Rogers Downs EGHS Girls In Basketball Playoff Quarterfinals

From Steve Greenwell's live blog of the game:

Tia Cromwell led Rogers with 15 points. And Tracey Mason had a career day for the Avengers with 18 points on nine field goals.

We have the final game of the day, Mt. Hope vs. Mount St. Charles, coming up at 7 p.m.

6:22 p.m. – Out of the timeout, Benson goes the length of the court in about 10 seconds for a layup. However, she’s matched by Anderson, who does practically the same thing. EG takes another timeout to stop the clock, down 54-51 with 24.9 left.

6:20 p.m. – Rogers draws up a great play out of the timeout that gets a clean look at the hoop, but they miss the shot. Mason gets fouled on her ensuing drive, but misses both shots. And Rivon fouls out with 1:38 remaining, trying to clear out an EG defender in the paint on a fastbreak attempt.

Brianne Morgera picks a great time for her first basket, getting a follow-up to a shot in the paint to extend Rogers’ lead to six. However, they foul Powers with 1:10 left as she drives to the basket. She hits the first free throw, misses the second, but hits a jumper from outside the paint after the rebound.

EG calls timeout with 51.7 left. The Avengers trail 52-49.

6:15 p.m. – Settipane swats a shot by Rivon in the lane, and it leads to another layup for Mason. The Avengers then play tough defense for 19 seconds, but Rivera commits a touch foul on Morales 30 feet from the basket. She sinks both free throws.

EG gets a couple good looks at the basket on their possession, but can’t hit any. And on the other end, Mason picks up her fourth foul with 2:46 left, trying to guard Morales. She misses both, and Mason sets Powers up for a layup on the other end.

Rivon picks up her fourth trying to guard Powers, who has a 1-and-1 opportunity. She misses the frontend though. After a crosscourt pass almost equals a turnover for Rogers, they call timeout. With 2:00 remaining, Rogers leads 50-46.

6:09 p.m. – The Avengers keep up with the full court pressure out of the timeout, but the Vikings break it. Chanel Neal hits a shot from the paint, but Anderson counters with a jumper, keeping it a three-point game.

Rivon gets fouled by Rivera on a breakaway attempt, but badly misses both free throws. Powers goes coast-to-coast and hits a layup down low, cutting the Rogers’ lead to one. And EG has the ball after a foul by Rogers.

However, the Avengers give it right back on an illegal screen by Anderson, and Cromwell hits another shot in the paint.

Rogers is regaining control of the game, as Morales hits a layup off a loose ball. The Avengers are having problems rebounding, as Rivon gets hacked in the paint while attempting a putback. She hits both free throws this time.

EG strikes quick though, as Mason goes baseline to baseline for a layup, with Settipane sealing off the paint. EG calls a timeout – With 3:56 remaining, Rogers leads 48-42.

6:00 p.m. – Out of the timeout, the Avengers run another pretty give-and-go play down low, which leads to a pair of foul shots for Lockhart. She sinks 1-of-2.

On the next EG possession, with the shot clock winding down, Lockhart gets hit on the arm by Benson while going up for a shot. She gets two foul shots, but only hits the second. EG trails by three.

After a couple of Rogers’ turnovers, we have a full timeout by the Vikings. They led 39-36 with 7:56 remaining.

5:54 p.m. – It’s a similar story for both teams to start the second half. Mason hits an open jumper, but Cromwell matches with a post-up down low. However, Mason one-ups her with another open jumper.

The teams trade turnovers, then a drive and layup by Settipane goes – she gets fouled in the process too. She sinks the free throw, but on the other end Benson hits a layup. Rogers is holding on to a three-point lead.

Morales drive hard into Megan Anderson, drawing a foul. She hits both free throws, pushing the lead to five. EG then turns the ball over, as Kiley Powers gets called for a forearm while dribbling.

Cromwell gets the ball down low again and easily sinks another layup, getting fouled in the process. She sinks the free throw, but Mason continues her hot shooting with a bucket on the other end.

We’re keeping with a quick, frantic pace, as both teams start pressing. It doesn’t seem to help Rogers much, as it leads to an easy layup for Rivera on a pretty give-and-go.

EG decides to slow the game down, and calls a full timeout. With 9:36 left, Rogers leads 39-34.

5:40 p.m. – Correction: Cromwell had eight points in the first half.

5:35 p.m. – Out of the timeout, Benson picks off a pass. Rogers works the ball down to Tia Cromwell, who finishes for a two. Rogers leads 19-17.

On the next play down, Rivon swats a shot by Ashley Rivera, but flattens her on the follow-through. However, Rivera misses both free throws, so it doesn’t end up hurting.

Likewise, Karen Lockhart steals a pass, but turns it right over. Rogers can’t score on that possession, but again, Rivon finishes a missed shot for another two points. Four-point Rogers lead with about three minutes left. Actually, make that six, as Chanel Neal hits a jumper.

It was a 13-0 run for Rogers, as Lockhart finally hits a shot down low. Tia Cromwell matches her, but Leah Settipane scores again for EG.

Off a steal by Benson, Nifaty Morales goes through the lane and finishes with a layup.

With time running down, Cromwell hits another spin in the lane, but she is matched by Rivera. A heave at the buzzer is no good for Rogers, so at the half, our score is:

Rogers 29, East Greenwich 23.

It’s balanced scoring for Rogers, with Benson, Cromwell and Rivon each scoring six points. Mason leads the Avengers with eight points.

5:23 p.m. – Rogers pounds it down low with Ny’Jah Rivon, who gets fouled on the shot attempt. She sinks both free throws, getting the Vikings within five.

Mason gets too aggressive on a box-out on a 3 by Sienna Benson. The shot falls and she gets fouled. She misses the free throw though, and Rogers can’t score on the rebound. On the next possession though, Rivon scores on a putback, tying the game up at 17.

EG quickly calls timeout. It’s a 7-0 run for Rogers, and we have five minutes remaining in the first half.

5:17 p.m. – Rogers goes on a bit of a run, hitting two buckets to end a 10-0 EG run. However, Mason answers right back, hitting a layup on a great pass from Ashley Rivera.

After some choppy play that sees EG hit a free throw and the teams trade turnovers, Rogers calls a timeout. With 7:39 remaining, EG leads 17-10.

5:09 p.m. – And we’re back! In the early going, we’ve got a brisk pace, with the teams trading break opportunities. After two minutes, EG leads Rogers 6-5.

Although EG is much smaller than Rogers, they’re working their offense much better in the early going. The Avengers have four field goals, all coming on open looks.

Right on cue, as I was typing that, Tracey Mason hits another open look after the Avengers used 27 seconds on the shot clock. On another possession, Mason hit a bucket as the shot clock expired.

With about 11 left in the first half, EG leads Rogers 12-5.

4:19 p.m. – We’re into the bonus now. Caswell gets fouled and hits the frontend of the 1-and-1, but Hagerty gets the board and puts it in for two. Nine point Prout lead.

East misses on their own end, and after Caswell dribbles out the clock a bit, Donovan hits one-of-two. Jedson hits another two free throws, going up 12, but Reilly gets fouled and hits a bucket. She misses the free throw though, and Caswell gets fouled again, going to the line for two shots.

She sinks both shots, pushing the Prout lead to 12. Reilly hits a basket on the other end, and then an intentional foul is called. Donovan hits a free throw, and the teams trade free throws and baskets en route to the finish.

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