John Jay Falls to the Strong Inside and Out Game of Pearl River

On Monday January 22, John Jay hosted Pearl River, and it took awhile for the game to get off the ground. No baskets through almost two full minutes, the challenge eventually revealed itself at 6:10. Kelsey Miedreich got the ball in the low post, backed down Jordan Kauftheil, and on the foul, she sank both free throws. But her inside dominance was only the half it on a very tough day.

She could knock ‘em down from three too and the Wolves could not keep up in a 53-30.

Not done in the first, Miedreich hit a pop and stop in the paint and rolled to the hoop to give the Pirates an 8-0 lead at 1:25. Worse yet, the center was far from a one man team, and Sara Donohue dropped a three to make it 11 straight.

But despite the force they were facing, John Jay didn’t just ready themselves to watch the JV game from the bleachers, and it began with Sela Halaifonua. On Brooke Habinowski’s miss, the point guard was fouled on the put back and got her team on the scoreboard with a one for two.

The miss not handled by Pearl River, Natalie Ellrodt then took the spotlight. Maneuvering underneath for the Halaifonua inbound, Ellrodt got to the line for two, and into the second period, she legged out two consecutive triples.

An 11-9 game at 6:20, the John Jay crowd was up in arms. So Pearl River quickly tied their hands. On the next possession, Donohue came open in the corner, and on receipt, she issued a silencer with her second three.

Jane Brennan responded with a runner on the baseline, but slightly off target, her miss reiterated that John Jay was going to have to be perfect on this day. And Kelsey Miedreich didn’t waste any time making the point. She received at the arc and calmly buried three more.

The ice water wasn’t done flowing either. After she got to the line for two, the center buried two more threes and built a 25-11 advantage.

So Kauftheil really up against it versus Miedreich on defense, she did get at least one win against the Pearl River stand out. The shot clock running out, the junior controlled the pass, just got the shot off and gave the crowd some cheer with her buzzer beater.

Not for long, Mady Moroney drove for two, and Donohue went away with another three, but John Jay remained in proximity on the heels of Halaifonua and Brennan. Halaifonua got the steal on defense, and up the court, Brennan drove through the paint for a 30-15 halftime score.

The momentum didn’t carry, though. Miedreich was the first to make sure, and a drive and three built a 20 point lead.

The Wolves dug in nonetheless. Halaifonua’s penetration put Habinowski on the line, and then Halaifonua was the beneficiary of the passing game. Rolling off her defender, Halaifonua received an over the top pass from Kauftheil and got the lay in.

A very unkind rim on Ellrodt’s fast break layup didn’t get the Wolves closer, but the play of the day did. Halaifonua grabbed the defensive board, dribbled up court and stopped at the arc. Appearing to mull a shot, the wait brought Habinowski into focus, and Halaifonua hit her teammate in stride for the layup.

A 35-21 game at 4:24, the duo geared up again. Halaifonua hit Habinowski to the left of the paint, and she swung through with a mini hook off the glass.

Now down 11, the Wolves were reminded how perfect they had to be. Brennan and Kauftheil both making great drives to the hoop, the ball rolled off the rim twice, and the chances for a single digit deficit soon became a distant memory.

Miedreich began with a low post bucket, and after Moroney got two from the line to close the third, she hit a three to make it 44-26. The dagger inserted, John Jay could only wince and wag their tails in respect.