WILMINGTON — When a basketball team’s shots are just not falling, it better have a Plan B. St. Elizabeth’s girls team found itself in this very situation on March 1 against Delaware Military Academy in the second round of the DIAA tournament.
So on a night when the third-seeded Vikings made just seven field goals — one each in each of the final three quarters — they played outstanding defense and made a bunch of free throws to knock off the upset-minded No. 14 Seahawks, 35-32, in front of a big crowd at the St. E Center.
All started well for the Vikings. They controlled the opening tip, and about 30 seconds later, Makayla Sullivan laid the ball off the glass and in. A steal later led to two free throws from Milan Paulin, Taniyah Reese added a three-point shot as St. Elizabeth opened up a 10-2 lead, prompting a DMA timeout with 3:32 remaining in the quarter.
Ericka Huggins got into the scoring column for the Vikings on a follow shot, adding to their lead, but the Seahawks scored the final four points of the quarter, including lone field goal, a mid-range jumper after an offensive rebound by Maya Hill.
The scoring slowed after that, with the game following a familiar pattern. The Vikings hounded the Seahawks defensively, causing numerous turnovers, but were unable to take advantage. The Seahawks held St. E to one shot on nearly every possession, but they had trouble scoring themselves. DMA did get to within a point at 13-12 late, but Huggins drained a three for the Vikings’ lone field goal of the second. It came with 1:01 on the clock.
St. Elizabeth came out with some vigor after halftime, stretching the lead to seven after Huggins laid in a shot following a steal. They scored their other five points of the third from the foul line. DMA, meanwhile, found some openings in the Vikings’ defense, chipping away with two layups from Keira Benoit and two jumpers by Tavi Prado. The Vikings led, 23-22, after three.
The Seahawks took their first lead early in the fourth on a field goal by Abbygayle Riddell, thrilling the DMA students who came to support them. The teams traded leads for a bit until Prado hit a teardrop three, putting DMA on top, 27-25, with about six minutes remaining.
That was it for the scoring for the next few minutes. Reese tied the game with a pair of free throws with four minutes to go, and Huggins provided perhaps the pivotal moment of the evening 90 seconds later. The senior stole the ball out of a trap at one end of the floor, dribbled the entire length and knocked down a layup while being fouled. Her free throw put the Vikings on top, 30-27.
They would not trail again, but the outcome remained in doubt. Paulin hit a pair of free throws, but Riddell got free for a layup to make it a one-point game again with 1:01 left. DMA picked up a defensive rebound, but St. Elizabeth got the ball right back with another steal. The Vikings ran some time off the clock before Paulin again nailed a pair from the stripe. The Seahawks had the ball and 30 seconds, but an offensive foul gave possession back to the Vikings. Erica Huggins made one of two free throws to make it a two-possession game. DMA added a free throw with less than a second to go for the final margin.
Huggins led the Vikings with 13 points. Paulin had 8, all from the free throw line, and she did not miss any. St. Elizabeth scored 19 points on free throws. The Vikings (18-3) will host No. 6 Sanford on Monday at a time to be determined. The Warriors defeated St. E’s during the regular season.
Hill had 9 for the Seahawks, and Prado added 7. DMA finished the season 14-8.
Photos by Mike Lang.
