Tigers charge into semifinals
No. 3 Tigers into Berks semifinals
REIFFTON >> Fleetwood head coach Matt Kellett has been preaching defensive pressure to his team all season. Saturday’s contest at Exeter High School illustrated yet another example of that philosophy paying off.
Kellett’s third-seeded Tigers dismantled Muhlenberg 43-27 in the BCIAA quarterfinals in a game that wasn’t that close. The Tigers overwhelmed the Muhls defensively by creating numerous turnovers and holding their opponents to just four total field goals after the first quarter.
It was Fleetwood’s second win over Muhlenberg in four days, having won a Feb. 7 encounter to close the regular season by a 50-38 score.
Fleetwood (18-4) draws Berks Catholic – 67-54 winners over No. 2 seed Governor Mifflin in the nightcap at Exeter – in Tuesday’s semifinals at Santander Arena. Top-seeded Wyomissing and Wilson also won Saturday to advance.
“Pressure the ball, pressure the ball, no matter where it is,” Kellett said. “Man or zone. Been preaching that to the kids all season long.”
It was not the prettiest of ballgames. In addition to Muhlenberg’s general inability to generate any offense – the Muhls did not score consecutive baskets all game long – the Tigers, according to Kellett, weren’t firing on all pistons, either.
“I was hoping our offense would have been a little bit cleaner,” Kellett said. “We struggled to score.”
But Fleetwood managed to break it open during the second quarter, a span in which they outscored Muhlenberg 12-3 and held the Muhls to one late basket and a converted free throw, to lead 20-10 at the break. At the other end, Lauren Lister began to assert her presence offensively, as the best player on the floor. The Fleetwood star finished
with 14 points, to lead all scorers, and was the only player on either side to crack double-digits.
“She keeps us going,” Kellett said of Lister. “When she goes, we go, obviously. Overall, this was an ‘ugly’ good team win for us. Our guards guarded pretty well. They didn’t foul the driver. That’s our game plan against everybody. Don’t foul the driver, don’t foul the shooter.”
Muhlenberg’s senior big Cassandra Colon was a bright spot on an otherwise dreary shooting day for her club. She only had six points, but cleaned the glass on several trips down court and presented Fleetwood with its biggest matchup concern at the other end. The Tigers countered by flashing several double-teams, as needed, while mixing up defensive coverages.
“Colon is a special player,” Kellett said. “When she gets it going, she’s very difficult to deal with. Luckily for us, our off-the-ball girl was there, a step ahead. Had her twisting, fighting through. We fouled her a couple of times, but our off-the-ball drive help was better.”
Fleetwood’s lead reached 15, at 35-20, with 6:12 to go – a margin the Tigers were able to ride out the rest of the way.
Miranda Rojas led Muhlenberg with nine points.