There were a few things Sam Retas needed to get off her chest before her Bishop Kearney team took the court in the new year. The senior captain called a players-only meeting prior to facing Archbishop Molloy on the heels of consecutive lopsided and non-competitive losses to end 2010.
“We talked about that we need to play more like a team and not fight with each other,” Retas said. “We have to work on not turning the ball over and rebounding and boxing out.”
Kearney accomplished a lot of that. The effort and fight were much improved, but the execution still needed some work in a 62-45 loss to host Archbishop Molloy in CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens Division I girls basketball Monday at Jack Curran Gymnasium. The Tigers trimmed a 14-point Stanners lead to just three in the third quarter, but never got closer. Turnovers were again the biggest issue.
“We turn it over and they score,” senior forward Taylor Raccuglia said. “They will turn the ball over and instead of us slowing it down we rush it and they get it right back. We just have to relax and value possession of the ball.”
It was one of the major reasons the Tigers (2-5) trailed 33-19 at the half and watched Molloy guard Amani Tatum add 10 steals to her eight points and seven assists. After the break, the composure and the ball movement improved sparking runs of 9-2 and 10-0. Marianne Hanning hit a 3-pointer off an inbounds play, Maureen O’Sullivan connected on a tray from the left side and Raccuglia fed Retas (18 points, nine rebounds) for a score to slice the Stanners (5-3) lead to just 38-35 with 5:32 left in the third. Raccuglia had 15 points and nine boards.
“We started going to the basket,” Kearney coach Rocco Sellitto said. … “We had that stretch when we started doing that and that opens up the girls on the outside.”
Tatum led the Stanners’ charge back by penetrating into the lane and forcing defenders to commit. Elizabeth (Gurt) Lynch (14 points) answered each Tigers run with baskets as Kearney didn’t knock down the open looks it got on the other end. Carolyn Gallagher scored seven of her 13 points in the fourth to help hand the Tigers their fifth straight loss.
The skid includes defeats of 67-40 to Long Island Lutheran and a 67-30 shellacking by Moore Catholic. It sparked the meeting Sellitto was happy to see, but surprised to get from the usually reserved Retas. It’s one that they hope will continue to serve them well going forward.
“I think we played better today,” Retas said. “The last few games were horrible.”
