couldn’t stave off a Colts Neck team that played off its two-headed attack to near perfection in the second half. No other Colts Neck player reached double-figures in scoring.

Columbia head coach Johanna Wright played the underdog card throughout the playoffs – despite her Cougars’ successful 22-win season. And judging by the quick whistles early, she must’ve really felt like the world was against her team, especially after star point guard Brianna Thomas picked up three quick fouls in the first half.

“Bri was in foul trouble early,” Wright said. “But we still came out as aggressive as we could. A couple of shots, rebounds, some turnovers, and it could’ve been a different story, though.”

The opening quarter had all the makings of a runaway blowout win for Columbia, as they raced out to a sizeable lead. Columbia’s manic man defense was smothering Colts Neck early, including three steals by Columbia defenders in the final minute. Senior forward Abigail Martin registered the last of three pickpockets, which lead to a Thomas coast-to-coast layup to push the lead to eight. Seconds later, Shaina Earle also went the full length of the court and wetted a runner in the lane at the buzzer to push it to Columbia’s largest lead of nine. Earle was the beneficiary of Thomas’s foul-induced pine duty and made sure the Columbia ship still sailed smoothly. Although obviously dejected afterwards, Thomas was impressed with the fellow junior’s poise and leadership and was cordial in defeat.

“I don’t know,” the demure Thomas said when asked about the bittersweet season. “Coach said we had a helluva season and to be proud of what we accomplished. Nobody was expecting us to be here. We played so good all season and fought ‘til the end.”

Earle, who had six points in the first half, was the glue which kept things together for Columbia. And that wasn’t lost on Thomas, either, who was quick to praise.

“On the court Shaina can do everything I can do,” Thomas said. “She pushed the ball well and she stepped in there for me well… [But] it hurt [getting three fouls early] because my team needed me. To sit most of the [second] quarter hurt.”

For all of Earle’s wonderful contributions, Colts Neck did manage to prosper without the quick Thomas on the floor, as they used a 5-0 run to open the second quarter and played smothering defense that only allowed Columbia to register four points in the quarter. Perhaps its biggest change was switching from man defense to a 2-3 zone. The switch slowed down the tempo of the game and allowed its defenders to double Martin on the catch, yet still maintain the integrity of its defense, allowing wing players to run out on Columbia shooters.

“We asked the guards to relocate [and find an open spot in the zone whenever Martin was doubled],” conceded Wright. “But that didn’t happen…in the heat of the game, you can tell kids what to do but things sometimes happen.”

What also happened was an inordinate amount of traveling calls – mostly going against Columbia.

“Suspect,” is all Wright would say about the seemingly one-sided infractions. “But the officials see what they see, I guess.”

After the break, it was Colts Neck that seemed to be the aggressors and had Columbia on its heels. Clarke was dogged defensively and a sniper offensively, as her twisting layup with 2:04 left in the third cut the deficit to one, 32-31. A runner by Hampton with 22 seconds remaining gave Colts Neck its first lead of the contest, only to see that vanish on Columbia’s next offensive possession after Marcelyn Williams stuck a long jumper with 12 seconds left. The action remained rapid after Hampton drilled a foot-on-the-line jumper at the buzzer to give Colts Neck a 35-34 lead after three. It was a lead they would never relinquish. During the break between quarters, Wright tried to implore her team to play their game and not get sucked into Colts Neck’s deliberate tempo.

“We didn’t run the way we normally run and that hurt us,” she said. “And every time we came in [the huddle] I was telling them ‘we have to push the ball. We have to run.’”

Columbia’s running game never got on track and when they did bully their way to the tin and draw fouls, their free throw deficiency reared its head at the most untimely moments. Starting the final quarter, Columbia only made two of its first six freebies – points that undoubtedly had a factor in the margin. Meanwhile, Hampton was beginning to show why she’s a coveted Division-I prospect, as she drained long jumpers, including a long three and an and-one with 4:31 remaining to give Colts Neck its longest lead at the time of five. A minute later, Clarke sank one of her 10 fourth quarter free throws to stretch it to nine.

Columbia showed its mettle, however, as buckets by Earle, and a Thomas layup off a Williams steal, pulled the Cougars within four. Alas, Clarke’s free throws down the stretch doomed Columbia and only a Thomas long bank shot three with 15 seconds remaining tallied Columbia’s final points.

Wright, however, didn’t take the loss as a negative – no matter how painful it was. Rather, she was gracious in defeat and was more than willing to throw verbal bouquets at her tough and talented team…specifically the seniors.

“I told them to hold their heads up,” Wright said. “And that the seniors are moving on to the next step and they have nothing to be ashamed of. They wore that jersey proudly…nobody expected [us] to be here anyway.”

NOTES:

• It was not only Colts Neck’s first state finals title but its first states championship appearance; Columbia has three Group IV state titles to its credit.
• Hampton was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, as she recorded 23 points, four rebounds, and two steals.
• Williams was the MVP from the runner’s up squad, as she had a stellar all-around game of 13 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and three steals. Although she openly sobbed after receiving the award – and after a nice pep talk from Coach Wright – the junior forward should one day take solace in knowing she played at such a high level amidst a hostile crowd at a state-of-the-art facility like Toms River High’s Ritacco Center.
• Thomas had 11 points, while the senior star forward Martin had 11 points and 13 rebounds. Martin, who was too shaken for comments afterwards, will have her pick of schools come the fall. Manhattan and Monmouth are at the top of her list.