by The Streetsboro girls basketball team has put together a string of firsts this season and it begs one important question—when will it end?
First came the team’s initial Metro Athletic Conference title, which the Rockets actually shared with Norton. Streetsboro then faced Norton in a district championship game and won the rubber match, earning the first district title in program history.
Tuesday night at Barberton High School, the Rockets were at it again in a Division II regional semifinal, upsetting top seed Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, 45-42, to earn their first victory on the regional level. Streetsboro, 23-4 and winners of 12 consecutive games, will face Laurel at 7 p.m. Friday at Barberton for the opportunity to win their first regional title and earn their first trip to the state final four. Laurel defeated Gilmour Academy in the other semifinal, 51-38.
“I guess we like doing these firsts,” said Streetsboro coach Carl Singer. “I guess we don’t want to miss out on continuing that role. It’s a fun ride and I’m so proud of these girls. It’s just amazing.”
It’s not as if the victory came completely out of left field. Streetsboro has several outstanding players, led by junior Naomi Benson, a 6-foot-3 center who is being recruited nationally. But the fact remains that very few people outside of the Streetsboro program thought the Rockets had a chance to withstand the wilting defensive pressure that is the hallmark of the St. V-M program.
“We thought about playing the underdog card before the game and talking to them about how nobody expects us to win,” Singer said. “But we actually went the other direction with it and said that (St. V-M) had one play here, and that was to pressure us and try to get us with their pressure, and if we handle that, it’s our game to win.”
That’s exactly what happened, although the Rockets finished the game with 21 turnovers, including 10 in the second period. But Streetsboro can defend as well. The Rockets used an active 2-3 zone to keep the Irish from attacking the basket, and when St. V-M couldn’t connect from beyond the arc, Streetsboro took advantage.
The Irish took a 34-26 lead with 2 minutes, 55 seconds left to play in the third quarter, but they only managed eight points the rest of the way, including a stretch of more than 4 minutes in the final period in which they were outscored by Benson alone, 10-0, turning a 39-34 lead into a 44-39 deficit.
“They did a good job of controlling the tempo when they made their run,” said St. Vincent-St. Mary coach Carley Whitney. “We made some mistakes, and we turned the ball over. They converted their stops, and we didn’t. I think we got two steals in the last two minutes and then didn’t convert the layups. If we make those, it’s a different ball game. At the end of the day, it’s a really, really hard pill to swallow because they are such a special group.”
St. V-M, which has seven seniors on its roster, had designs on a possible state championship, but the Rockets refused to let it happen. Benson, who finished the game with 17 points and 16 rebounds, scored the final 11 points of the game for Streetsboro.
“She’s just that kid,” Singer said of his star player. “When she sees an opportunity to take over, she knows that’s what she’s capable of doing. She just didn’t want to lose.”
Benson was backed by sophomore Carlee Bedford, who finished with 16 points, including nine in the third period, helping the Rockets keep within range before putting together their final, game-winning run.
“I saw players step up all game,” said Singer. “But those two in those quarters in the second half… We saw the writing on the wall. We saw that we needed to make a comeback there, to make a run to get us going. Those two are big-time players.”
St. V-M did not have any players reach double figures and were led by Jaicee Wallace with nine points, Tatum Smith with eight, Malania Cornute with seven and Kendal Batchik with six. The Irish had a chance to tie the score in the waning seconds, but they couldn’t get anyone open to shoot a 3-pointer, forcing Batchik to heave an off-balance bomb from about 30 feet that banged harmlessly off the backboard as time ran out.
“I don’t want to talk about the game,” Whitney said. “I want to talk about these kids. We have seven seniors, and they’re the foundation of what we do. I know the end result isn’t what we wanted, but they’re winners. They’re going to win at whatever it is that they do. It’s a great group, a special group. They get along, do what they’re told, they get great grades, they’re there for each other and support each other. What makes them so special is their bond.”
