TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Press Takes Toll On TC

ADVERTISEMENT

By KATHERINE SMITH

ksmith@tampatrib.com

Published: February 26, 2009

LAKELAND - It wasn't the pressure of playing in the program's first Final Four that got to Tampa Catholic. It was the pressure Miramar Parkway Academy applied throughout the game that ended the Crusaders' (28-3) season.

Led by McDonald's All-American Erica Wheeler's game-high 22 points, Parkway (31-3) defeated Tampa Catholic, 69-48, in the Class 3A state semifinal game Wednesday at The Lakeland Center. The Panthers will face Gainseville P.K. Yonge in Friday's championship game.

"We did not handle the pressure very well, and I think we had some extremely key bad turnovers where we started their fast break," Tampa Catholic coach Nancy Kroll said. "And that is not our style of basketball. I think the speed of their guards dominated play for the most part."

Many of the Panthers' points came from the Crusaders' 22 turnovers. Parkway also beat Tampa Catholic on the boards 39-30, which included 22 offensive rebounds compared to the Crusaders' 10.

Tampa Catholic got down by as many as eight points in the first quarter, but closed it out with a 4-1 run to pull within six. Parkway increased its lead to 12 in the second quarter, but another run, this time a 5-0 run to close the first half, pulled the Crusaders within five at the half.

With her team down by 19 points in the third quarter and leading scorer Colette Eule on the bench with four fouls, Kroll called a timeout and challenged her players, including senior captain Annie Dziagwa, who hit the first of four-consecutive 3-pointers during a 14-4 run to pull Tampa Catholic within 10 heading into the fourth quarter.

"We made a feverish comeback in the third quarter," Kroll said. "We started to hit a couple of 3s and play our game of basketball. I think we just ran out of gas."

Junior forward Sarah Brennan led the Crusaders with 18 points. Eule, who fouled out in the fourth quarter, added 13, and freshman guard Micah Kroll, who hit two 3-pointers during the third quarter run, finished with 10.

Obviously disappointed after the loss, Tampa Catholic was also optimistic about the future and how the loss will motivate them in the offseason.

"I think it was good just to get the first time out of the way," Brennan said. "All the nerves are gone now, so next year, we'll be ready to come back."

Reporter Katherine Smith can be reached at (813) 259-7860.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT