ALBANY — Bishop Loughlin was nearly without its inspirational good luck charm.
Lions coach Kasim Alston forgot the jersey of his goddaughter Tayshana (Chicken) Murphy he has carried with him all season at home when the team made the trip upstate Thursday for the New York State Federation tournament.
“I had to call my wife,” he said. “[I told her], ‘Bring the Chicken jersey.’ She just got the jersey today. … Chicken was on the bench and got us through.”
Loughlin saw a 22-point third quarter lead trimmed to three in the game’s closing minutes, but it was able to hold on for a 70-58 win over Rochester East in the Federation Class A girls basketball semifinals at the Times Union Center yesterday. Murphy, who would have been one of the top seniors in the country this year, was shot and killed Sept. 11. She played her first two high school seasons at Loughlin.
“She’s been a big factor,” Alston said. “I’m not trying to get all spiritual and sentimental, but I really believe she is on that bench with us.”
Rochester East (21-4) got within 61-58 on a layup by Rose Ayala (17 points, 17 rebounds) as the Lions played too fast and did not apply as much pressure on the guards. Loughlin (16-12) responded with a 9-0 run to close the game, including a huge three-point play by Jasmine Alston, who had 12 points and eight rebounds.
“They had their run, but we knew at the end we were going to win,” said Jasmine Alston, the coach’s cousin.
Ayana Ratliff paced the Lions with 25 points and Nyree Alston — the coach’s daughter — had 13 for Loughlin. Olivia Colbert added a big hoop with less than a minute to play in the game. Tyra Rose led Rochester East with 20 points. Loughlin faces PSAL A champion Curtis 12:15 p.m. today in the final. A win would give the Lions the program’s first state Federation crown.
* Staci Barrett had 16 points, Christina Raiti had 15 points and Boogie Brozoski added nine to lead defending champion Long Island Lutheran (18-5), the NYSAISAA representative, to a 72-44 victory over Scholars Academy in the Class B girls semifinals. Jessica Glaz had 21 points and five 3-pointers for the Scholars (25-4), the two-time PSAL B champion. Long Island Lutheran meets Irvington at 10:30 a.m. today for the title in a rematch of last year’s final.
* Alexis Martins had 24 points and 16 rebounds, Brittni Lai had 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds and Marley Giddins had 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead Irvington (26-1), the NYPHSAA champ, to a 74-57 victory over Cardinal O’Hara in the Class B girls semifinals. Leah McDonnell had 19 points for Cardinal O’Hara, out of the CHSAA.