Griffith beats Lowell Girls on Devils' home court, 35-33 as freethrows fail to fall

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith
1-8-2006

Saturday, 1-7-2006 - Lake (Black Division) Athletic Conference game at Lowell

GRIFFITH (35)  Alicia Kielbasa 5-1-11, Molly Orzechowicz 2-0-4, Annie Hernandez 3-0-9, Caitlin Terpstra 2-2-6, Ashley Bake 1-0-2,Renee Cabrales 0-1-1, Alana Massa 0-2-2.  TOTALS: 13 (6-14) 35.

LOWELL  (33)  Ashley Cosentino 3-3-9, Kim Bell 4-4-12, Rachel Thiel 1-4-6, Julie Swisher 0-2-2, Katie Haberlin 0-2-2, Kara Lamb 1-0-2.  TOTALS: 9 (15-26) 33.

FREE THROWS:  Griffith (6-14, 42.8%) Kielbasa 1-4, Hernandez 0-2, Terpstra 2-4, Cabrales 1-2, Massa 2-2;
LOWELL (15-26, 60.0%) Cosentino 3-7, Bell 4-6, Swisher 2-2, Thiel 4-8, Haberlin 2-2.

REBOUNDS:  Griffith (27) Kielbasa 9, Orzechowicz 5,Baker 5, Cabrales 2, Massa 2, Terpstra 2, Matthews, Hernandez.  LOWELL  (29) Thiel 10, Bell 5, Cosentino 3, Swisher 6, Lamb 4, Haberlin.

LOWELL  (1-7-2006)  When you have two free throws to win the game and you trail by one, you should at least get to overtime.  But when you don't score a field goal for two consecutive quarters, you should lose.

That's what happened to Lowell and their chances to win the Lake Athletic Conference regular season title late Saturday night.  Griffith led most of the game and survived a late rally by the home team to upset Lowell 35-33 in a rough and tumble LAC battle.

To lose for just the third time in 14 games is not bad, but Lowell has now lost two league games and that probably eliminates them from reaching the top of the LAC's Black division this season.

"Munster's not going to lose two games," said Lowell coach Patti McCormack after the loss. "We came into a game we had to have and we just didn't play."

Griffith, which got stomped 50-36 by Lowell in the LAC tournament in early December, had more life in the rematch and, backed by a small but vocal group of friends of the program, pulled out a much-needed road victory in the Panthers first game of the new year.

"That game we played them, we lost to them after we'd lost our  point guard (Jessica Gallinatti, to a hand injury)," said Griffith coach Tom Golumbeck.  "I told our kids that we're a much better team now than we were on that day.  I don't know if they believed it or not but we've gotten a lot more comfortable in our roles.  There was a three of four minute stretch tonight where we panicked.  But we don't throw that ball away normally like we did tonight, so they don't even get that chance."

'That chance' was Ashley Cosentino, a 78 percent foul shooter (85 of 109 after 13 games), at the foul line with her team trailing 34-33 and four seconds to play. Cosentino rimmed the first one out and left the second shot short.  Rachel Thiel's rebound shot hit the outside of the backboard and Griffith got the ball and the victory.

"We had to get at least one of those," said McCormack quietly.  "She's the one we want at the line.  But we didn't come to play tonight. Griffith always plays that (physical) style.  That's what they do in all sports.  We knew that.  Other than Kim Bell, nobody really came to play."

Lowell led 11-4 early when Griffith junior Annie Hernandez hit a three-point basket in the final seconds of the first quarter to close the gap.  For reasons that aren't explainable (with all due respect to the good Griffith defense), Lowell did not make a shot from the field for the next two quarters.  They were lucky to be trailing just 32-24 when Cosentino broke a 21 minute field goal drought with a stop and go layup with 3:24 left in the game.

That's when Cosentino and Theil led a 9-0 run that put Lowell ahead on a rebound 10-footer by Kara Lamb with 38 seconds to play.
On the next Griffith possession, Lowell covered up 5-9 Griffith forward Alicia Kielbasa who passed the ball laterally to 5-10 senior Caitlin Terpstra who hit a 10-foot shot to make it 34-33.

Lowell's Bell appeared to be fouled on a layup attempt, but there was no call.  Griffith got the ball out of bounds but Annie Hernandez threw the inbounds pass across the court as Panther guard Molly Orzechowicz broke towards the Lowell end of the floor.  Cosentino picked up the loose ball and raced to the basket.  But Griffith's Ashley Baker hustled back to foul her and prevent what would have been the go-ahead basket with four seconds left.

"That saved the game," said Golumbeck. "She had to take that foul.  If she scores that layup, the clock probably runs out."

Lowell had hoped to survive the first week of the calendar year when it's tough to get excited about anything.  Now, season ending games with Munster, Highland and Hammond hold the same level of difficulty but less meaning.

"I don't know how you don't show up for a game like this," said McCormack, who was very disappointed in her side's effort. "Our posts should have had a field day and, for a while, Kim Bell did.  But, for the first time I saw five individuals tonight.  Kim did a good job.  Kara (Lamb) hit a big shot.  I have no answers.  You can't show up for one quarter and win.  We almost got away with it.  That's the crazy thing."

Lowell needed this game because the next contest is against Duneland Athletic conference leader Merrillville (12-1), rated in the top-10 in Class 4A state wide. 

"I hope we take all the physical we didn't use tonight and put it into the game against Merrillville," said McCormack.  Because if we don't play hard against Merrillville, they'll beat us by 80. "

NOTES:  "Those two post players are a handful," said Griffith coach Tom Golumbeck of Lowell's Rachel Thiel and Kim Bell. "They do a very good job of getting to the foul line."

Golumbeck admitted that when Lowell threw the ball to the halfcourt line on the final play of the game after Renee Cabreles split two foul shots with two seconds left,  that Cosentino's collision with Hernandez at mid court , could have been a foul.

"I told her (Hernandez), I don't want you anywhere near her at mid court with two seconds left," he said later.  "She said, 'Coach I just had a cramp and I fell into her.'  But actually that was a foul.  They should have called that."

The Griffith coach figured he was due a break, though.

"The last two times we've played Lowell," he reminded, "they've got 70 free throws.  I don't know if she (McCormack) does a good job of teaching them to get fouled or what."

Neither side was thrilled with the officiating and, despite some 'bad' calls late, Lowell did get 26 foul shots and the only player to foul out was Griffith's Ashley Baker.  Lowell again went with just six players.  Sophomore center Gabi Goetz, still considered a varsity hopeful this year, played only in the JV's victory over Griffith.  Goetz needs her knee iced after each game, so its hard for her to play in both the JV and varsity contests.  No new word on 2005 scoring leader Kelly Johnson (11.4 ppg.), who warms up and dresses for every game but has not played all season after October knee surgery.

USA-365.com Notes:  0ur Internet broadcast team provides live coverage of the Lake Central at Crown Point Girls basketball game to be broadcast via the Internet on USA-365.com on Saturday, January 14.  Live coverage begins with the pregame show at 7:15 p.m. and the tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., CST.  

The next Crown Point boys basketball game to be broadcast via the Internet on USA-365.com will be Michigan City at Crown Point on Friday, January 20.  Live coverage begins with the pregame show at 7:15 p.m. and the tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., CST.  Dave Woodworth (play-by-play) and Mark Smith (analysis) call the action. The PODcast and story will be posted later that weekend on www.USA-365.com.  

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Revised: January 12, 2006 .