By Larry Moko
The St. John Henry Newman Cardinals paid the price for not paying enough attention to the long and mid-range shooting prowess of Naomi Stanley.
Cathedral's 6-foot-1 Grade 11 centre struck for 20 points -- most of the buckets coming from outside -- as the Gaels topped the visiting Cardinals, 49-39, in Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic senior girls' high school basketball action Tuesday.
It was Newman's first league game of the season and the second for 2-0 Cathedral.
Stanley scored 11 of her points in the third quarter, helping the Gaels take a 39-28 lead. First, she connected on a three-point shot and then found the mark on three jumpers from the top of the key.
"Last year she never even thought about taking that shot," Newman coach Roy Milutinovic said. "It was our (the coaches) instruction not to chase her for the 3. Now we know she has developed her shot. Good for her. When she starts making those shots she'll play at the next level."
Said Stanley: "They know I want to drive to the basket. By leaving me open on the outside I had to take shots like that to be able to open up the defence for my teammates as well as to get points for myself."
Cathedral coach Kevin Daly said Stanley launched three shots from behind the arc at the recent Purple and White tournament at Western University in London.
"For two years we've been trying to get her to shoot outside shots," Daly said. "She's just a little hesitant. It's not because she can't shoot.
"She's building on her game. She's going to keep getting better. Her talent and potential are through the roof."
Last season Daly said Stanley, as a Grade 10 playing senior, was "best defensive centre" in the league.
"She's very long," he added. "Her wing span is incredible. That's what makes her such a defensive force. I've never coached anyone like her."
The Gaels trailed 13-11 at the end of the first quarter but pulled ahead 23-17 by half time. Newman then found its shooting touch to rally briefly in the fourth quarter and cut the margin to three points (39-36).
"We got a bit of a lead but you know Newman is never going to give up," the Cathedral coach said.
Grace Fleming was the Cardinals leading scorer. She scored 14 points. Myah Ragona added nine, while Grace MacDonald and Madeline Wadden chipped in with six apiece.
Other top scorers for Cathedral were Lauren Daly (14) and Rae Williams (eight).
"By the end of the season we want to be one of the top teams," Stanley said.
Milutinovic said Newman has three returnees this season and the team went 1-2 at the Purple and White tournament.
Cathedral's other league win was 50-43 over the defending champion St. Thomas More Knights. As for the St. Jean de Brébeuf Braves and the St. Mary Crusaders, they've opted just to play in the junior girls' basketball league this season.
Photos by Richard Andoga
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