Division II Girls’ Basketball Live Blog – Prout vs. Mount St. Charles

2:56 p.m. – We’ve gone final here at the Ryan Center:

Prout 40, Mount St. Charles 24

Caswell led all scorers with 20. She was named the tournament and the game’s most valuable player. Also named to the All-Tournament team from Prout were Hagerty (seven points) and Oswinkle (two points, five blocks).

For Mount, Saia led all scorers with nine points. She was named Mount’s MVP for the final, and also earned a spot on the All-Tournament team with Maurano (one point).

Stay tuned to Patch for a game story later today, and video.

2:45 p.m. – Prout takes another 20 seconds off the clock, before Caswell gets fouled on a jumper by Mulledy. Caswell sinks both free throws again, giving Prout a 15-point lead.

Mount misses two inside jumpers, as things are looking bleak for the Mounties. Prout takes another 25 seconds off the shot clock before Mount forces a turnover. Less than two minutes.

Mount badly misses a 3-point shot, and then gets nothing on the rebound. Prout takes another 15 seconds off the clock before Caswell gets fouled. Mount takes their starters out with 1:28 left.

Caswell is coming out after hitting 1-of-2 from the line. Prout calls timeout to make the subs, up 38-22.

2:39 p.m. – Out of the timeout, Prout works the shot clock down to single digits before missing a shot. Caswell gets the board in the paint though, and gets fouled by Mallon. She sinks both shots.

This one looks close to over, as Mount turns the ball over. They switch to an aggressive full-court press though, a new look from them this game. Caswell loses her dribble, and Prout is forced to call timeout with 3:22 left, up 35-22.

2:37 p.m. – Donovan hits the free throw, pushing the Prout lead to 14 points, but Saia counters with a nice move in the lane for two. Prout draws two fouls, but misses both free throws.

Saia gets fouled going to the hoop and hits a free throw. Prout is scuffling a bit on offense, and they call timeout. They still lead 33-22 with 4:00 left.

2:32 p.m. – Out of the timeout, Jedson hits a 3-point shot to five the Crusaders a 12-point lead. Mount misses a 3-point shot to answer, but on their next possession, Maurano drives and gets fouled by Tousignant, getting herself to the line.

Maurano makes the first but misses the second, and Caswell snatches the board. However, they get nothing on the ensuing possession, as Oswinkle gets tied up down low.

Maurano misses on a drive, but Saia gets the board and finishes, getting Mount within nine. Jedson misses a 3, and Mount is driving with the ball. Oswinkle picks up her first foul of the day trying to swat a shot by Mallon. Mallon misses both off the back rim.

Caswell’s defender doesn’t stay with her on a switch, and she drains the pull-up 12-foot shot. On the other end, Saia picks up a loose-ball foul on the rebound. We’re under six-minutes now.

This game might be slipping away from Mount. Donovan gets the ball down low and gets hacked shooting. The shot is good, and she’s on the line for one. Mount calls timeout with 5:39 left, down 32-19.

2:25 p.m. – And we’re live in the second half. Mount starts by traveling, and then Caswell sinks a 3-point shot, which is certainly a bad omen. However, Mallon gets a put-back to finally get Mount into double-digits. They trail 18-10.

Caswell misses a 3 and then a drive, and it leads to a finish on a break by Saia. Mount has played much better in second halves, and that’ll have to hold today if they want to win.

Prout works the ball around, patiently chewing up shot clock, and it leads to a foul by Mulledy on a Caswell post-up. She sinks both free throws. Rossi answers with a jumper, which Caswell counters by going into the post again for an easy bucket.

Rossi has the prettiest shot of the day, a one-handed scoop shot in the paint for two. However, a bucket a minute later by Hagerty is more important. She gets the board down low, hits the shot, and gets the foul on Mulledy, her third. She sinks the free throw, pushing the Prout lead to nine with 10 minutes left.

Mount is playing very, very tight still, missing easy layups and put-back opportunities. While Prout isn’t playing much better, they are hitting shots when they get left open.

The teams trade misses, and we have Prout ball. Grinsell fouls Caswell on a drive, but it’s only her second and the team third. Prout gets a loose ball, and head coach Phil Quinn screams for a timeout, getting it. With 8:49 left in the game, Prout leads 25-16.

2:06 p.m. – Halftime stats. For Prout, Caswell leads with six points. Jedson has four, and Hagerty and Oswinkle each have two points. Donovan sank a free throw. However, the first half MVP is probably Oswinkle, who has five blocks. Caswell and Leone also have one steal each.

For Mount, Rossi, Saia, Mulledy and Grinsell each have two points. Mallon has three blocks, Grinsell has one, and Mulledy has a steal.

The second half is due to start in about six minutes.

2:03 p.m. – Out of the timeout, Mallon swats a drive by Hagerty, and we have a tie-up. It’s already our fifth or sixth jump ball. On the other end, Tousignant commits a foul, and Grinsell gets a put-back for two.

Prout can’t finish on a drive, but Mount turns it right back with a travel by the 3-point line. Mallon blocks a Caswell shot, her third block of the day, but Oswinkle trumps her with her fourth block.

It’s Mount ball after a drive by Caswell results in a missed shot. Donovan goes for a block but gets arm instead, her second personal foul. Mallon is at the line and misses both shots. Mount is 0-for-4 from the line early.

Caswell is struggling a bit early, as she misses an open 3-point shot. However, Mount gives it right back with another travel. She gets another open look and misses that one too, but recovers on the defensive end with a steal. Mount’s defense on Caswell is swarming though, and Mallon pokes the ball away, resulting in a steal for Mulledy.

On defense, Caswell picks up her first foul (team sixth) trying to block a shot by Rossi. She ends her team’s free throw drought, hitting both. Mount trails 11-8 in a very low-scoring half.

Caswell keeps driving though, and gets to the line after a foul by Maurano. She sinks both free throws. Leone drives on the next Prout possession and misses, and Tousignant fouls on the rebound, putting Mount into the bonus.

However, Saia badly misses the free throw off the back rim, and it’s Prout ball again. Caswell is forced into a tough shot by Maurano, who is doing a very good job with the one-on-one defense so far.

With several starters in foul trouble, Riley Martin checks in for Prout, who normally only goes seven-deep. Rossi misses on a drive, but Saia gets them another opportunity, only for another Mount miss to be rebounded by Caswell.

On the defensive end, Oswinkle blocks another shot, and Prout holds the ball for a final shot. Caswell drives into the paint but can’t hit a pull-up jumper, and Prout can’t get another shot off before the end of the half. After one half:

Prout 15, Mount St. Charles 8

1:49 p.m. – First off the bench for Mount is Nicole Grinsell. Mount finally gets on the board with a basket down low by Mulledy. Rossi also gets fouled on a drive to the hoop, but can’t hit either free throw. Jacquelyn Tousignant is in for Prout.

On a drive, Donovan gets hit, leading to free throws. She hits the second, giving Prout a 7-2 lead. As expected with their size advantage, Mount is dominating the boards, and Hagerty already has two fouls. However, Oswinkle is doing yeoman’s work down low, and has two blocks and no fouls.

Caswell drives and the ball rims out, but Oswinkle gets the rebound and gets fouled on the put-back attempt. She hits both, pushing the Prout lead to 9-2. Maria Leone checks in, and Oswinkle picks up her third block.

Right now, Mount is struggling to make shots, even if they’re layups or coming in good post position. Meanwhile, Caswell hits another bucket. However, Saia finally gets on the board with a reverse.

Grinsell blocks a shot, but can’t hit the open shot on the break on the other end. Prout gets the rebound and calls timeout. With 7:52 left in the first half, Prout leads 11-4.

1:41 p.m. – Starting for Prout: Emily Caswell, Brittney Donovan, Jordan Oswinkle, Victoria Jedson and Madeline Hagerty. No surprises.

Starting for Mount: Lauren Mallon, Alyssa Rossi, Adrianna Maurano, Maria Saia and Noreen Mulledy. Again, the usual lineup.

After Mount wins the tip, the two teams trade awkward turnovers and missed shots. Caswell finally gets her team on the board first, with about 14:20 remaining, with a jumper from 15-feet. Hagerty follows it 30 seconds later with a put-back off an Oswinkle miss.

Mount’s size is clearly bothering Prout though, as Oswinkle has missed some put-back opportunities, and Mallon swatted a Caswell shot to force a shot clock violation. However, they still haven’t scored in the game’s first four minutes.

We’re probably in for a low-scoring affair, since both teams play at a methodical pace. After Jedson hits a jumper, Mount calls timeout, down 6-0 with 12:07 left in the first half.

1:27 p.m. – Hi there fans! We’re moments away from tip-off at the Ryan Center, for the Division II girls’ basketball championship between the Prout School and the Mount St. Charles Academy.

Both teams are warming up as we speak, and we’re on pace for a 1:30 p.m. tipoff as scheduled. The Middletown Islanders won the early game, the Division III girls’ basketball championship.