Hot start sends Ursuline past Sussex Tech

Maggie Connolly scored 17 points to lead Ursuline past Sussex Tech 55-27 on Saturday.

NEWARK – Ursuline is a 16-time champion in the DIAA Girls Basketball Tournament, and the Raiders like to remind their opponents of that tradition.

“Let them know that, ‘Hey, we’re Ursuline, and we’re comfortable here. This is where we think we belong. This is where we want to be,’” coach John Noonan said. “We want to let you know, ‘Hey, this is going to be 32 minutes, and I hope you’re up for the challenge.’”

Ursuline certainly made a statement in the quarterfinals on Saturday night, running to a 27-point halftime lead and cruising past Sussex Tech 55-27 at the Bob Carpenter Center.

“The key was to keep the tempo up,” said junior guard Maggie Connolly, who led the Raiders with 17 points. “We knew coming in that we wanted to play fast. That’s a big thing for us, playing faster. That’s the way we want to play.”

Top-seeded Ursuline (21-1) was fast and furious from the start and advanced to meet Sanford in the semifinals at 8 p.m. Wednesday on this same floor. Eighth-seeded Sussex Tech finished its season at 15-6.

Connolly hit a 3-pointer from the left wing, Alisha Lewis scored on a fast break and dropped a pull-up 3, and Connolly got an easy bucket off Lewis’ steal and assist for a 13-3 lead with 2:35 left in the first quarter.

The Raiders kept it rolling, ripping off 12 straight points in a second-quarter run. Connolly bombed a 3, Yanni Hendley-McCalla scored on the break, Lewis dropped a 3 from the top of the key, Kryshell Gordy banked in a layup and Hendley-McCalla drove for a bucket to make it 30-4.

Ursuline forced 17 turnovers in the opening half on the way to a 33-6 lead. It reached 38-6 when Connolly opened the second half with her third 3-pointer and another fast-break score. Many high school players struggle to shoot well into the vast backdrops at the Bob, but Connolly did just fine.

“I like it here,” she said. “I like how big the court is. It’s helpful for a team like us that likes to get up and down. I think it definitely throws you off, so warmups are important and experience is important.”

The Ravens showed plenty of heart, putting together a 13-0 run midway through the third quarter. Kara Hignutt, Jayla Mullen, Rukiya Davis, Mi’Cah Shelton and Camille Scott all scored in the surge, but Sussex Tech still trailed 38-19.

Lewis added 12 points for Ursuline. Shelton scored six and Davis and Lakendra Harpe each added five for the Ravens.

Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ