Parahus Powers Albertus Past Pearl River

Twice in her career, Albertus Magnus senior Maeve Parahus could only watch as Pearl River celebrated earning a trip to the Section 1 championship game while ending the Falcons' season.

Parahus made sure there was no third time, scoring 36 points, making key free throws late and even playing some point guard to lead Albertus Magnus to a 59-56 double overtime victory over Pearl River in the Section 1 Class A girls basketball semifinals Thursday at the Westchester County Center. 

"I wanted this game more than anything," Albertus Magnus senior Maeve Parahus said. "This is what I've been looking forward to. I can't believe it's here. I can't believe we won."

By the end of the game, starters Ryan Doherty and Christine O'Riordan had fouled out for Albertus Magnus (14-7), which survived a stretch of over seven minutes without a field goal late in the game and in overtime to advance to the championship game 5 p.m. Sunday against Peekskill.

"It was pretty tough. Once Ryan Doherty fouled out, managing the ball became very interesting," Albertus Magnus Head Coach Pat Buckley said. "Maeve became a point guard. 

"I'm so proud of our girls. It wasn't pretty, but we slugged it out. I'm glad we were on the right side this year."

Parahus made sure it happened, scoring 36 points to lead the Falcons into the championship game 5 p.m. Sunday against Peekskill.

Pearl River's top player, senior point guard Marissa Scognamiglio, collapsed to the floor with a sprained ankle with 1:25 remaining in the first quarter. She returned to the game and led the Pirates with 14 points, but the injury slowed her significantly on the offensive and defensive ends.

"She's just a trooper," Pearl River Head Coach Lorraine Moylan said. "She hurt her ankle and played her heart out. It changed her. She did everything she possibly could, but it was sore.

"With everything that went wrong, it was a battle. We battled all the way."

Pearl River's other senior co-captain, Amanda DeCourcey, sat much of the game with foul trouble, taking away the player who defended Parahus during two regular-season victories over the Falcons.

"I don't think we defended once Amanda got in foul trouble," Moylan said. "We tried different people on her. It was very difficult to stop her."

Buckley said that has been the case since Albertus Magnus barely got by Somers in the first round of the playoffs.

"When we almost lost to Somers, a light went on with Maeve," Buckley said. "She is determined, hungry, and she's leading us right now. We can put her on a perimeter player, a post player, and she's getting the job done for us defensively. Obviously, she's a tough matchup offensively. I'm so proud of her. She's showing such toughness. Her will to win tonight was tremendous."

That helped Albertus Magnus snap a string of seven consecutive losses to Pearl River (18-3), including the last two section semifinal games.  Pearl River had not lost in 13 games against Rockland County teams this season and only once against a Section 1 opponent, with that coming against Class B powerhouse Irvington.

"They are a great team," Parahus said. "I only beat them once in 11 times I played them in my career. This is the second time. It really feels amazing. They are a great team. We just played really good."

Pearl River led, 10-7, when Scognamiglio was hurt and DeCourcey picked up her second foul on plays within a minute of each other. Parahus made a three-point shot to tie the game at 10-10 after one quarter. The Falcons' three-point final margin was the biggest advantage either team had at the end of any period in Thursday's game. 

Parahus again scored in the final seconds of a period to tie the game at 21-21 heading into halftime. She scored 18 of Albertus Magnus's 21 first-half points. 

Pearl River relied heavily on its bench early. Reserve forward Emma Daley scored 10 of her 11 points in the first half. She and senior forward Jess Dolan, who finished with 10 points, consistently came up with offensive rebounds.

"Even though we show more size, they went with a lineup that was bigger and stronger than us and they killed us on the boards," Buckley said.

Daly hit a couple of free throws late in the third quarter to send Pearl River into the fourth with a 27-27 lead. DeCourcey asserted herself offensively in the fourth quarter, attacking the basket to score eight of her 10 points, but she fouled out early in the first overtime.

DeCourcey twice gave the Pirates two-point leads with just over two minutes to play, but O'Riordan made a 3-point shot for the second consecutive possession to give the Falcons a 42-41 lead with 2:07 remaining in regulation.

Doherty fouled out for Albertus Magnus with 1:09 to play, sending Scognamiglio to the line for a one-and-one. She missed, but did make a free throw with 14 seconds left to tie the game and send it to the first overtime.

"I was mad because if I make the foul shots, we win right there," Scognamiglio said. "It was a relief to go to overtime."

Both teams were in the double bonus before the end of regulation and the two overtimes were dominated by free throw shooting. The teams attempted a combined 66 free throws, with Pearl River making 24 of 38 and Albertus Magnus sinking 20 of 28.

The Falcons scored all six of their points in the first overtime at the free throw line, including two by Parahus with 50 seconds left to tie the game at 48. She finally broke the field goal drought by scoring with 2:35 left to give the Falcons a 53-52 advantage.

"She carried them the whole way through," Moylan said of Parahus. "We didn't have anyone to do that." 

Albertus Magnus pushed the edge to 56-52 on a basket by Madison McGrath, and then made three of four free throws in the final minute to hang on for the victory.

"They are a great program," Buckley said. "They have a great coach. I have such respect for them. You feel for their coach and you feel for their seniors. I don't know if anyone deserved to lose that game."