GATES — A few times when it looked like Bishop Kearney had too much speed and a lead that could turn Friday night’s Section V championship game into a runaway, the Mercy Monarchs said a key word together in their team huddle.
Doozie.
That’s the nickname of Ashley Vasey, the daughter of Mercy coach Tom Vasey who died suddenly and unexpectedly in her sleep last winter on Jan. 5, 2015. She was 3.
“As we said it we kept getting back into the game,” Monarchs senior center Jayla Myles said. “I never once through this entire game doubted that we would win.”
They won, all right, in a back-and-forth thriller at Gates Chili High School. The top-seeded Monarchs dug out of 10-point holes twice to topple rival and second-seeded Bishop Kearney, 65-60. Mercy (20-3) will play Class A2 champion Batavia (20-2) in Tuesday’s Class A state tournament qualifier.
Ashley Vasey, 3, daughter of Mercy coach, dies
“We’ve been here three straight years (to the finals) and the girls were tired of losing,” said Vasey, the Monarchs’ veteran coach whose program hadn’t won sectionals since 2010 and lost last year’s title game to Kearney (17-5). “Our goal is to get to states. Sectionals was just a second steppingstone for us.”
The victory also ended Kearney’s sectional run. Coach Kevan Sheppard’s team had won four in a row. The Kings will be back, though. They were led by sophom*ore guard Allure Simmons (19) and seventh-graders Saniaa Wilson (14) and Marianna Freeman (13). Simmons had a triple-double with 12 rebounds and 11 steals. Wilson had 11 boards and six blocks.
Mercy’s post players did damage, too. Sophom*ore forward Katie Titus scored 13 of her career-high 17 points in the second half. Sophom*ore guard Leah Koonmen had 15 points and Myles and sophom*ore guard Traiva Breedlove, who was named tournament MVP, each had 14. Myles added 12 rebounds.
“We know what each other likes to do. They’re coached great. Tom is great with these girls. He makes all the needed adjustments,” said Sheppard, whose team has played Mercy six times the past two seasons. “We weren’t able to keep the game at the pace that we wanted it at.”
It changed when Kearney senior point guard Rosa Graham turned her ankle in the second quarter. The Private-Parochial League rivals split regular-season meetings this winter.
The Kings led 17-10 after a steal on the press and layup by the speedy Simmons and 28-18 after one of the four 3s. Freeman hit in the half. But Mercy Koonmen scored five points late in the half and the Monarchs were down 33-28 at the break.
At halftime, Vasey told his team it had to be more aware of Freeman and contain Wilson in the lane. “I think our defense really locked down on them,” he said.
But Simmons kept hurting Mercy with run-outs. Kearney led 46-36 midway through the period. Mercy kept counter-punching, though.
Sophom*ore guard Alex Hetterich dove to the court to force a turnover. Abby Purcell, the only other Mercy senior with Myles, grabbed the steal, sped upcourt and hit Koonmen for a fast-break layup as she was fouled.
Breedlove’s fast-break pass to Titus for a layup gave the Monarchs their first lead, 49-48, since it was 10-9 late in the first quarter. Six straight points — layups by Myles, Titus and Breedlove — gave Mercy a 60-52 lead with 3½ minutes left.
But Kearney rallied. “It was crazy,” Breedlove said of the momentum swings.
Purcell dropped in a jumper. Myles blocked Graham’s runner in the lane and Koonmen and Breedlove each grabbed offensive rebounds in the final 40 seconds to help preserve the win.
Mercy plays for grieving coach
“I’m thrilled,” Vasey said. “This is a great group of 15 girls.”
A little one they all said goodbye to 13 months ago helped get them through. The players wanted to win for their coach, too.
“He’s the strongest man that I know. He’s been through so much,” Breedlove said.
JDIVERON@
Gannett.com
No. 1 Mercy 65, No. 2 Bishop Kearney 60
Bishop Kearney | 12 | 21 | 15 | 12 | — | 60 |
Mercy | 10 | 18 | 19 | 18 | — | 65 |
KEARNEY: Marianna Freeman 13, Lytoya Baker 0, Rosa Graham 7, Bri.Asia Mason 3, Saniaa Wilson 14, Allure Simmons 19, Ari Smith 2. MERCY: Abby Purcell 5, Alex Hetterich 0, Jayla Myles 14, Traiva Breedlove 14, Katie Titus 17, Leah Koonmen 15, Emily McDonough 0, Danielle Redmond 0.
3-point goals: Kearney (Freeman 3, Graham, Mason); Mercy (Purcell). Fouled out: none.
