PHILADELPHIA, PA - La Salle senior Jill Marano (Crofton, MD/Arundel) scored her 1,000th point, but the Explorers dropped a 80-72 decision to the Kent State Golden Flashes in overtime in the final game of the La Salle Classic today, Thursday, December 30, 2004.
Marano becomes the 19th member of the 1,000 point club in La Salle women's basketball. She tallied nine points in the game, all from behind the three point arc. She entered the game with 991 points and needed just nine to reach 1,000.
The Golden Flashes led for most of the first half with the largest lead coming at the 11:44 mark when they went up six. La Salle went on a 10-5 run towards the end of the half and took a five point lead of its own. The Explorers went into the locker room up three.
The two teams battled back and fourth in the second period as the game stayed within one or two points for the first 16 minutes. The Golden Flashes then nailed a three pointer to go up 61-57 with 3:03 left in regulation. La Salle sophomore Crista Ricketts (Douglasville, PA/Daniel Boone) answered with a layup to put her team back within two. But, Kent State did not back down and drained another three point basket.
With his team down five and 1:11 left on the clock, La Salle head coach Tom Lochner called for Ricketts to get the ball, she hit another jumper and he called a quick timeout. Ricketts came out of the timeout to grab one of her two steals in the game. Lochner called for the ball to be in no other than senior Meghan Wilkinson's (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown) hands.
Wilkinson, who set a new La Salle record for three point baskets made in a single game against Providence, got the ball and found three Kent State players surrounding her. She dribbled to her left, then to her right and fired up a shot from well beyond the three point arc. The shot went in and tied the game at 64 with ten ticks remaining in regulation. Kent State called a timeout with seven seconds left, but the Explorers defense prevented them from getting a shot off before the horn sounded.
Kent State came out in overtime and made the first six points of the period. Ricketts responded by making a jumper as she was fouled, she connected on the free throw to put her team within three, 70-67 with 2:43 left. Ricketts was sent to the free throw line four times, and connected on three in the next minute and a half and the Explorers were down 72-70 with 1:27 left.
The Golden Flashes then took a four point lead off a Melissa Delgrate jumper with a minute left. Kent State fouled Ricketts again, but this time she did not connect, however senior Monica Garrido Sanz (Majadahonda, Spain/Majadahonda) went one for two from the line to pull La Salle within three with 37 seconds on the clock.
La Salle junior Shaune McLaughlin (Somers Point, NJ/Mainland Regional) was fouled with 24 seconds left and her team down 75-71, she connected on one of the two attempts to put La Salle back within a one possession game. Garrido-Sanz then nearly stole the ball, she had possession as she fell out of bounds and tossed the ball back on the court, it bounced around from player to player and fell into the hands of Kent State. The Golden Flashes then pulled away to win the game 80-72 after making four shots from the charity stripe.
Wilkinson and Ricketts led La Salle with 18 points a piece. Wilkinson was 5-9 from the field and 4-8 from beyond the arc. She dished out a team high six assists and committed just one turnover. Ricketts also led the team in rebounds as she pulled down eight. Garrido-Sanz finished the game with 12 points, she shot 50% from the field and grabbed seven boards. Junior Davineia Payne (Bear, DE/Caravel Academy) added nine points as did Marano. Marano also recorded four assists as she entered the 1,000 point club.
The Explorers are now done their non-conference schedule and will open up conference action as they host Richmond in the New Year. The Spiders will come to Tom Gola Arena for a 7:00 p.m. contest Tuesday, January 4th, 2005.
