Moore Catholic is all smiles after their close victory over Bishop Ford. Wednesday. (An Rong)
Christina Rubin and Jamie O’Hare weren’t exactly sure how to react as the buzzer sounded.
“It was kind of awkward,” O’Hare said. “We didn’t know whether we should hug. We were just like over excited.”
The two Moore Catholic seniors settled on an enthusiastic double low-five at midcourt and yell of adulation after upsetting Bishop Ford, 58-51, in the CHSAA Class AA girls basketball quarterfinals Wednesday at St. Francis Prep.
“They’re just so good,” Rubin said of Ford.
She and her Division-I buddy were better on this night.
Rubin, who is headed to Iona, scored a game-high 26 points and hit five of her six 3-pointers in the first half. The Lafayette-bound O’Hare dropped in 17 points and three treys including one to put the Mavericks ahead for good in the fourth quarter. The two combined for 55 points in an Archdiocesan final win over Cardinal Spellman last week.
“I think Christina got us off,” Moore coach Rich Postiglione said. “I think Christina had a terrific first eight minutes and I thought Jamie ended us with a terrific last eight minutes.”
Added Rubin: “Keep shooting. I was obviously hitting them.”
The Mavericks (21-5), the two-time defending ‘AA’ Archdiocesan champions, advance to face Archbishop Molloy 5 p.m. Friday in the semifinals at Archbishop Molloy. Moore beat the Stanners without point guard Amani Tatum at the Kennedy Challenge earlier this season.
Ford played this game with star Aaliyah Jones and reserve Jeane Jennings, who were suspended in what coach Mike Toro called a “coach’s decision.” Center Brittany (Pookie) Martin missed the first half after suffering an asthma attack last weekend. The score was tied at 30 at the half and 41-all after three.
“I feel it’s a major letdown,” Bishop Ford coach Mike Toro said. “I feel this was a very rough end of the season and I regret some of the stuff that had to happen at the end of the season.”
While Moore’s two senior stars led the way, they got plenty of help down the stretch. Taylor Robertson and Tori Crea helped shore up the Mavericks ability to cut off Ford’s penetration. Freshman post Dina Motrechuk had arguably the two biggest baskets of the game. Victoria Rubin chipped in seven points.
Her layup tied the score at 47 before O’Hare’s go-ahead 3-pointer. A Crea layup made it 52-47 Moore with 4:09 left to play. The Falcons (22-6) got within 52-51 on baskets by Jill Conroy and Shanice Vaughan.
O’Hare, who is admittedly hard on Motrechuk, fed her for a short jumper from the left corner that she buried with 31 seconds left to make it 54-51. Ford turned the ball over on its next possession and Rubin made two free throws seal it.
“We practice it a lot, me and her,” said O’Hare, who played with Motrechuk’s sister Ashley at St. Peter’s. “I expect her to be able to make shots, especially in a big situation.”
A team known for its gritty nature was exactly that in the fourth in a game where Postiglione felt Ford beat them up on the glass at times.
But like it has so many times for the Mavericks, it came down to the play of its two stars and some superb outside shooting.
“[Rubin] is a fearless player and Jamie is the same way,” Postiglione said. “I’d like to get some dunks, but it aint happening. … We don’t have normal perimeter players. We have kids that are exceptional perimeter players.
It’s only their celebration that needs some work.