Fox Lane holds on for a two-point win over John Jay

Clockwise from top left. Helena Schembri of John Jay grabs a rebound in front of Riley New. Lina Halaifonua drives to the hoop for John Jay. Gabby Camaj scoops a layup in the lane as Dylan New and Kami Boniello defend for the Foxes. Morgan Clinton gets fouled on her way to the basket. Jim MacLean Photos

By JIM MACLEAN 

It was a defensive struggle from start to finish as the John Jay girls varsity basketball team hosted local rival Fox Lane on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 13, two teams not giving an inch trading baskets.

Especially in the fourth quarter as both teams had trouble scoring against a tenacious defensive effort on both sides of the court. In the end just seven points were scored in the final quarter, as Fox Lane was able to pull out a 38-36 victory over the host Wolves.

“These are our neighbors, they know each other, great kids who have been playing against each other since CYO youth league,” Fox Lane coach Kris Matts said of the rivalry. “I know it means a lot to get the win, but I sure wish it didn’t have to be so hard. John Jay pushed hard, played really tough, but we missed a lot of shots we should have made. Defensively, I was loving what I was seeing and I’m happy we got the win.”

Coming into the season it would have seemed like a mismatch, with John Jay graduating its entire starting five while Fox Lane had four starters returning. However, John Jay was obviously fired up and the Wolves came to play and led by one point heading into the fourth quarter.

And both teams turned up the defense, turning the fourth quarter into a nail-biter. Riley New opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer to put the Foxes up 36-34, but then with just over two minutes left to play Charlotte Omin scored for John Jay to tie it up. Morgan Clinton then scored what proved to be the winning basket for Fox Lane, but John Jay had a number of chances and a 3-point attempt at the buzzer by Omin went off the rim as the Foxes held on.

“We played hard and I’m proud of them, but we had opportunities to win that game,” said John Jay coach Matt Gallagher. “We gave ourselves a chance to win. A lot of missed buckets, but they never gave up. We were still in it to the end. We stepped up and defensively I felt we played great.”

The game started out with a lot more offense as the Foxes led 15-11 after the first quarter, but Gianna Pelosi had the hot hand to keep John Jay in the game as she scored a game-high 15 points, all coming in the first half.

“Gianna got banged up in the first half and she went right back in,” Gallagher said of Pelosi. “She doesn’t like sitting down, and she went in and finished with a double-double and I’m really proud of her.”

Fox Lane hit back-to-back 3- pointers from Dylan New and Clinton to open up a 30-24 lead, but John Jay answered as Gabby Camaj hit a three and Lina Halaifonua scored 5-straight points to give the Wolves a 34-30 lead.

Dylan New hit another 3-pointer, her fourth of the game, to end the third quarter at 34-33, and her sister Riley then hit the 3-pointer to start the fourth and set the stage for Clinton’s heroics scoring the game-winning hoop. Dylan New finished with 13 points to lead the Foxes, while Clinton also finished in double figures with 12 points. Riley New scored 6 points, Kami Boniello added 4 points, and Cora Moore had three for the Foxes.

“Mo came to play,” Matts said of Clinton. “We were getting her the ball in the first half, second half we got away from that and had trouble scoring. Dylan stepped up with some big three’s, and Kami Boniello and Amanda Mazzuca basically kept us in this game with their defense.”

Pelosi led all scorers with 15 points and added 11 rebounds for John Jay. Camaj scored 9 points and Halaifonua finished with 7 points. Kylie Bishop added three and Omin scored two to complete the scoring for the Wolves.

John Jay also scored its first win of the season on Dec. 10, as Camaj scored 13 points to lead the Wolves to the victory.

John Jay was set to travel to Lakeland on Thursday, Dec. 18, while Fox Lane will host Arlington on Friday, Dec. 18, and the Foxes will then compete in the Pelham Tournament on Dec. 29-30.