Ursuline wins thrilling DIAA final over Caravel
NEWARK – Jezelle Banks’ childhood dream was coming true. The superstar Ursuline freshman was stepping to the free-throw line for two shots, with 1.9 seconds left, in a tie game against Caravel in the title game of the DIAA Girls Basketball Tournament.
“I’m just thinking, ‘This is the time. This is where it all matters,’” Banks said. “As a kid, I was saying, ‘This is for the championship.’ And now, it was really for the championship.”
She missed the first shot. The ball rolled back past midcourt, giving her time to think again.
“I just had to think about, honestly, how am I going to handle this?” Banks said. “I had to block everybody out and I had to just think about myself.”
She made the second one, and Caravel couldn’t come close on a desperation heave. The 17th state basketball title in Ursuline history was perhaps the most thrilling, a 49-48 victory on Saturday in front of an intense crowd at the Carpenter Center.
“It’s the greatest feeling in the world, and I wanted it so badly for these kids, for their families and the Ursuline community,” Raiders coach John Noonan said. “The next year is just so fun. You just wake up on a natural high every day because of what you accomplished as a team.”
Banks was in the middle of it all, from start to finish. Rated as one of the top freshmen nationwide, the 5-foot-9 guard cranked out 29 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
She repeatedly slashed into the lane, but also pulled up and hit 5 of 11 3-point shots.
“She shot the ball so well, and I’m so proud of her because that was a big part of the win,” fellow freshman star Taylor Brown, who added 16 points and four assists, said of Banks. “I’m so proud she came locked in and ready to shoot.”
At least three of her 3s came from well behind the arc.
“I was shooting like I’ve never shot before,” Banks said. “My confidence level was just crazy.”
But even with all of Banks’ heroics, it was close all the way.
Top-seeded Caravel (19-4) got 19 points from Anaya Price, 15 from Jasiyah Crawford and 6 points and five assists from Chasity Wilson.
The Bucs led by as many as six. The Raiders’ biggest lead was four. The lead changed hands 13 times, and there were seven ties.
The final deadlock was the most important one, 48-48 when Banks made a steal to set up an Ursuline inbound play with 5.6 seconds remaining.
Emma Anthony threw a long pass to Jazlynn Wesley down the right side, and the senior center hit Banks streaking toward the basket. She was fouled to set up her final two free throws.
“We’re so evenly matched,” Noonan said. “At the end of the day, it’s one play.”
Ursuline (18-6) made it, erasing the memories of last year when the Raiders were tied against Sanford with 3:51 left in the championship game, then surrended the last 12 points in a 58-46 loss.
“This year, we were more smooth and more mature,” Brown said. “We all got better, and I feel like we played really well. The atmosphere was amazing.”
Banks struck the final, amazing blow.
“Super talent. Killer mentality. Great kid. Big personality,” Noonan said. “Challenging, but I love her.”