Rams run past Panthers in Final Four

By Jacob Marrocco
Posted 3/23/17

The Johnston girls' basketball team kept pace with eventual state champion La Salle during their Final Four matchup on Saturday, but eventually the Rams showed why they are in a class of their own. La Salle locked down on defense in

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Rams run past Panthers in Final Four

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The Johnston girls’ basketball team kept pace with eventual state champion La Salle during their Final Four matchup on Saturday, but eventually the Rams showed why they are in a class of their own.

La Salle locked down on defense in the second half, forcing 17 turnovers and going on an 18-0 run out of the break to run away from the Panthers for a 66-37 victory. The Rams would go on to get revenge on Barrington, which beat them in the D-I final, to capture back-to-back state championships.

“They just turned up their defense and we weren’t ready for it,” Johnston head coach Chris Corsinetti said. “That’s the La Salle way. We weren’t prepared. I think it was more of a mental thing than physically. It’s a long season and we were drained a little bit. It was tough getting their attention in practice all week.”

Johnston was able to stay within single-digits heading into the break despite La Salle shooting 50 percent from the floor. The backcourt combination of Jordan Moretti and Gabriella DiRaimo netted 17 points for the Division II champs, but the latter was the only shooter at or above 50 percent.

Moretti was held to an uncharacteristic 1-for-7 in the opening half, but went 5-for-7 from the charity stripe. Jayme DeCesare, a Johnston native, did the most damage for the Rams, shooting 5-of-6 for 12 points to send La Salle into halftime with a 35-27 advantage.

Then, the shots refused to fall for Johnston and the Rams’ swarming defense took control.

The Panthers didn’t sink a field goal until there were fewer than five minutes left to go as the Rams sealed the win. They outscored Johnston 27-7 before Moretti got a shot to drop with 4:42 remaining, cutting the deficit to 62-34.

“They are the standard which we are all measured by,” Corsinetti said of the Rams. “They had droves of kids coming in, fresh kids that are all fundamentally sound. That’s their best attribute.”

La Salle had a triple team on Moretti for most of the game, forcing the stifled guard to shoot 3-pointers from NBA distance with little room. She finished 1-for-11 inside the arc and 2-for-8 from beyond, despite going 10-for-12 from the line.

“That’s pretty much how you have to play her,” Corsinetti said of La Salle’s defensive approach to Moretti. “Everything goes through her.”

Despite the blowout loss, the Panthers still had their best season in 15 years. They posted an unblemished D-II record to go along with their first championship since 2002. Johnston finished with just two losses on the year, both coming against D-I squads.

“It’s just amazing what they’re able to accomplish,” Corsinetti said. “I’m not even sure if they understand it. Just getting to the Final Four, we had pressure-packed games from the Westerly game [on Jan. 20] when we were both undefeated. From that point on, we had that target. Every game, we saw everyone’s best. For high school kids, it’s emotionally draining.”

Johnston has a solid chance at repeating next year, as well. Senior captain Hillary Rogers is the only graduating name on the roster. Moretti and DiRaimo, along with interior pieces Amelia Moore and Caroline Howe, will lead the young Panthers on to the court again in 2017-18.

“I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Corsinetti said of his squad, which starts four sophomores and one junior, reaching the Final Four. “This team is balanced. They play with no fear, for the most part. All year long, whatever challenge that was in front of them, they rose up to the challenge and they were able to accomplish everything that they were set out to do.”

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