KIPP girls’ complete four-peat

BOSTON – The KIPP Panthers battled back from an early deficit to defeat the Prospect Hill Academy Wizards, 51-47, Sunday morning to capture their fourth straight Massachusetts Charter School Athletic Organization Championship.
The Panthers faced plenty of adversity in this one, with a host of injuries to their most important players. Senior captain Alex Huffman was battling a foot injury that has kept her out for the past two and a half weeks. Senior Serena High and freshman Nayeli Germosen were both dealing with leg injuries.
Despite all that, Huffman finished with a game-high 20 points. Germosen added 15 and High scored 10. Pleilerkay Gaye was the anchor on the defensive side, pulling down seven rebounds and registering four blocks. She also added six points.
The Wizards were led by point guard Ashley Cadet, who scored 15 points. Kilena Joseph also had a big day for Prospect Hill with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The first half started off as a defensive battle, and Prospect Hill had the upper hand to start. The Wizards jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead and had the Panthers confused on both ends of the floor.
But Germosen got more aggressive and drove the lane to draw fouls. Huffman came off the bench and provided an instant spark on the defensive end. She was jumping passing lanes and getting the fast break going in KIPP?s favor. Germosen got in on the scoring as well, netting six points in the first half.
With just over three minutes left before the break, Huffman hit a wide open High, who knocked down a three to give the Panthers a 17-16 lead.
The Wizards responded well and got back the lead behind the strong play of Cadet. She did it all in the last two minutes, driving the lane, drawing fouls, and setting up her teammates. She finished the half with six points.
As the first half came to a close, the Wizards led, 22-19.
The Panthers came out with laser focus in the second half. They ramped up their defense, with Gaye coming up with two huge blocks early in the half.
Huffman came out aggressive on the offensive end, which was difficult considering her foot injury. Regardless, she drove the lane relentlessly. She came up with big points when the Panthers needed her to the most.
After KIPP took back the lead with just over nine minutes remaining in the game, Gaye, the Panthers? leading rebounder and rim protector, fouled out.
?She can be the best player on the floor at times,” coach Nat Jones said of Gaye. “But when she went down, I thought we were in trouble.”
The senior leadership took over for the Panthers from there. Huffman kept it going on both sides of the floor, and High hit some big threes to keep KIPP ahead.
Helen Maldonado did everything else. The senior was all over the court, diving for loose balls, fighting for rebounds, and even taking a vicious elbow to the face near the end of the game.
?You wouldn?t know it because I never pulled her, but you have no idea how bad she was beat up,” Jones said.
In the end, it was Huffman and Germosen who iced the game for the Panthers. Each hit a huge three-pointer with under three minutes left to put the lead out of reach. Once KIPP got the ball back with under a minute left, the Panthers were able to dribble out the clock for their fourth straight championship.Mike Alongi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @m_alongi.