BRYN MAWR, PA--It did not matter how the game started but how it ended when Baldwin School hosted Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (SCHA) in Inter Ac girls’ basketball action on Tuesday, February 5, 2019. Springside was ahead during the first half and held a 22-14 lead at intermission, but Baldwin bounced right back to seal a 47-38 victory on Senior Day.
“This was a really big win for us in the Inter Ac,” said senior Lauren Bracken. “We’ve been looking all season to play a full 32 minutes and I think we did that today.”
It was truly a great day for the four graduating seniors on the squad; Bracken, Simi Bleznak, Natalie Sgro and Olivia Tornetta. In addition to players, the three team managers will also be graduating; Azzaya Johnson, Laura Pellicano and Makayla Pratt.
“We managed to win and to honor them for all that they have done for the team,” said sophomore Taylor Levinson.
As a result, Baldwin improved to 7-11 on the season. Although SCHA was off to a solid start, things simply changed in the second half.
“We started off strong,” said senior Mo’ne Davis. “We should have gotten to the free throw line a lot more.”
Throughout the course of the second half, Baldwin gradually picked up its pace. Sophomores Rani Blezank and Anajah Brown began the new period combining for an 11-0 sprint that gave their team a 25-22 advantage. Bracken also contributed in the third quarter as Baldwin built a 32-30 lead and SCHA never caught up.
Senior Caroline Clark hit a three-point field goal for Springside early in the fourth quarter and cut the score to a narrow 34-33 but Baldwin stayed solid. It had four time outs left and used all of them and doing so apparently helped. Despite another three-pointer by Clark, Brown and junior Alexandra Loomis concluded the action with a 4-0 run to walk off of the court victorious.
“In the second half, they changed,” said Springside head coach Flo Hagains. “They made adjustments. We backed off.”
Baldwin senior Lauren Bracken is proud of her team's victory vs. SCH on senior day:
SCH senior Mo'ne Davis talks about what went well for the Blue Devils and late game short comings:
Baldwin sophomore Taylor Levinson talks about her team's confidence going into playoffs:
Brown triumphed with a game-high 24 points. Rani Bleznak and freshman Kaya Weiser tallied eight points apiece.
“We worked really hard,” said Bracken. “It was a total team effort.”
Prevailing for SCHA were senior Kara Kniezewski (12 points), Clark (11 points) and Davis (nine points).
Baldwin Seniors honored before game vs. SCHA
BALDWIN VS. SPRINGSIDE CHESTNUT HILL (video-Dan McCarty)
The PAISAA playoffs are scheduled to begin Friday, February 15.
“We’ll do the best we can do,” said Levinson. “If we do, we’re going to have a very good playoff season.”