Carroll falls short; Patriots drop 54-51 decision
COLUMBUS – Kelley Austria doesn’t say much. And the Carroll High School junior doesn’t have to. Her game speaks for her and Saturday it was screaming. Unfortunately the collective yell from Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown was a little bit louder.
The Blazers, playing in their fifth straight Division II state championship, won their third straight state title with a 54-51 win over Carroll before a crowd of 3,501 at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center.
Austria led all scorers with 26 points and had 45 in two state tournament games.
The contest was brutal.
“That was a war,” Hathaway Brown head coach Paul Barlow said. “That was a flat-out war. This was by far the most physical of the three championship games we’ve won.”
HB’s celebration was delayed a couple minutes as the referees sorted out a situation similar to the one that transpired two weeks ago in the Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament when a St. John’s player celebrated prematurely and ran out of bounds with time still on the clock. Hathaway Brown’s Beth Brzozowski did the same thing only this time the officials made the call. Carroll was awarded the ball at half court with one second left but failed to get off a shot.
“I don’t think you guys were out there but Brzozowski did a down and back for stepping out of bounds,” Barlow joked. “When we got that rebound and broke free of the trap (Carroll) was just kind of walking to their bench and (Brzozowski) just kind of ran up and acted the fool. Then it became the longest one second for us.”
All jokes aside, there wasn’t much for HB to laugh about at the beginning.
The Patriots (24-4) led 17-9 after the first quarter but HB (18-9) used a 20-9 second quarter to take a 29-26 lead at the break. Carroll cut the lead to 40-38 after three quarters and looked to regain momentum when HB standout sophomore Vanessa Smith fouled out with 6:33 to play and the Blazers clinging to a 44-40 lead.
Too many wasted possessions (ones where Austria didn’t get a shot) down the stretch, though, and enough timely buckets by HB spelled doom for Carroll.
Hathaway Brown put four players in double figures and was led by senior Molly Crosby’s 13 points. Smith and senior Tanisha Lawler each added 12 and sophomore Nia Marshall had 10 (and 10 rebounds).
Collectively Carroll hit just 1-of-9 3-pointers and was 10-of-18 from the free throw line.
“I just told the team in the locker room that at some point during the season free throws usually cost you a game,” Berry said. “That game just happened to be our 28th.”
Austria was the only Carroll player in double-digits.
“It took (Hathaway Brown) a while to get here and then when they did it took them a while to win it.,” Berry said. “We’re on the right path. Next year we bring back our top three scorers. I think we’re an up and coming team.”
Said Barlow: “Getting down here is such an accomplishment but trying to take that next step and win that first one is so hard.”
*Player of the Game: Kelley Austria, Jr., Carroll – Despite the loss, Austria was clearly the best player on the court in the D-II final. In addition to her game-high 26 points, Austria, a Dayton commit, had five steals, four rebounds and two assists. She also hit 10-of-16 shots.
“Kelley is our go-to player,” Carroll senior Molly McGloin said. “I told her to take (the ball) every time. She’s unstoppable. We knew we had to get it to her if we wanted to win.”
*Stat of the Game: HB’s nine losses are the most ever for a state champion. Twice previously teams with six losses have captured titles.
Division II JJHuddle All-Tournament Team
Kelley Austria, Jr., Carroll (Player of the Tournament)
Nia Marshall, So., Hathaway Brown
Vanessa Smith, So., Hathaway Brown
Molly Ritz, Sr., Cambridge
Amanda Cahill, Fr., Clyde
JJHuddle All-Ohio Teams (Coming the first week of April)
The first annual JJHuddle All-Ohio Girls Basketball Teams will be announced the week of April 4. The teams will feature five-player first, second and third teams and will have a 10-player honorable mention. There will also be an “Also Receiving Votes” section. The teams will encompass all divisions and will be selected by a panel that includes the best in the business: Tom Jenkins (Ohio Girls Basketball Report), Mark Lewis (ESPN HoopGurlz) and Dan Olson (Collegiate Girls Basketball Report). A points system will be used and a player’s collective career will be taken into consideration (i.e. high school and club seasons).
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