John Jay Falls by One to Fox Lane

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On Saturday January 18, John Jay fell behind 7-0 at Fox Lane, battled back to a halftime tie and went onto to take a 40-31 fourth quarter lead. But unfortunately, the Foxes put a bookend on the afternoon that definitely didn’t make the Wolves day.

The home team went on a 12-2 run, and John Jay lost when the last gasp didn’t go in a 43-42 defeat.

On the cover, Riley New opened with the type set. She got to the line twice for four points and converted a loose ball layup for a 6-0 lead.

Point seven came on from the line too. Cora Moore’s penetration put a bounce pass on Kami Boniello, and she sank one from the line.

At 5:02, John Jay responded with a turnover, and Matt Gallagher called for time. Back on the court, New misfired, Jaime Bartley-Cohen ripped her second rebound, and the manhandle allowed the John Jay offense to get off the bus. Jane Brennan dribbled up court, passed to Jordan Kauftheil in the corner, and she buried the triple.

John Jay was done going long range either. Natalie Ellrodt teed one up from straight away, and with her foot on the line, Brennan knocked down a long jumper to close the quarter.

9-8 in favor of Fox Lane, the Foxes started hot again. Morgan Clinton’s entry pass put Dylan New on the line for two, and Moore spun and twisted a post up off the backboard for a 13-8 lead.

So John Jay followed the same comeback script and did so by going both old and new school. After Brennan’s cruise right through the paint made for a perfect bounce pass into Kauftheil, Gianna Pelosi hit a short turnaround jumper, and Avery Bisignano followed with a runner to make it 14-13 John Jay.

4:44 left in the half, Fox Lane began the next run. Riley New with the initial high step, she came free on the inbound, and Moore’s bounce pass made for an uncontested layup.

Full court pressure forced a John Jay turnover, and the resulting chaos gave Moore an open lane to the hoop. Fouled, she made two, and after a series of misses on both sides, Moore had no apologies for a kind rim. She pulled up on the baseline, and two clanks made for one basket.

The five point lead did not last, though. Gabby Camaj answered right back from the corner, and Ellrodt would close the half by side stepping the interior defense to a 19-19 tie.

Onto the third, John Jay was run first this time. Bartley-Cohen hit a three at 6:38, Brennan sank two from the line, and Sela Halaifonua turned an offensive rebound into a baseline floater for Kauftheil.

26-19, Fox Lane called for time, but the Wolves didn’t relent. Halaifonua’s pressure in the corner turned the ball over to Bartley-Cohen, and following Halaifonua’s miss on the break, Bartley-Cohen was there for the put back.

The lead now nine, John Jay kept it there after Dylan New ran a pick and roll with Cara Drapala. Kauftheil received on the baseline from Halaifonua and sank two after getting mauled underneath.

3:07 left in the third, the Foxes weren’t turning tail yet. Drapala hit a short jumper, Clinton swished for two more, and Riley New got to the line to close the third at 31-27.

John Jay answered the call anyway, and Charlotte Omin started the dialing. Up above the arc, she caught Brennan cutting through the paint, and the perfect lead pass extended the lead to six.

In at 7:22, the John Jay youth movement kept the Foxes at arm's length. Helena Schembri drove hard through two defenders to go one for two from the line, and ran down a loose ball to put the Wolves on the run. The pass going left, Omin drove through the chasing defense and flipped up two more.

Back to a nine point lead, Fox Lane didn’t give John Jay any time to let the advantage marinate. Drapala came right back, hit another short jumper, and moments later, she was on the line.

36-31, John Jay took its turn, and their main go to did the honors. Brennan followed a Halaifonua miss, and then side stepped two defenders in the paint to regain the nine point lead.

3:36 to go, Fox Lane began the final run. Moore’s floater on the baseline yielded a conventional three point play, and after Ellrodt missed an open trey, Clinton showed the way.

Down for three more, Fox Lane was feeling it after Ellrodt couldn’t convert from the corner. Loose ball to Clinton in her corner, she flipped to a wide open Riley New, and she hit the elbow jumper for a one point game.

1:47 to go, Fox Lane elected to press, and Ellrodt got behind the defense. Halaifonua spotted the streak, but the senior could not drop the layup.

The rebound to Dylan New, Clinton got the ball at the key and ended up on the line with her drive. One for two, the score was tied, and the Wolves were fit not to be. On the leadership of their alpha dogs, Halaifonua got the defensive rebound, Kauftheil ended up with the ball in the corner, and she caught Brennan with a full head of steam to the hoop.

42-40 with 46 seconds to go, timeout had Fox Lane regrouping. Riley New then drove around a pick that yielded two made free throws, and another tie had John Jay drawing up a play.

Brennan driving the lane, she kicked back to an open Barley-Cohen. Not quite, she missed short, and Fox Lane was positioned to go ahead. Nothing fancy, Moore drove the paint, and bodies flying, Brennan drew the charge.

13 seconds remaining, the inbound was well defended, and John Jay fouled Riley New when the Fox came away with the ball. One for two, there were 11 seconds left to save the day, and Bartley-Cohen had the lifeline.

The ball on the left, she tried to thread two defenders and her shot fell into the hands of Brennan. Under the backboard with no time to spare, Brennan passed backward and the ball landed to the fallen Bartley-Cohen. Still down, she shot, and the attempt fell short to seal John Jay’s fate.