Barrington girls win Division I championship

Eagles battle back from 9-point deficit to knock off LaSalle

By Nick Friend
Posted 3/4/17

Glory Ellison scored 13 points, most of them coming in a 17-6 run that helped the Barrington High School girls' basketball team overcome a nine-point deficit and capture the Division I championship …

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Barrington girls win Division I championship

Eagles battle back from 9-point deficit to knock off LaSalle

Posted

Glory Ellison scored 13 points, most of them coming in a 17-6 run that helped the Barrington High School girls' basketball team overcome a nine-point deficit and capture the Division I championship 39-36 over LaSalle on Saturday, March 4 at Rhode Island College.

Barrington trailed LaSalle by as many as nine points in the second half, but a 17-6 run — which included nine points from Ellison — powered the Eagles past the Rams for the title. It was the second time in the past three years Barrington has won the Division I title. 

“LaSalle is going to grind you out for 32 minutes and there were times when we were able to handle that,” Barrington head coach Stephen Lenz said. “Luckily, we had just enough over the past four or five minutes.”

Two minutes and 22 seconds clicked off the clock before either team scored at the start of the game. LaSalle got on the board first and then the Eagles went on to earn their first points from Andrea Kubas-Meyer.

The Rams proceeded to go on a 7-1 run before the Eagles found their offensive rhythm again as Glory Ellison scored four straight points. Barrington continued to cut into LaSalle’s lead as Olivia Middleton hit a three from the top of the key to give the Eagles their first lead of the game, 10-9.

The Rams responded with three baskets in a row that forced Barrington to call a timeout in a 16-10 hole with under six minutes remaining in the first half.

After an Eagles’ timeout, Grace Coutu hit one of two at the line and another basket on a bank shot before Kubas-Meyer scored again for Barrington which forced LaSalle to call a timeout with their lead shrunk to 16-15.

The number one and two seeds traded blows one more time as Middleton scored two more of her six points of the half on a drive to the basket that put Barrington’s deficit at 19-17 heading into the locker room.

To start the second half, Barrington went scoreless for the first 5:32 as LaSalle continued to pour it on which led to them leading 26-17 before the Eagles were forced to call a timeout.

After the break in action, the two teams started to trade basket for basket as Ellison scored and Middleton drilled a step-back jumper to shrink LaSalle’s lead to 31-26.

As soon as Barrington seemed to be at the beginning of a run, LaSalle’s Christina Kiser hit a three which was just part of an 11 point day for the junior to up the Rams’ lead to 34-26.

After a timeout called by LaSalle, Barrington received a spark from Ellison who put in a layup on a drive and nailed two free throws to bring the Rams’ lead down to 34-30 with just over five minute remaining in the game.

After being down by eight just a couple minute prior, the Eagles received another basket from Elizabeth Hutchings that brought Barrington within two at 34-32.

Two made free throws from LaSalle upped the lead back up to 36-32 before the Rams called a timeout with 3:29 remaining.

Barrington proceeded to receive a huge lift from Ellison on a made basket while driving to the hoop where she was fouled. After the made free throw from Ellison and another made shot from Kubas-Meyer, it gave the Eagles a 39-36 lead which capped off a 17-6 run, forcing the Rams to call a timeout.

After two defensive stops from Barrington, Coach Lenz called a timeout with just 47.1 second left and the score still set at 39-36 in favor of the Eagles.

Barrington went on to miss a corner three which gave LaSalle the ball with 35 seconds left. A missed layup by the Rams forced LaSalle to foul with just 10.3 second left which sent Coutu to line where she missed her first on a one-and-one attempt.

LaSalle proceeded to earn possession and call a timeout with just 4.8 second left and the score still set at 39-36.

After the break in action, Barrington took the ball away on the inbound attempt and ran out the clock as the Eagles’ players rejoiced in the glory of a D-I championship.

“At the end of the game they finally had confidence which translated to make baskets and that spilled over to the defense,” Coach Lenz said.

Down the stretch, Ellison came up big play after play, so it seemed fitting that she was the one to steal the inbound pass that sealed the deal for the Eagles.

“She is a good player and we are different team with her,” Coach Lenz said. “She wasn’t out on the floor for most of the first half because she was in foul trouble. It was all sparked by some great offensive moves by Glory.”

Barrington now turns their attention to the open state tournament where they enter as the top overall seed.

“You build confidence with close games like this,” Coach Lenz said. “We are proud of this, but we also have our eyes on the open state (tournament).”

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