Pennington pulls away to claim Molinelli title
PENNINGTON >> Taylor Blunt provided much of the offensive firepower and rightfully earned the tournament Most Valuable Player award, but was quick to credit everyone around her.
As she should have, particularly with the team defense her team played.
Blunt collected 26 points and eight rebounds to lead the Pennington School girls’ basketball team to a 67-40 win over host Hopewell Valley in Friday’s title game of the 15th annual John Molinelli Holiday Classic.
“It’s awesome, but I couldn’t do it without my team,” the junior swingman said. “It’s definitely a team effort. It’s not just me. We all came together. My teammates picked me up, helped me out when I was in foul trouble.”
What they did most was defend — not just their Molinelli crown, but the 3-point line. The Red Raiders (8-1) limited HoVal to 11-for-41 shooting, just three 3-pointers, and forced 24 turnovers.
“We came out with real good intensity,” Blunt said. “We knew yesterday was kind of a slow day, a slow game (in a win over Lawrence). Today, we knew we had to come out strong. We just want to win. We just have such a drive.”
Hopewell equaled that intensity early on and took a leads of 9-3 and 11-6 before a 9-0 run gave Pennington the advantage for good. The Bulldogs (4-2) got within 15-14 and 22-21 in the second quarter before Blunt and Leah Johnson (17 points, 10 rebounds) scored every point in another 9-0 run which gave Pennington a 31-21 halftime advantage.
In the third quarter, Pennington began to feed Johnson inside as she scored six points in the period. The Red Raiders broke it open in the fourth with Blunt hitting two of her four 3-pointers early in the period to spark things. They went nicely with her penetration moves and put-backs.
“Taylor is really a multitalented player,” Pennington head coach Jeff Eckerson said. “She can shoot the ball really well, she goes to the basket really well. She’s a great teammate and just an all-around great person. She’s a pleasure to have on the team.”
The Red Raiders’ unsung hero was senior forward Gianna Lucchesi, whose outstanding ball denial defense helped hold Hopewell’s sharp-shooting guards without a 3-point basket.
That left HoVal to try to score inside against the twin towers of Blunt and Johnson. Katee Kemether (14 points) and Meggy Wiley (12) did what they could, but few teams can match Pennington on the interior.
“Gianna takes that defensive role seriously, but our whole team stepped up defensively today,” Eckerson said. “We’re learning to rotate when we double team. It’s something that was very effective today, and we hope to continue to use it. Really, four of their players can shoot the ball in their starting lineup. We had to take that away; if they’re gonna beat us, let them beat us inside. Obviously we have a big presence in there with Leah Johnson.”
In the end, it meant Delaware Avenue bragging rights and another holiday championship for the Red Raiders.
“It means a lot,” Eckerson said. “They always have great teams here and are very well coached. They play good basketball and play hard. It’s always great to get a win here. It’s really a fun atmosphere with a big crowd, and we’re right across the street from each other.”
PENNINGTON (67)
Christian 4-0-10, Blunt 10-2-26, Johnson 7-3-17, Kiefer 0-3-3, Lucchesi 2-0-5, Kramli 0-0-0, S. Kavulich 0-2-2, E. Garry 2-0-4. Totals: 25-10-67
HOPEWELL (40)
Wiley 4-2-12, Oldfield 0-0-0, Gomez 3-1-7, Kemether 2-9-14, Danieluk 1-2-5, Hare 1-0-2, Martin 0-0-0, Shevlin 0-0-0, Apai 0-0-0. Totals: 11-14-40. Pennington (8-1) 15 16 13 23 — 67 Hopewell (4-2) 1110109—40 3-point goal: Christian 2, Blunt 4, Lucchesi, Wiley 2, Kemether.
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