WILMINGTON — Delaware Military Academy was the new kid on the block in Delaware high school girls basketball this season, but on March 6, the Ursuline Raiders showed that this was still their neighborhood. The Raiders got off to a blistering start, outscoring the Seahakws, 28-0, in the first quarter en route to a 65-11 win in DIAA tournament quarterfinal action at Laffey-McHugh Gymnasium.
With the win, Ursuline advanced to the semifinals on Wednesday at the Bob Carpenter Center, where they will take on No. 11 Woodbridge at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the University of Delaware ticket site and will be sold online only. The Red Raiders and Blue Raiders met on Jan. 14, with Ursuline taking the 64-48 win.
Against DMA, the Raiders wasted no time exerting their will. Skylar Bolden pushed the opening tip to Jezelle Banks, who raced ahead of the pack for a layup. The Seahawks attempted to slow the game down, keeping possession for more than a minute before attempting a shot. That was blocked by Bolden, who added another as the Raiders used their height to block or alter several Seahawks shots.
Ursuline turned those blocked shots and several other forced turnovers into transition points throughout the first quarter. Four of their starters scored all of the points in the first eight minutes, with Banks accounting for 11 of them. Fellow eighth-grader Taylor Brown fed her after one steal for a layup, and Banks took another coast to coast. Brown added her own steal and score late in the first, which ended with Abby Grillo nailing a three-pointer.
Freshman Tavi Prado got DMA on the board to open the second with an 18-foot jumper, and she added a three-pointer shortly thereafter. But this was Ursuline’s night, and they ended the half on a 17-2 run. That began with Jazzlyn Wesley following her own miss and ended with three consecutive triples, two by Grillo and the last by Chamira Marshall Brothers.
The Raiders’ starters played a few minutes into the second half, but they spent most of the last two quarters as spectators. Ursuline slowed its offense, but the defense never rested. The Raiders allowed just four second-half points.
Banks led the Raiders with 16 points. Grillo added 13, and Emma Anthony had 10. The Raiders improved to 21-1.
Prado had 7 points for Delaware Military, which finished the season 17-5. That is the program’s highest-ever win total.
All photos by Mike Lang.
