Milford Mirror

Legen's basket lifts Law past Foran

Wednesday, 18 January 2012 14:05

Kim Legen drove baseline and pulled up to bury a four-footer, and Jonathan Law played lockdown defense, to help rally coach Heather Saucier’s Eagles to a 55-54 victory over Foran High in an instant classic at James Richetelli Sr. Gymnasium on Thursday.

“I looked at the clock [when Foran was at the free-throw line] and I knew we could still win,” said Legen, who scored 23 points before a large crowd on hand to watch the town rivals meet on Slam Dunk Alzheimer’s Night.

“I said take responsibility. If open take it; if not find someone who is.”

Jackie Kochiss grabbed the rebound on the missed free throw, and Nya Ramos quickly beat pressure and found Legen open in the right corner, in front of a packed Law student section.

The senior tri-captain took two dribbles and let fly before the Lion defense could respond.

The ball caught net, and Law had the lead with 31 seconds remaining.

Coming out of a timeout, Foran got the shot it wanted, but Jasmin Rodriguez’ shot, contested by three defenders from eight feet out, came off the rim.

Law’s Catie Miller got the rebound, and called for time with five seconds left.

Foran needed to foul twice to go over the limit and send the Eagles to the line.

Ramos shot missed with 3.4 on the clock, but Legen won a scramble to collect the ball on the floor, and held on while the remaining time ticked away.

Foran coach Scott Nails was pleased with his team’s effort.

“Jasmin [Rodriguez] had 25 points for the second straight game, and Alyssa Puccilli made some big threes,” he said after Foran fell to 4-7.

“I hurt for the kids. I thought we did enough to win. I told the kids sometimes you play badly, but win, and sometimes you play well and lose.

“I thought we played hard for all 32 minutes and pushed each other. We played well for 31. It’s the little things, the decision making.

“We had a three-point lead, and the ball [with two minutes left]. Give Law credit, they made the plays.”

Foran took a 20-11 lead after one period, in a game played at a frenetic pace that never slowed.

Foran’s Kelly Quinn answered a Legen 3-pointer with two free throws after an offensive rebound to tie the game at 9 and spark a 13-2 run by the Lions.

Rodriguez tallied on a putback, and after a defensive board by Maggie Folsom board, four passes in transition led to Quinn’s wing pass to Rodriguez for the senior’s third bucket of the frame.

Alex Librandi took a pass from Teneya McLaughlin and buried a baseline jumper, and then fed Rodriguez for another basket.

Legen stopped the run at 11-0 with a tough shot inside, but Folsom posted up quickly and her quick release on McLaughlin’s entry pass beat the buzzer.

Foran took a 20-11 lead into the second period.

While Foran received a lift off the bench by Librandi, Law received the same from Miller.

With Ramos and Miller upping the defensive pressure, and Sam Murphy and Kochiss grabbing more than their share of rebounds, Law rallied.

Ramos scored on a run out off a Murphy outlet pass, and after a turnover, Ramos drove the lane and left the ball for Kochiss, who buried a 14-footer.

Rodriguez countered with a basket off a screen-and-roll pass from McLaughlin, but Law wasn’t done.

Ramos snuck inside to score on a putback, and Murphy faked a pass and scored on a reverse layup.

After good looks by both teams came up empty, Rodriguez scored for Foran before Phoebe French split two defenders and banged in a drive.

Quinn and Murphy each made a brace of free throws, but Foran got a leg up on a Rodriguez basket in transition and two Folsom free throws.

Foran led, 30-23, at the half.

Ramos pulled up at the top of the key, and caught nothing but net with a 3-pointer to start the third quarter.

Murphy grabbed three straight defensive boards, and Legen and Ramos knocked down 3-pointers to give Law a 32-30 lead only 1:29 into the stanza.

Puccilli scored for Foran, before a wild four steals in a 33-second span yielded no points but added to the drama unfolding.

A great ball reversal from Puccilli to Folsom for a hoop was followed by Folsom’s drop pass to Rodriguez for a basket.

Legen tied things at 37 with a 3-pointer.

Puccilli quickly answered with a trey, but as the clock would under a minute, Murphy absorbed contact to score inside.

Legen’s spinning jumper in the lane gave Law a 41-40 lead with one quarter remaining.

French worked hard on the boards to get a putback and a foul. The senior’s three-point play gave Law’s its largest lead of the night at 44-40.

McLauglin showed good patience, talking herself out of taking a long-range shot, and finding Puccilli in the left corner for another trey by the senior.

French nailed a three and Legen made a baseline runner.

Rodriguez brought her Foran back within 48-47 with two putback hoops

She then went the distance after a rebound to score, and Quinn found her on a rare run-out to tie the game at 51 with 3:12 remaining.

After a steal by Quinn, Foran worked the ball around the zone and Folsom fed Puccilli in the corner for her third 3-pointer and a 54-51 lead

Miller got inside the big bodies up front and got to a rebound, was fouled, and the junior made two freebies with 2:01 left.

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