Cardinal Spellman’s Maria Bachman is still getting accustomed to her new role and the importance that comes with it. The long and lanky sophomore forward needed a moment to let her scoring total — 26 points — against undersized St. John Villa sink in.
“Twenty-six, really?” Bachman said. “I have no words for that. … That’s crazy.”
They were a career high and she also grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Pilots to an important early-season 67-57 win over visiting St. John Villa in the CHSAA Archdiocesan girls basketball Saturday afternoon. The 6-foot Bachman scored 13 of those points in the first quarter to get Spellman off to a quick start in a battle of two of the teams expected to be at the top of the division.
“I’m starting to see it now,” Bachman said of her potential.
She played on the varsity as a freshman mostly to work with star Troi Melton, who is now at Boston University and current senior Onia Webb, who is headed to Northeastern. She was billed as Webb’s helper, but an ankle injury to the senior, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds, has thrust her into a more prominent role. Most of her baskets came in the paint, but Bachman displayed soft hands, agility and tenacity off the glass.
“Of the court she is like a little lamb,” Spellman coach Jane Morris said. “I think she feels guilty she is taking the spotlight away from Onia.”
Villa (1-2, 0-1), which doesn’t have a player taller than 5-foot-9, was down just 36-33 at the half after Victoria Gallinaro connected on one of the Staten Island school’s seven 3-pointers. Spellman (2-0, 2-0), though, exploited its height advantage in the third quarter as eight points during a 10-2 run came on put backs.
It helped the Pilots open up a 46-35 lead with 3:03 left in the frame. Vanessa Stephens had 12 points, Teresa Tartarone tallied eight points and seven rebounds and Nicole Awooner-Renner added 14 rebounds. Morris called this the most balanced offensive team she’s had in a while.
“We have a lot of scorers on this team,” Webb said. “Most of us played summer ball and we are all stars on our summer ball team.”
Bears coach Liz Blanchard said she would rather her team see early what it’s going to take to compete and rebound against much taller opponents. Spellman starts three girls 6-foot or taller. Danielle Iacampo scored 16 points, Paige Keane had 11 and Sam Long added nine for Villa.
“We have to work on not just being in position to box out, but literally moving the bodies back so that they go over our back as opposed to trying to out-jump us,” Blanchard said. “We are not going to win those contests.”
Her team was within eight multiple times in the second half, but could not get closer. Stephens, who provided a scoring spark in the second half, scored four straight points to close out the third and a Awooner-Renner put back followed a Villa basket. After two Iacampo free throws, Villa got the ball back down 56-48 with 4:55 left. Blanchard called timeout to maintain possession with a player trapped in the corner, but Villa would turn it over right back and Stephens converted a layup.
“We had our hands on a bunch of tips and steals in the first half and we didn’t finish,” Blanchard said. “We have to convert those points.”
Bachman didn’t miss chances to convert her offensive oppertunities. It’s something Morris expected from her when the season began and she is just starting to realize what she is capable of.”
“I just kept going,” Bachman said. “Rebounds, put backs. I honestly didn’t think I had this many.”