Seton-LaSalle Girls Win Second State Basketball Title in Three Years

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 21, 2014 | 5:35 PM

The Seton LaSalle Rebels claimed their third PIAA girls basketball championship with a 58-50 win over the previously unbeaten Neumann-Goretti Saints on Friday afternoon at the Giant Center in Hershey. The victory gives the Rebels their second Class AA title in three years, winning the 2012 title at Penn State University.

Senior Yacine Diop had one of the most dominant performances in years in the championships. The Pitt recruit scored 10 point and grabbed 23 rebounds, adding six blocks to lead the Rebels to a 50-36 rebounding advantage.

The Rebels took the lead back on a great cut to the basket by fellow Pitt recruit Cassidy Walsh. Her layup down the lane made the score 48-46. Things got very interesting for Seton LaSalle , missing five straight free throws down the stretch, but the Saints came up empty on every opportunity. Seton LaSalle figured out life from the charity stripe, hitting their last ten attempts as Nicolete Newman and Walsh converted when it counted most, in the final minute of play. The Rebels were 15 of 23 from the line for the game.

Seton LaSalle led 14-10 after one quarter and 28-21 at the half. The Rebels took a 14 point lead 83 seconds into the third on a steal by Shaunay Edmonds and a dish to Newman. The District 12 champions slowly worked their way back into the game at the free throw line, going eight for right in the period and 13 of 15 for the game.

Leading 42-36 to start the fourth. Ciani Cryer and Emmanuella Awobjao hit back to back threes to cut the lead to two. The senior then connected on a jumpber to tie the game for the second time. Naje Gibson tied the game at 46 on a pair of free throws before Gibson’s pass to Walsh for the layup gave the Rebels the lead for good.

Newman led the scoring for the WPIAL champions with 17 points, including three trifectas. Walsh added a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Seton LaSalle shot 19 of 49 from the field, at 38 percent and 5 of 13 from behind the arc. The Rebels did commit 25 turnovers.

The title victory gives Seton LaSalle two Class AA titles, to go with the first ever girls Quad-A title in 1984, the Rebels finish 27-4.

Neumann-Goretti falls to 29-1. The Saints were led by Awobajo with 13 points and 7 rebounds before fouling out with 4:23 remaining. Ciani Cryor scored 12 points with two three pointers. The junior dished out 5 assists to go with 5 steals, she also fouled out of the game. Sianni Martin scored 10 points. The Saints were 16 of 66 for the game from the field, including 5 of 30 from behind the arc.

Score by Quarters:
Seton LaSalle Rebels : 14 – 14 – 14 – 16 = 58
Nuemann-Goretti Saints : 10 – 11 – 15 – 14 = 50