Lehman College Wins ECAC Metro Women's Basketball Championship
(Story Courtesy of Lehman College Athletics)
Eastern College Athletic Conference champions.
A series of words that will forever be linked to the 2010-11
Lehman Lightning women's basketball team after its heart-stopping
63-60 victory over visiting St. John Fisher College in the ECAC
Division III Metro Championship game on Sunday afternoon.
The win is the first-ever ECAC women's basketball title for
Lehman, who finished the season 20-11, and comes after a run to the
City University of New York Athletic Conference title game as
well.
Mirroring Lehman's first two games of the tournament, overtime
wins over Farmingdale State and Brooklyn College, Sunday's game
also came right down to the wire.
Trailing 60-56 following two free throws by St. John Fisher's
Meghan Soja, Lehman cut its deficit to two on a basket by Louvinia
Hayes. On the Lightning's next possession, Hayes drove to
the basket and kicked out to a wide open Paula
Robinson, who buried the team's biggest three-pointer of
the season from the top of the key to give Lehman a 61-60 lead with
1:59 remaining. Robinson's clutch three came just two games after
her equally huge three-pointer against Farmingdale State, a shot
that put the Lightning ahead in overtime during the quarterfinal
round of the tournament.
“That was a big one,” said Lehman head coach Eric
Harrison when stating the obvious regarding Robinson's
game-changing three-pointer.
Plenty of time remained, however, for the Cardinals' Colleen
Maloney, the team's high scorer on the day with 19 points, to get
two more cracks at retaking the lead. The first came with 46
seconds to play as the senior's short jumper in the lane rolled
around the rim and out. Maloney got another quality look from
straight on with under 10 seconds to play, only to have her shot
hit the front rim. The rebound fell to Hayes who was then fouled
and converted both free throws for the final 63-60 margin.
“She had a wide open look at the end,” said Harrison
of Maloney's final shot attempt. “But it was one of those
where our defense was really working on her. I think we wore her
down a little bit. Lou-Lou Hayes did a great job of shutting her
down.”
Whether the credit is given to Hayes or the Lightning's overall
team defensive effort, Maloney was certainly slowed down the
stretch. During the first nine minutes of the second half, Maloney
scored 15 points – 13 in a row for St. John Fisher at one
point – as the Cardinals built their biggest lead of the game
at 50-41. She was ultimately held scoreless for the remainder of
the game.
Following Maloney's free throw, the Lightning went on an 8-0 run
to tie the game at 50 as Hayes canned a three-pointer, Chris Mary
Martinez knocked in a triple from the left side and
Amanda De La
Cruz converted on a driving layup. Martinez also
connected on an important three-pointer, her only other basket of
the game, during the Lightning's 10-1 run that closed the first
half and put Lehman ahead 31-30 at the break.
“Chris Mary
Martinez hit a couple real big shots,” said
Harrison. “Both her and Paula are players we don't expect big
shots from, but who both came up real big for us in the
end.”
Aside from the obvious elation of winning the tournament, the
victory also holds added significance for Harrison as it is his
200th career coaching win. Lehman's head man attains the milestone
in his 13th year with the team.
“It's a nice way to get it,” said Harrison. “I
didn't want to be stuck at 199 over a whole summer. It was good to
get that win, especially to wrap up the school's first ECAC
championship. Even better, I was able to win it with this
group.”
The Lightning's win also signals the end of the line for Hayes,
who poured in 28 points in her final contest at the Bronx school
and was named the game's most valuable player. Having played just
one season with Lehman, Hayes made a stellar impression on the
local basketball fans and the CUNY conference as she led the league
in scoring and the Lightning in timely baskets. Her presence on the
team will be sorely missed.
“It was good to have her,” said Harrison of his
departing star. “She is a real tough player and a real good
leader. Hopefully, a lot of our players pick up on her leadership
and they fill in the void going into next year.”
Speaking of next year's team, it will have big shoes to fill
– those of the 2011 ECAC Division III Metro champions.
Bracket
Schedule:
Quarterfinal Round
– Wednesday, March 2
No. 8 SUNY Old Westbury defeated No. 1 Rutgers University-Newark,
56-54: Box Score l Game Recap
No. 7 Brooklyn College defeated No. 2 Polytechnic Institute
of NY. 64-54: Box Score l Game Recap
No. 3 Lehman College defeated No. 6 Farmingdale State College:
85-78 (OT): Box
Score
No. 4 St. John Fisher defeated No. 5 Ramapo College, 70-68:
Box Score l Game Recap
Semifinal Round
– Saturday, March 5
No. 4 St. John Fisher defeated No. 8 SUNY Old Westbury,
70-59: Box Score | Game Recap
No. 3 Lehman College defeated No. 7 Brooklyn College,
80-73: Box Score | Game Recap
Championship Game
– Sunday, March 6 (at Lehman College)
No. 3 Lehman College defetaed No. 4 St. John Fisher
College, 63-60: Box Score
