St. Raphael girls pick up sixth consecutive II-North victory

Saints stay in second place with nine-point road win against Johnston Monday

JOHNSTON – Her team has just registered its sixth straight victory and fifth in a row against Division II-North competition. Yet if you were expecting Tammy Drape to be smiling from ear to ear, you clearly don’t know the St. Raphael head coach.

“We’re zero and zero. That’s what I tell them after every win,” said Drape following her club’s latest triumph, a 60-51 victory over a scrappy Johnston outfit.

If Drape wishes to keep her team even more grounded in the wake of rattling off win after win, all she can do is point to last night and the Saints’ uneven play. Johnston went from a team that if you go by the early returns was not going to pose much of a threat. The Panthers missed their first eight shots and started the game 1for-13 from the field with six turnovers.

Johnston’s rough start could be traced to the Saints’ 2-3 zone defense and to the offensive talents of Olivia Jannetta and Jackie Lopes, who combined for 12 of SRA’s first 14 points. Jannetta closed with 15 points and 10 rebounds while Lopes had 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Seemingly in command, the Saints (7-2, II-North) watched their 26-9 lead with 5:24 left in the opening half get cut to single digits. It didn’t help that SRA missed seven straight shots, yet all was forgotten as Jannetta hit two free throws and Lopes added a layup to push the lead back to double digits after Johnston moved to within 26-18.

Armed with an 11-point advantage (32-23) at the start of the second half, St. Raphael found the range from deep with Lopes swishing back-to-back threes and Kasey Gagan adding one that pinned Johnston in a 48-33 hole. The Panthers were far from done as nine points were slashed off the deficit in no time flat.

If anything, it was going to be an interesting stretch run. Would SRA be able to hold up and protect a 48-42 lead with 4:30 left, or would Johnston’s momentum enable the Panthers to catch and pass the Saints?

Taking cues from a closer who is asked to guard a one-run lead heading into the ninth inning, Gagan put her foot down and in the process put the Saints on her back. She fol- lowed up her own miss and was fouled for a 3point play that put the Saints up 51-42.

Far from done, Gagan stole the ball and went in for an uncontested layup. The good vibrations continued for the Saints with Jannetta swishing a jumper and Lauren Taylor (six points, seven rebounds) sticking back a miss that upped the lead up to 57-42 with 1:42 remaining.

Gagan closed with 19 points, 15 coming in the second half. She also had six rebounds, five steals and four assists.

“She took over,” said Drape.

Jordan Moretti led the Panthers with 16 points. The loss snaps Johnston’s three-game winning streak.

Drape noted the second half of the D-II slate begins Wednesday at SRA’s Alumni Hall against defending league champion Juanita Sanchez. Her hope is to find a contributor or two off the bench. The Saints used just six girls last night.

“(The situation regarding the reserves) is a huge concern,” said Drape. “The young kids, I tell them that they’ve got to be ready.”

Follow Brendan McGair on Twitter @BWMcGair03