Nobles holds off Governor’s Academy 59-50 in Independent School League girls basketball

February 21, 2013 Peter McClelland

Peter McClelland

 

BYFIELD, Mass. -- Noble and Greenough School (23-0) continued on their undefeated ways with a, 59-50, win over Governor’s Academy on Wednesday night in Independent School League action.

Wednesday's game with GA wasn’t that close at the end.  However, the Govs recovered from a bad start and had a two-point lead (38-36) with 9:40 left.

Governor’s (17-5) were still within one-possession territory at 44-42 (6:23) and 46-44 (5:10).

However, Nobles put a 10-2 segment together over the next three and a half minutes to get a commanding ten-point lead (56-46) with 90 seconds left. GA couldn‘t recover.

Kat Fogarty (27 points) put on another remarkable scoring show.  The 6-foot-1 Marist signee was trouble for Nobles every time she had the ball.  Junior Kate Kerrigan was her primary defender and was solely interested in denying Kat the ball.  When Fogarty did manage to get the ball, other defenders showed up to help Kate out.

Despite this sort of coverage Fogarty was still able to get twenty-five of her points during the first 27 minutes of the game.  Holding Fogarty to only two points over the last five minutes of the game was certainly a reason why Nobles is still undefeated.

The visitors from Dedham jumped in front, 14-4, after six minutes.  Two three’s by freshman Katie Benzan (15 points) were big in the fast start.

The Govs put seven straight points together later in the half and got back to within two (18-16) with five and a half minutes left in the first half.  Fogarty had three free throws in this run while Jackie Ham assisted on layups by her sister Kendall (10 points) and Isa Berzanski.

Nobles closed the half, 11-5, and led 29-21.

The Govs went down by nine (34-25) before Fogarty carried the team to a 13-2 collection with eleven points including two threes.  Those four and a half minutes of excellent offense put the home team in front (38-36) with 9:40 left.

Down but definitely not out was Nobles.  A drive by Kerrigan (14 points) tied the score.  Then the junior stole the ball and put in another layup for the lead.  A Lauren Dillon free throw was followed by Benzan’s third three.  Nobles was now up by six (44-38).

GA would close to within two (46-44) with five minutes left.  Four free throws by Fogarty and two by Berzanski provided the points.

Over the next three and a half minutes the Govs would get a steal and layin by Kendall Ham but that would be the only scoring they were able to manage.

During those same three and a half minutes Nobles registered 10 points.  Six of the points came on free throws; two by Hannah Peterson and four by Benzan. 

The other four points in the game-deciding minutes came on layups by Kerrigan and Alexandra Maund (15 points).

Maund's layup was well set up by point guard Lauren Dillon.  Dillon got by her defender into the lane and when Fogarty came away from Maund to prevent Dillon from getting a layup. Dillon's pass set up Maund for a layup.  That play worked several times over the course of the game.

Fogarty not only had 27 points but also had at least four blocks.

Nobles was 25-1 last season and won their first Class A title in 25 years.  You’d have to like their chances of doing it again.

Nobles came close to picking up an “L” against league member Rivers on Friday night.  Rivers made only 13-of-28 free throws and missed two of them with no time on the clock in a 42-41 loss.

 

The Bulldogs level of dominance in the ISL is mind boggling.  They are a win away (on Friday at Milton Academy) of winning the 13-team league for the tenth straight season.

Their won/loss record in ISL regular-season games during this amazing run?  117-2!

 

Governor’s Boxscore

Nobles Boxscore

McClelland Miscellanea

 

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