Brearley wins another close one
By: John E. Powers
Last Thursday night’s game against David Brearley of Kenilworth was within reach for the Manville High School girls’ basketball team. That’s what frustrated the Lady Mustangs and their first-year coach Kyle Rehrig the most.
Manville, which finished the week at 1-2 with a win against St. Mary of Elizabeth and losses to Brearley and Hillside, dropped the only close one of the three by a 29-25 score against the Kenilworth school.
"When we have opportunity to make a shot we have to make them," Rehrig told his team following the game. "They didn’t outplay us. It’s one thing if we get outplayed, but that wasn’t the case tonight."
It was the second time the Mustangs lost a tight one to their Skyland Conference Sky Division rivals. The first setback was 58-55 a few weeks ago in Kenilworth.
"It’s hard to swallow when you lose, but not outplayed," Rehrig said. "We really weren’t outplayed and that’s hard to take."
Manville trailed 8-6 after one period and 11-10 after the first half. Manville did forge its first and only lead of the game at 12-11 when Amy Walinchus followed her own miss with a bucket. But that lead lasted only seconds because Brearley’s Jill Kelly hit a 3-pointer to put the Union County team up 14-12.
After a Manville turnover, Jenna Vitale hit a short jumper over Katy Walinchus to make it 16-12. Stefanie Bocchino hit the first of two foul shots after a technical to cut the lead to 16-13. After Bocchino missed her second shot, Dana Delesky claimed a rebound, but the Mustangs missed two open shots.
Vitale then hit another shot and it was 18-13. Manville answered with baskets by Katy Walinchus off a pretty feed from Sarah Ortman and Delesky’s steal and layup.
Katy Walinchus fouled Vitale, who made two free throws for a 20-17 lead, then Daria Glynos hit a shot after a steal to boost the Bears’ lead back to five at 22-17. The lead was boosted to 24-17 when Vitale hit a short shot early in the fourth quarter.
Manville had several chances to tie the game. With Brearley leading 28-25, Bocchino missed a 3-point attempt. Then with time running out, Delesky, who won last week’s thriller against Bound Brook with a three, missed two open looks from long range. With just a couple of seconds left, Melissa Perkins hit the second of two free throws and Brearley (11-2) escaped with a four-point win.
"I can’t question the effort because they played hard. I think our kids really played a very good game," Rehrig said. "We had about six good shots within three or four or five feet, but they just didn’t drop. We were right there, but they just didn’t fall."
Katy Walinchus and Dana Delesky finished with six points apiece, while junior forward Ashley Davey had four points and seven rebounds.
The next night, the Lady Mustangs fell to 8-7 with a 58-22 loss at Hillside, which improved to 11-3. Once again, Rehrig was pleased with the effort. Manville fell behind 14-0 and never recovered. Amy Walinchus led the team with eight points.
"I thought we played well defensively," said Rehrig, who added that the team would spend some time Saturday morning working on shooting.