Photographs by Ben Makhlouf
The Lady Popes of Pius XI high school may received an early Christmas present this Friday, in a 70-19 win over the Lady Trojans on Friday.
The game began rough for the Trojans, and just failed to swing their direction through the entirety of the game.
The Lady Popes began the game with a vicious offense, putting up a seven points up on the board early in the game. The Popes made nearly every shot they attempted, while the Trojans struggled to find the net.
The Trojans repeatedly missed opportunities on the court, giving the Lady Popes’ offense exactly what it needed to take control. The Trojans’ offense was plagued by simple errors which kept the Trojans’ score low. Aside from a three-pointer from Elise Ditscheit and an equally impressive shot from junior Abby Jones, West trailed Pius by 11 points at the end of the first quarter.
The Trojans continued to press on despite the deficit throughout the first half. The Trojans put up a strong effort, and Jones made a diving attempt for a jump ball. As the final seconds of the half expired, an exhausted Trojan basketball team headed into the locker room to find an answer for the Lady Popes, trailing 11-33.
In the second half, the Trojans’ determination was evident. The team’s effort was fast paced and aggressive, as Gaby Zabala worked her way down the court with lightning speed. Continuing to thwart the Trojans’ attempts to score, the Popes once again took control of the game.
Two outstanding three-point shots by Yolanda DeLarosa were the sole highlights of the second half, as the Popes continued to thrive on constant takeaways and improbable scores. As the Trojans would begin to stop their attack in the paint, Pius XI made it evident they had no trouble shooting from beyond the arc, and the Trojans simply could not stop points from flying onto the board.
However bleak the outcome , though, the Trojans made it evident they were still here to finish what they started. Moving up and down the court, players maintained their rapid pace and valiant efforts at stopping the Popes no matter what. The energy in the crowd may have dwindled, but the team pressed on until the buzzer sounded and the game was over.
Though it wasn’t pretty, the loss to Pius XI this friday exemplified the dedication and perseverance of the Lady Trojans. They never once hung up the towel and without looking at the scoreboard- one would not know the Trojans were mathematically eliminated from winning in the fourth quarter. They pressed on and worked hard- an attribute that may help them later in the season. As for now, the Lady Trojans are looking straight ahead, focusing on earning a win from Burlington next Friday at home.
Click here to view a slideshow of the photos.
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