West Chester East advances to Championship

This game held a special significance for East, serving as a chance for redemption after their loss to Kennett just two weeks prior, where they fell short 41-37 in their only regular-season meeting. As the game unfolded, it seemed like history might repeat itself, with Kennett maintaining a three-point lead with just 70 seconds left on the clock, following a layup by senior point guard Mary Carroll, who racked up 9 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals. However, in a moment of pressure, Annalise Kubasko, known for her composure in tense situations, stepped up and sank a crucial 3-pointer, preventing the Vikings from succumbing to defeat in regular time.

With two key players sidelined, Coach Cattano had no choice but to ditch the zone defense they’d stuck with all game. That decision left them vulnerable, and Kubasko took full advantage, breaking free from the man-to-man defense to sink that three-pointer with just 7.2 seconds left on the clock, forcing the game into overtime. Surprisingly, that shot turned out to be the only field goal Kubasko made throughout the entire game. 

“I was struggling with my shot all day, but when that moment came, I knew I had to sink it. It felt good and I knew it was going in the second I shot it,” she said.

Early in the game, the Vikings dominated the boards, snagging five offensive rebounds and sprinting to a commanding 12-3 lead in the first quarter. However, the Blue Demons clawed their way back, narrowing the gap to just one point, with the score at 14-13 in the second quarter. Yet, just before halftime, East surged ahead once more, scoring seven of the last eight points, including a buzzer-beating shot by Bickle, to establish a 21-15 advantage.

In the fourth quarter, Kennett’s Simmons stepped up her game, tallying seven of her total ten points and propelling her team to their first lead since the game’s early moments. With just 25.2 seconds remaining, Simmons sunk two crucial free throws, putting Kennett ahead 43-40 and setting the stage for Kubasko’s heroic three-pointer.

“We just don’t give up,” Listrani said. “Kubasko hit that huge shot and she hadn’t hit one all night. That’s the way that this team is, they do not give up — if there’s time left on the clock, we’re fighting.”

Overtime was where things really heated up. Bickle kicked it off with a 3-pointer missed shot, then hustled to grab her own rebound to score. To cap it off, she sank a crucial free throw. Remarkably, the sophomore ended up outscoring Kennett single-handedly, tallying 6 points compared to their 5 in the extra period.  “(Bickle) is probably the most mentally tough player we have,” Listrani said. “She stayed strong, calm and confident and gets it done.”

Unfortunately for Kennett, things didn’t go their way in overtime, especially after losing junior Quinn Simmons and Mia Matthews to fouls. Their struggles were evident at the free-throw line, where they only managed to convert 3 out of 8 attempts.