Bishop Canevin falls in title game

Neuman-Goretti takes advantage of mistakes for 3rd crown in a row

HERSHEY, Pa. — Bishop Canevin’s defense couldn’t contain Ashley Jones or Chyna Nixon as the reigning WPIAL champions fell to Neumann-Goretti, 62-56, in the PIAA 3A girls title game Saturday at Giant Center.

Shamyjha Price’s jump shot pulled the Crusaders within four points with 29 seconds to play, but Minika Glenn blocked Gillian Gustine’s 3-point attempt and the Crusaders’ hopes of a comeback dwindled.

After Bishop Canevin jumped to a 16-4 lead in the first quarter, a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Jones narrowed the Crusaders’ lead to 18-11. The Crusaders had 12 turnovers in the second quarter and fell behind as Jones rallied the Saints.

“It was a great start,” Bishop Canevin coach Tim Joyce said. “They adjusted some things with their pressure that gave us some trouble and we just had too many turnovers. The turnovers just killed us. We gave them some open 3s and we didn’t do our job. We had breakdowns in the second quarter.”

At the start of the second, Jones made two more 3-pointers and a layup, tying the score at 20-20.

With 1:32 left in the half, Nixon made a basket to give Neumann-Goretti the lead, 26-25, which Jones built on with another 3-pointer. Nixon finished with 19 points and six rebounds.

Neumann-Goretti coach Andrea Peterson wanted her team to get points in the paint, but Jones, who led the team with 20 points, was able to contribute from beyond the arc as well.

“The last time she did it, I think I started freaking out,” Peterson said. “She made it, and I was like ‘OK, but let’s attack the rim please. Attack the rim.’”

Turnovers in the second quarter played a crucial role in the Saints’ rally, Peterson said, as they are a transition team. Bishop Canevin added eight turnovers in the third quarter as Neumann-Goretti hit its stride on its way to a third consecutive PIAA title. The Saints didn’t make it to the Philadelphia Catholic League championship, which motivated the players when trailing by 12 points in the first quarter, Peterson said.

“We turned up the tempo a little bit,” Peterson said. “We came out a little lackadaisical, which I like to call it, and we were afraid to put our foot on the gas. Once we went into that trap, it kind of threw Bishop Canevin off.”

With its transition offense in rhythm, Neuman-Goretti had nine points off turnovers and eight fast-break points in the third quarter, entering the fourth with a 52-37 lead. Bishop Canevin was held to nine points in the third quarter and struggled with its movement off the ball, Joyce said.

“We were too stagnant,” Joyce said. “We were standing still and not hitting open areas like needed to do. And as it went on we adjusted and they started to understand and we started to obviously do a better job attacking. But we just got real tentative.”

Brionna Allen made two layups to start the fourth quarter as the Crusaders came within four before Minika Glenn’s layup sealed the Saints’ win.