WILMINGTON — A.I. DuPont hung close to Padua into the second quarter of their basketball game on Jan. 5, but a 12-2 run in the second quarter helped the Pandas gain some separation on their way to a 57-46 win over the Tigers.
A field goal by Cha’Nyah Dunston-Mason early in the second pulled A.I. to within two at 11-9, and after Padua scored the next five, the Tigers hit two field goals to get it to 16-13. But the Pandas turned up the pace on the undermanned Tigers, who were playing with just eight girls.
Kylie Moor began the run with a steal and layup. Val McIntyre had four of the points during the run with a short field goals and a pair of free throws, and Abigail Hayes had two free throws. Esosa Ediae added a bucket. Imirah Trader ended the run with a three-pointer, and she scored in transition following a steal with just a few seconds left in the half to make it 28-20 Padua at the half.
The Pandas came out hot in the third and stretched the lead to 18 points. Holding a seven-point advantage at 30-23, Padua started a 10-0 stretch with an old-fashioned three-point play from McIntyre. Nat Frabizzio followed by rebounding a missed three-point attempt banking in a triple of her own. McIntyre added two from the free throw line, and Kate MacLennan wrapped up the run with a field goal. Their lead was 46-28 heading into the fourth.
The Tigers made it interesting down the stretch as Dunston-Mason and Trader heated up. A pair of threes from Dunston-Mason and another from Trader, along with two three-point plays by Trader, got A.I. back to a 10-point deficit at 53-43. But a big mid-range jumper from Ediae helped sap the Tigers’ momentum, although Dunston-Mason added one more from distance before the night was through.
McIntyre had 15 and MacLennan 10 to lead the Pandas, who ended a three-game losing streak while improving to 2-4. They will play Wilmington Friends on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Trader had 19 for the Tigers, and Dunston-Mason added 18. A.I. (2-3) visits Christiana on Friday at 3:45 p.m.
All photos by Mike Lang.
