Dingle does it all in Bishops’ rout
TAUNTON — Asiah Dingle made sure Archbishop Williams’ sixth straight sectional title came with little drama.
Dingle finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the fourth-seeded Bishops defeated Fontbonne, 69-45, in the Division 3 South final yesterday.
“It’s pretty comforting knowing you can give to a player like (Asiah) and she can take over for a while,” Bishops coach Matt Mahoney said. “This just shows the commitment to the program for all the girls. Every year it’s a new group and they really commit to what we do.”
Eight players scored for the Bishops (19-3), with Monica Spain (14 points, nine rebounds) and Jessica Knight (11 points, seven rebounds) joining Dingle in double figures.
Dingle impressed from the opening tip. She scored 10 first-quarter points to go with a pair of assists, and Archies took a 24-8 lead. The lead was at 32-14 midway through the second quarter, before Dingle picked up her second and third fouls, sending her to the bench for the remainder of the half.
The Ducks took advantage of Dingle’s departure with foul trouble to go on an 11-4 run, capped off by a Bridget Feldman basket, and pull within 36-25 by halftime.
Archies, however, quickly pulled away at the outset of the third quarter. Spain drove the lane for a basket and Dingle finished her own miss to give the Bishops a 15-point lead. The advantage was at 20 when Knight provided a post presence and scored four straight points.
Moments later, Dingle put the game firmly out of Fontbonne’s reach by knocking down a 15-footer and going coast-to-coast for two to give the Bishops a commanding 55-31 edge late in the third.
“We wanted to get out to a fast paced start so (Fontbonne) couldn’t make a comeback,” Dingle said. “This feels special.
“I am just excited to be able to do this again.”