PISCATAWAY- Manasquan coach Lisa Kukoda remembers the look in her players eyes, including the tears, after the Warriors left it all on the floor in a hard-fought 46-41 loss to state power St. John Vianney in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals.
“This is a newer group together this season and we knew that we would hit our bumps along the way,” said the veteran Manasquan hoops head mentor. “At the end of the Shore Conference Tournament for us, sitting in tears at Brookdale (Community College) we had given everything we had and the outcome wasn’t what we wanted it to be.
“I said to them, ‘You ill not remember this feeling when we’re at Rutgers and we’re celebrating!’
“You just have to move past those things with positivity and keep moving forward with the goals in mind that we still have!”
That final goal was achieved with much gusto on Saturday in the Group 2 final in Jersey Mike’s Arena as the Warrors (26-5) rode their crisp passing and lockdown defense to roar past Caldwell, 53-36, for their third straight state title and fourth in the past five years.
It was also the Shore Conference Group 2 power’s 12th state title which ties it with St. Rose for second place all-time just behind St. John Vianneys record 17 state crowns.
For Caldwell (27-3), making just its second appearance in a state final and first since 1996 when it lost to Point Pleasant Boro in the championship game, it was the end of an otherwise memorable season, and with much optimism moving forward since four of five starters are set to return next winter.
For Manasquan, playing in Rutgers’ Jersey Mike’s Arena is nothing new, even though just one starter – senior point guard Jordyn Hollawell – returns from last year’s championship squad which defeated Madison for the second straight year in the final.
Caldwell, which breezed through the northern half of the state in the Group 2 tourney, was making its first-ever appearance in the larger and quite loud college arena that is home to the men’s and women’s teams from Rutgers.
“It’s an adjustment, no doubt about it,” said Kukoda. “The court is bigger, the perception is a little different, and it’s loud.
“We know that Caldwell is a great team and they’re going to be a quality team next year. I think this experience will help build for them.”
While the future remains bright for the Chiefs, what transpired on Saturday was domination by Manaquan which had 18 assists for the game, led by Hollawell’s 10 as the veteran point guard did a good job handling the ball and distributing against the Chiefs’ trademark pressure defense, while also hauling down 9 rebounds.
Senior guard Shannon Looney – who was the sixth-man on last year’s team before becoming a primetime starter this season – and impressive sophomore Calista Vowteras each tallied 19 points as the game's high scorers.
Looney had 10 of her points in slow-to-develop first quarter when Manasquan went from trailing 5-2 with 3:08 left to then begin an 18-0 run bridging the end of the first quarter and first two minutes of the second quarter to take a commanding 20-5 lead after back-to-back 3-pointers by Looney and Vowteras.
The Warriors, who led 30-15 at the half as Vowteras scored nine points in the second quarter, made 14 of their 25 shots in the first half with 11 assists while the Chiefs were just 3-of-20 from the field during that stretch of the contest.
Caldwell just couldn’t get on track and Vowteras was also doing a solid job defending the Chiefs’ standout junior guard Addy Keenan (13 points).
“Calista had a tough defensive matchup with Keenan, who is an unbelievable player, and she was chasing her around on the defensive end the entire game with some help defense from Shannon," continued Kukoda. "And, for Calista to exert that type of energy on defense and then come down and convert on the other end just shows what a complete game it was for her.”
With the alert Hollawell continuing to look for open teammates, who also executed a few impressive back-door-Princeton-like cuts to the bakset while receiving the pass for an easy layup, the Warriors maintained more than enough of an edge in the second half to win going away.
“We’re Princeton fans,” Kukoda said with a smile. “It’s really an identity for us to convert on some of those actions like back-door cuts; but you need the players, who have the vision and can execute in those situations to make it all work.
“We were able to do some nice things with our passing, and we played lockdown defense while also taking advantage of transition opportunities when we had them.
“Caldwell is an aggressive team and they play fast, so we felt some of that might give us some looks around the perimeter or a quick pass after they jump at the first one.
“Moving the basketball and having that constant movement is key for us and our girls reacted very well today against a very good opponent to bring home another state championship!”
NOTES- Caldwell’s lone senior starter Tea Fiore led the Chiefs with 14 points in her final game to cap a superb 4-year high school career…Chiefs sophomore Elena Kearns had a strong all-around effort with 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals along with 4 points…Manasquan had 23 made baskets, including two 3-pointers, while the Chiefs had 10 made baskets with just six of those being conventional 2-point field goals against the stingy Warriors defense…The Chiefs finished the season with their state sectional title and a co-championship, along with West Orange, in the Super Essex Conference’s American Division…Manasquan received a solid floor game from reserve senior guard Logan McCarthy who had 6 rebounds to go along a block and 2 steals along with 4 points…The Warriors took just three free throws, all by Hollawell who was 1-for-3 from the line, while Caldwell was 12-of-18 from the charity stripe.
NJSIAA Group 2 State Final, March 14, at Rutgers’ Jersey Mike’s Arena:
CALDWELL (27-3) 5 5 10 16 - 36
MANASQUAN (26-5) 14 16 15 8 -53
Caldwell: Addy Keenan 1-2-5-13, Fallon Fiore 0-0-0-1-1, Tea Fiore 3-1-5-14, Aaliyah Rodriguez 1-0-0-2, Elena Kearns 0-1-1-4, Adriana Brown 1-0-0-2, Scarlett Schlomann 0-0-0-0, Kaci Pace 0-0-0-0, Siena Leone 0-0-0-0, Isabella O’Donnell 0-0-0-0. Totals: 6-4-12-36
Manasquan: Jordyn Hallawell 3-0-1-7, Shannon Looney 8-1-0-19, Paige Donnelly 1-0-0-2, Rose LaTesta 0-0-0-0, Calista Vowteras 8-1-0-19, Logan McCarthy 2-0-0-4, Lily Johnson 1-0-0-2, Reece Rampone 0-0-0-0, Findleigh Turte 0-0-0-0, Molly O’Boyle 0-0-0-0, Rian Dwyer 0-0-0-0. Totals: 23-2-1-53
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