By Matthew Rocco
The Saint John Vianney High School girls’ basketball team has shown no signs of slowing down since a loss to Red Bank Catholic (RBC) High School, taking four games in a row capped by a win at the Coaches Choice USA weekend showcase.
The Lancers put on a defensive display in an afternoon matchup Jan. 29 with Archbishop Wood Catholic High School of Warminster, Pennsylvania, and leading scorer Kimi Evans continued to propel the offense in a 46-34 win.
After a slow start, Evans posted 10 of her game-high 14 points in the second half. The senior forward also pulled down six rebounds. Sophomore Sarah Karpell added 10 points in the victory — the third game of the showcase at Holmdel High School.
The Coaches Choice appearance marked the second win in two days. St. John Vianney defeated Rancocas Valley Regional High School, 64-46, in the ESPN 97.3 Radio Shootout at Holy Spirit High School.
Karpell led the team with 20 points, while Evans recorded 15 points on the day. Sophomore Sajada Bonner scored 12 points.
The full weekend schedule was an important test for the Lancers, and they easily passed.
“Those were fun games to play against high-caliber teams from outside the area. Saturday’s game (Jan. 28) was very athletic, up and down the court, and on Sunday (Jan. 29), it was more methodical. It was a great contrast, and we had to adjust to two different styles of play. That will really prepare us as we move forward,” head coach Dawn Karpell said.
St. John Vianney (14-3) used its loss to rival RBC as motivation. The Caseys rebounded from a nine-point deficit to beat the Lancers, 54-45, Jan. 21. The Lancers immediately responded by beating Red Bank Regional High School by 18 points, followed by a 36-point win over Holmdel High School last week.
“I think we learned a lot from the loss,” coach Karpell said.
Since falling to the Caseys, the Lancers have focused on strengthening their defense and limiting turnovers on offense. The Lancers are also spreading the ball effectively with contributions from sophomore Brelynn Bellamy, senior Julia Ramos and juniors Madison Doring and Sarah Furch during their last four wins.
“Now that we’re more toward the second half of the season, everyone is growing into their roles, and our chemistry is getting better every time we step onto the court,” the coach said.
The team looked to continue its hot streak at Shore Regional High School Jan. 31. The Lancers will stay on the road to face Matawan Regional High School Feb. 2 and Marlboro High School Feb. 4.
The Lancers will return home to play division rival Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (14-2) Feb. 9. Tipoff is set for 5:15 p.m.
The Bulldogs are right at the Lancers’ heels in the Shore Conference A Central Division race. St. John Vianney has a perfect division record of 9-0, while Rumson-Fair Haven is 7-1. Shore Regional, Matawan and Rumson-Fair Haven are the final three division matchups for the Lancers this season.
