Sports

Jones, Bryant hold off Baruch to reach first ‘A’ semifinals since 1995

Chants of “triple double” and “MVP” came booming from Bryant fans in the packed balcony of the Baruch College Campus gym.

“It started the first playoff game we had,” said senior point guard Yarmese Jones, who one fan affectionately called the Oscar Robertson of the PSAL. “I feel like a superstar.”

The Owls faithful have been with the team every step of their playoff run and made the trip to Manhattan to support them and Jones, who is averaging a triple double this season.

“MVP,” sophomore forward Diana Radoncic said. “She’s the best.”

Jones scored a game-high 17 points and did a little bit of everything down the stretch to ensure sixth-seeded Bryant’s 58-53 victory over No. 3 Baruch in the PSAL Class A girls basketball quarterfinals Thursday.

Radoncic scored all 14 of her points in the second half, Morniquie Murphy had 11 and Patricia Badea added nine. The win sends Bryant to its first semifinal appearance since 1995 and it will face No. 10 Curtis at 7 p.m. Wednesday at CCNY.

“That’s what we have been practicing for this whole year,” Radoncic said of making the final four. “It’s amazing. We deserve it. “

The win certainly didn’t come easy.

“Torturous,” Owls coach Jimmy Exarhos called the final minutes.

Bryant (16-0) appeared to have things wrapped up 12.7 seconds remaining up 56-53 after Jones and Brittany Shorter each made a free throw around a fifth 3-pointer from Terri Chu, who scored 15 points for Baruch (20-1). Jones rebounded Shorter’s miss and Bryant called timeout. The inbounds pass was tipped by Blue Devils senior guard Ismeta Kolenovic and Murphy out of bound, but Murphy would steal Baruch’s pass and made both free throws to the seal the win.

“Something can be said about that senior leadership,” Exarhos said.

The Owls ended the third quarter on an 8-2 run that including two Murphy putbacks, a 3-pointer from Badea at the top of the key and Jones’ transition layup to make it 44-39 heading into the fourth. Bryant used its size advantage to control the boards all game and in the second half Exarhos used a rebound and go approach.

“We haven’t seen a lot of effective size,” Baruch coach Jessenia Marrero said. “We have seen size, but they haven’t been able to finish when they got that second and third shot.”

Bryant’s lead grew to 50-43 when Jones attacked the hoop and fed Radoncic on the block for an easy two with 4:52 left in the game. But Baruch was not finished, going on a 7-0 run to tie the score at 50 with 2:39 remaining in the game. Destiny Freeman (14 points) converted a putback and Kolenovic, who had 13 points, made a tear drop layup on the baseline. Feisty point guard Patricia Curran made two free throws after a score and Kolenovic made 1-of-2 at the line.

“All season we have been a fourth-quarter team,” Marrero said. “I warned them they can’t continue to be a fourth quarter team.”

Kolenovic had a chance to put the Blue Devils ahead, but after a missed layup Jones fired a ball down the length of the floor to Radoncic for a transition layup to put Bryant ahead for good with 1:10 left in the game. After a tumultuous final minute, the Owls were finally able to exhale and celebrate.

“It’s a big thing,” Jones said, “to go this far.”