High School Girls Basketball

BY ADAM RONIS

Both games at Hofstra on Saturday
CHSAA AA state championship
St. John the Baptist vs. Molloy, 5 p.m.: St. John the Baptist continues to win without much recognition. The Cougars ended the 17-year reign of Christ the King last season to win the state championship and upset St. Michael Academy, ranked No. 8 in the country by USA Today, 63-49, in the semifinals. SJB isn't a team that overwhelms you, but when you watch them play you can appreciate how they function as a team. They play excellent defense and move the ball well on offense to get a good shot. Christine Huber gets most of the attention, but Dani Iervolino is a player that doesn't get enough recognition because her stats aren't eye-popping. She's tough for a player 5-3, can hit three, hits free throws and handles pressure well. Felicia Joyner is one of the top defenders on Long Island and can score from outside or slash to the basket. Kathryn Cronin rebounds, passes well and is a good defender. Alexis Smith does the little things and defends well too. Molloy has gone through controversy this season. Coach John McGlynn resigned on Jan. 16 and Dom Cecala, former JV coach too, has done a good job.
Molloy lost to Christ the King by 20 points in the first meeting and with Cecala they beat Christ the King twice, once in the regular season to end CK's eight-year, 108-game winning streak in league play, and in the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens final to snap CK's 23-year division title streak.
Molloy has depth, but no stars. Senior Kerri White, a 5-foot-10 Manhattan-bound forward, is probably the best of the group. Junior guard Shannon LaVelle has been key in the playoffs, and sophomores Kelly Robinson and Marielle Duryea are both very quick point guards and good perimeter defenders. Sophomore Kyra Aloizos is an emerging force inside.Molloy is a young and inexperienced team, but held together by White. PICK: St. John the Baptist

Class A state championship, 3 p.m.
Holy Trinity vs. Christ the King: Holy Trinity rallied from a big deficit in the second half to advance in the semifinals in an overtime win. Holy Trinity plays good defense, but is limited by injuries. Its top three reserves are out for the season. Terry Green can score inside or outside and rebounds well. Julia Finlay is a good outside shooter and Caitlin Costello does a little of everything. Christ the King isn't the dominant team it has been in recent seasons, but is still a very good team. Freshman guard Bria Smith is one of the top players in the city. She is the first freshman to play for CK since 1998. She started the season in junior varsity and was called up along with freshman Nia Oden. Smith is a slasher and very athletic. CK is most successful when it runs. CK isn't a great shooting team. Senior Jael Pena is the best shooter. PICK: Christ the King