FILE PHOTO
The Classical bench reacts after Paris Wilkey makes two of three free throws to tie the game.
By KATIE MORRISON
Tuesday, the first of two “rivalry days” of the basketball season, I thought the big-ticket game of game of the night would be the English-Classical boys basketball game, but boy, was I wrong.
The girls game was where the action was.
To be honest, though, there wasn’t much excitement for the first 3½ quarters, except for the fact that the Bulldogs, after losing by 23 points to Classical just the week before, seemed to be well on their way to their second victory of the season.
It looked like a big upset was in the making. And for the first 28 minutes, every time the Rams looked as if they were hitting their stride, the Bulldogs would pull away again.
But then, Classical came alive and went on a 12-0 run. All of a sudden, shots that weren’t falling earlier were finding their way through the hoop. The Rams were pulling down rebounds on defense and making the most of second chances on offense.
And just like that, with under a minute to play, it was a game again.
The final play of regulation was a thriller. The Bulldogs were able to contain Paris Wilkey, the Rams’ best shooter, in the first half, but the junior started finding her groove later in the game. Down by two, 43-41, with the final seconds of the game ticking away, Wilkey got the ball and launched a shot from behind the arc as the buzzer sounded. The shot was no good. But Wilkey was fouled, and the Rams had new life.
So, all eyes were on Wilkey, standing alone at the line. There aren’t that many instances in sports when the game is in the hands of just one player. In a hockey shootout, the focus is divided between the goalie and the shooter, depending on which team you’re pulling for. In baseball and softball it’s the same, with equal pressure on a batter and pitcher.
But being all alone, just you and the basket, your teammates hanging on each shot, your ability to perform one of the fundamental parts of the game on display … it’s a vulnerable position.
At first, everyone in the gym, even English fans and players, were quiet, everyone watching with bated breath, at least until English coach Mackenzie Charles encouraged the crowd to make some noise. But that didn’t distract Wilkey, who nailed the first shot.
She missed the second, and I think every person in the gym held their breath as she put up the third, which went in to tie the game.
Even with all eyes on her, Wilkey was calm, cool and collected at the line.
“Nothing (was going through my head), I just focused on the rim and making the shot, just focused on me,” said Wilkey, who added that she blocked out everything except the rim.
It was only fitting that overtime was just as exciting as the final play of regulation.
Priscill Alouidor put back an offensive rebound to give the Rams a four-point lead, 50-46, with time winding down.
“I was just really nervous, because I didn’t want to mess up, but I was really focused and my teammates kept my spirits up and kept me motivated,” Alouidor said after the game.
And while Alouidor’s shot was the game-winner, it was English’s Ely Guity’s shot that was the loudest in overtime. After Alouidor gave the Rams the four-point edge, Guity knocked down an improbable three-pointer to bring the Bulldogs within one. Unfortunately for English, there wasn’t enough time to complete the comeback, as it got the ball back with just over a second left.
I wrote last week, after the Rams blew out the Bulldogs, that with the English and Classical girls playing each other three times this season (since the two met in the Boverini Tournament consolation game), maybe the fire of the rivalry wouldn’t burn as hot, especially if Classical, which looked like the definitively stronger team after the first meeting, swept the series.
The Bulldogs proved me wrong Tuesday. It was pretty clear that the Bulldogs have the ability to compete with some of the best teams in the Northeastern Conference. Earlier in the season, English fell by just two points, 52-50, to Danvers, which is still undefeated at 5-0. And if it weren’t for the perfect storm of Classical sparking a hot streak and English failing to hit shots in the final four minutes of Tuesday’s game, the Bulldogs might have won going away against a team that should be in the mix at the top of the NEC.
One thing is for sure, though. Circle Feb. 16 on your calendar. That’s the next time these two teams meet, and if the game is anything like it was Tuesday, it will be a blast.
Katie Morrison can be reached at [email protected].