So, I did some thinking and realized that If I ever get a job as a reporter, even a sports one, I may not be solely covering baseball. So, I’m trying to expand my writings to include more sports: Here’s a little recap of my Alma Mater’s last basketball home game that I attended. Enjoy!
The stage was set. The gym was packed, and the 2012 CSAC tournament had begun. The matchup was all too familiar to any CSAC fan. For the third straight postseason, the Immaculata Mighty Macs and the Neumann University Knights faced off in a winner-move-on / loser-go-homel matchup. The last two matchups went in favor of the host Knights and both occurred in the conference championship.
In fact, the Knights dominance over the Macs had span back several years as the Immaculata women’s basketball team hadn’t been victorious in their matchups, regular or playoff, since 2007. That was until this season when the Macs came back to defeat the visiting Knights just weeks before at Alumnae Hall. However, demons of heartbreaking past playoff losses still hung in the air as the teams took the court.
The Macs jumped out to a quick 7 point advantage, unlike their previous two meetings when the Knights pushed the pedal down early, and instantly set the momentum in their favor. It turned out to be a strong half for Immaculata as they seemed to outplay the Knights in every aspect of the game mounting a 32-21 edge at halftime.
As quickly as the Macs were in the first half was as haggard as they started out in the 2nd. The Knights flew out of the gates stymieing the home team’s high flying offense and slowly, but surely dug into the halftime deficit.
For the first 12 minutes or so, it was all Neumann. They had turned the tides on the Macs and were gaining fast. By the 8:30 mark, the visitors had stunned the home team and their ruckus fans turning around that 11 point deficit into a 45-39 lead.
That’s when everything changed and the Knights weren’t ready for what happened next.
The crowd roared in support as the Macs switched into their full court pressure. It started with 3 point play cutting the game to 45-42 followed by a steal and a pair of Neumann turnovers that led to 6 unanswered points for the home squad. The Knights were forced to call a timeout having lost their lead in just a 36 second span.
The 1-point lead quickly swelled to 3 to 5 to 9, 11, before finally settling at 15. Air-tight defense coupled with key offensive shots from a pair of seniors helped seal the deal for the hosts.
The Macs had pushed down the acceleration and The Knights couldn’t slow them down. Neumann didn’t score again the entire game.
During final 8:32 of the game, the Macs defense produced 9 Knight turnovers and outscored their CSAC rivals 21-0.
It had been years in the making, but, the Macs had finally met the challenge and completed the ominous task of knocking the Neumann Knights out of the postseason. The demons of losses past had been slayed and Immaculata looks onward at a Neumann-less playoffs.
Their next challenge comes Wednesday night at Baptist Bible College in the semi-finals of the Colonial States Athletic Conference Tournament.
Best of luck girls! Let’s keep this going!
