Shanice Vaughan’s return couldn’t have come at a better time or with better results.
The Bishop Ford sophomore guard, who missed the last four games with a knee injury, came back to score a team-high 21 points, grab six rebounds and collect eight steals in the Falcons’ 66-45 win over host South Kingstown (R.I.) in non-league girls basketball Saturday night.
Falcons coach Mike Toro said Vaughan came out overexcited, but stepped up once South Kingstown turned up its defensive attention and pressure on Boston-College bound guard Shayra Brown.
“She is definitely someone who can lead the team,” Toro said of Vaughan. “Especially when they started doubling Shayra, she just slowly stepped back and started to setltled in.”
St. Anselm-bound senior Vanessa D’Ambrosi had 13 points and nine rebounds. Diani Mason had 12 points and eight assists and Brittany Lewis added eight points. The Falcons are starting a stretch of five games in eight days, including matchups with Christ the King, John F. Kennedy and defending state Federation champion St. Michael Academy.
St. Michael Academy 68, Mount Vernon 52: Kentucky-bound guard Jennifer O’Neill poured in 40 points to lead St. Mike’s (10-1) at the Woodlawn Breast Cancer Awareness Classic in Westchester. Allysia Rohlehr and Darius Faulk each had eight points for the Eagles, who were only up, 47-45, heading into the fourth quarter.
Tatiana Lewin had 14 points, Shanyce Stewart had 13 points and Carece Moore added 10 for Mount Vernon (8-2). West Virginia-bound sharpshooter Taylor Palmer was held to seven points.
Long Island Lutheran 44, West 50th Street 33: Shanequa Lassiter had 15 points and Long Island University-bound 6-foot-5 center Justine Perry had 14 rebounds and 13 blocks for West 50th Street (12-3) in non-league action in Brookville, L.I.
The game was tied at 28 after three before LuHi (10-1) pulled away. Perry fouled out late, but she led what coach Kinsley Kwateng called a superb defensive performance.
“I was really proud of her,” he said. “We couldn’t get the ball to her enough.”
The Crusaders came out on an 8-0 run to start the game and shot 19-of-29 from the line. The Seahawks were just 6-of-11. Jess DeNicola had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Paige Kriftcher added 11 points for LuHi, which beat Archbishop Molloy, 59-46, on Wednesday.
CHSAA
Stella Maris 49, St. Edmund 47 (OT): Ashley Raaf scored 24 points and connected on six 3-pointers, including two in the overtime for Stella Maris (2-2) in CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens Division II. She also hit a free throw with four seconds left in the extra session to provide the final margin. Jen Miller had 13 points and 20 rebounds, with 10 coming in the fourth quarter and overtime and Shannon O’Connor and Jennifer Boyle each added eight points for Stella Maris. Cassandra Molinari had 14 points, Ariel Brizard had 12 and Ciara Rayder added 10 for St. Edmund (2-2).
IVY LEAGUE
Dalton 39, Trinity 29: Isabel Feldman scored 11 of her 13 points in the fourth quarter to help Dalton beat Trinity in Ivy League girls basketball. With Dalton holding a 23-21 lead after three, Feldman took over, hitting two baskets and a 3-pointer as Dalton extended its advantage. Her steal for a layup gave Dalton a 31-24 lead with four minutes left. Bonnie Cecil added 13 points for Dalton (9-1, 2-0), which has won five straight. Sasha Sabater scored 12 points for Trinity.