Cambridge Pulls Away Late to Win Wasaren Championship

February 11, 2019

Cambridge 56, Tamarac 48

For those that watched the Wasaren League girls championship game in 2018, Monday night at Mechanicville probably had more than a hint of familiarity. In a rematch from the prior year, Cambridge ran to a big 1st half lead and Tamarac charged back into the game by the end of the 3rd quarter - almost a mirror image of 2018's turn of events. However, Cambridge was able to produce on Monday night what never came in the previous matchup at Skidmore - a 4th quarter run. The timely spurt gave the Indians some much-needed separation once again, and they rode to the finish line to earn the Wasaren title heading into sectionals.

Lilly Phillips provided timely buckets throughout the game and paced Cambridge with 17 points in their win.

After watching the first 8 minutes, most in attendance probably wouldn't have anticipated the 2nd half drama. Cambridge rolled early, getting out in transition often and hitting shots in the half-court when they weren't able to run. All five Cambridge starters scored in the first 4 minutes, with a McKayla McLenithan layup off a drive & feed from Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021) giving them a 13-2 lead at the 4:08 mark. They were able to extend their lead to 24-6 after one quarter on a Ruth Nolan (Cambridge 2021) three. On top of the huge start for Cambridge, things got worse for Tamarac late in the quarter as injuries mounted. Three Bengals, including Tamarac all-time leading scorer Emily Erickson, would go down over a stretch of just over 90 seconds. Two, including Erickson, would return to the game.

Cambridge continued to build their cushion into the 2nd quarter, and they looked like they were well on their way to running away with it after Stasia Epler (Cambridge 2022) knocked down a three to make it 31-8. But at that point, Tamarac - with Erickson back on the floor - started to settle in. Syrita Faraj (Tamarac 2021) broke the drought with a bucket & free throw, then Erickson would reel off 7 points of her own in the quarter, as they chipped their deficit to 37-21 by the halftime break.

It was all Tamarac in the 3rd quarter from the opening possession. A missed Cambridge three led to an Erickson layup, then Faraj stole a pass and finished at the other end to force a Cambridge timeout just over 30 seconds into the half. It would only briefly curb the Bengals' momentum, as Lilly Phillips (Cambridge 2021) produced 4 quick points before Tamarac made its major push. Thanks to a strong defensive effort and sheer dominance on the offensive glass against a smaller Cambridge squad - missing Fiona Mooney, out with a wrist injury - Tamarac quickly powered back within single digits. Erickson produced another 8 points in the first 4 minutes of the 3rd, with the last of those cutting their deficit to 41-33. After Epler banked home a three, Tamarac scored the last 5 points of the quarter to cut their deficit to 6. Jordyn Sorel then scored for the Bengals to start the 4th quarter to cut their deficit to 44-40 - but unlike 2018, they would get no closer. Cambridge reeled off a 10-0 run in under 90 seconds of action, with Nolan, Lilly Phillips, and Epler all hitting threes in that stretch to run their lead back to 54-40 with 5:07 left. Cambridge would only score 2 more points the rest of the way - a pair of Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021) free throws with 33 seconds remaining - but they were able to keep Tamarac at arm's length thanks to a strong defensive effort after switching to man-to-man in the 4th, with the Bengals never getting closer in the final minutes than 8.

Emily Erickson led Tamarac's charge back into the game and led all scorers with 21 points Monday.

Lilly Phillips paced Cambridge with 17 points in the Wasaren League championship victory, including a big three in the middle of their 4th quarter run to give Cambridge a double-digit lead once again. Stasia Epler pumped in 16 points and Ruth Nolan added 14 points to the cause, knocking down 4 threes apiece to power Cambridge's total of 10 made threes on the night. Emily Erickson came back from a nasty head-to-head collision with a teammate late in the 1st quarter to contribute a game high 21 points, 15 of them coming in the middle quarters that Tamarac won 32-20. Syrita Faraj added 14 points, with 12 coming in the middle quarters.


#JeffsNotes

- Monday night's game showed Cambridge's flaws at times, but also showed what makes them so dangerous and such a tough out. Before Fiona Mooney went down with a wrist injury recently, depth was probably the main issue for the Indians. Now it's REALLY an issue, and it certainly showed in the 2nd & 3rd quarters as Tamarac was steadily able to work back into the game. With Mooney being a post presence that rarely was on the bench and some minor foul trouble among their remaining forwards Monday, Lilly Phillips had to move to the 4 in their zone offense for a while. It also removed their main rebounding presence, and they were dominated on the glass as Tamarac's offensive rebound count may have entered the dozens. They had to play zone most of the way, and although they often like to play various zones and use their length, it seemed like last night was more out of necessity than preference. But all that being said... they won. And they won with Sophie Phillips only scoring 7 points and not really looking for her shot. Their ability to score in bunches over spurts is unlike what you see from the vast majority of schools, even at the larger school level. With the Phillips twins leading the way - Monmouth was in the gym for them, a school that has extended scholarship offers to both - they put four kids on the court that can shoot it. Those other two - Stasia Epler & Ruth Nolan - drilled 8 threes combined. They scored 31 points in the first 9+ minutes of the game, then when Tamarac was just about to turn the corner, Cambridge scores 10 in 84 seconds. Making shots is contagious, and they have girls who can do just that.

The emergence of Stasia Epler (16 pts) makes Cambridge even more difficult to defend at the guard spot.

- I'm not big into moral victories... but certainly have to credit Tamarac for their grit and ability to get back into the game. Having this kind of success in the regular season without the services of Renna Poulin all year has been an impressive feat in its own right. Then when Lizzie Machnick, a starter, went down with an apparent non-contact knee injury while already down double digits early... then shortly after, the collision with Erickson & Kate Machnick knocking them both out... the odds were certainly stacked. Emily & Kate were able to return, but Lizzie wasn't. Digging in and coming back from down 23 to cut it to 4 against a quality opponent was impressive in itself. Now sectionals, and perhaps a top seed in Class B, await for them... let the fun begin.