M-W bested by White Plains in regional championship game
Basketball. The loss brings the Crusader record to 18-6 for the season.
On March 11, the Crusaders traveled to Yorktown High School to take on the White Plains Tigers for the regional crown. The winner would go on to the state playoffs.
The Crusaders entered the game with a 18-5 record after beating Binghamton 53-51 in a sub-regional playoff. The Tigers entered the game with an impressive 21-3 record after beating Albert Magnus 40-37 for the Section 1 Title.
The Yorktown gym was packed and the crowd was loud as the two teams took the floor.
In the opening quarter, the teams exchanged baskets, but a steal and score by sophomore guard Madison Fileeen with :13 left put the Crusaders up by one at the end of the period.
In the second quarter, Crusader senior guard Layla Green scored 5 points to help keep the team close, but the Tigers edged ahead and took a 21-18 lead into the half.
Early in the third quarter, White Plains hit two 3-point shots to stretch their lead. From there, the Tigers moved to a very physical person-to-person defense to stop the Crusaders as they ran to a 35-23 lead by the end of the period.
Senior center Arianna Exarchakis scored 4 in the last quarter, but the Tigers pulled away to a 51-29 victory to advance to the semi-final round.
After battling through injuries this season and showing lots of heart, the loss brought the team’s record to 18-6.