Worcester Academy v. Rivers: Monster Minicozzi

Facing an 8 point deficit at halftime, Rivers put together a brilliant second half to beat a tough Worcester Academy team 72-63. In a total team effort to take down their NEPSAC foe, Rivers’ suffocating defense in the 4th quarter was one of the keys to victory. They held the volatile Worcester Academy offense to 8 points in the final period. Below are the standouts from the game.   Player of the Game: <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-361625" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/A7208EE0-5535-48C5-BD6F-F9981E2B897E-scaled-crop-1920x1261-1638882847-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="183924" first="Nina" last="Minicozzi"] - Rivers - 5’9’’ - CG - ’23 I am not sure what Minicozzi drank during halftime, but she came out of the locker room as dialed in as I have seen anyone this winter. Finishing the game with a team-high 19 points, she was on a mission and asserted herself the minute the third quarter began. Minicozzi had the defense on their heels with her crossovers and shiftiness while making plays for her teammates’ possession after possession. Constantly setting the table for her team, Minicozzi assisted on multiple three-point makes and hit one herself. The most underrated thing Minicozzi did all night was stop the ball in transition. Worcester Academy was getting whatever they wanted on the break in the first half. Minicozzi slowed down Worcester Academy’s playmakers in the second half by sprinting back, cutting off their angles, and forcing rushed decisions.   Rivers Standouts: <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-361627" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/86D5CAF9-B2B8-4E39-B6B5-5B49F74E69F0-scaled-crop-1707x1121-1638882925-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="263815" first="Ana" last="Von Rumohr"] - 5’11’’ - SF - ’23 Von Rumohr, once again, shot the lights out, but the degree of difficulty of shot-making was high. Hitting 5 three-pointers and finishing with 15 points, Von Rumohr was the perfect kick-out option for [player_tooltip player_id="183924" first="Nina" last="Minicozzi"]’s slashing. Whenever Worcester Academy would start going on a run, you could count on Von Rumohr to stop the bleeding with a bone-crushing triple.   [caption id="attachment_361629" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/6CA05AAF-8DA2-4358-B7AC-1AA224B14569-scaled-crop-1706x1121-1638883158.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-361629" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/6CA05AAF-8DA2-4358-B7AC-1AA224B14569-scaled-crop-1706x1121-1638883158-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: Produced4Soul[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="273927" first="Grace" last="O’Sullivan"] - 6’0’’ - SF/PF - ’25 Sullivan was crucial in the 4th quarter for Rivers and played a massive role in the team closing out Worcester Academy. She hit a big 3 in the 4th and followed that with a layup that helped expand Rivers’ lead. The energy, toughness, and intensity O’Sullivan brings on both sides of the ball is unmatched, and those attributes helped her dominate in the late stages of the game. She finished the game with 13 points.   Worcester Academy Standouts: [caption id="attachment_361631" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/704D23E9-C960-4991-90AE-9DEA1DF22AAF-scaled-crop-1706x1121-1638883344.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-361631" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/704D23E9-C960-4991-90AE-9DEA1DF22AAF-scaled-crop-1706x1121-1638883344-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: Produced4Soul[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="267052" first="Oluchi" last="Okananwa"] - 5’10 - CG - ’23 Okananwa continues to live up to her #1 ’23 prospect in New England status as she had another terrific all-around game for her team. Albeit a loss, Okananwa left it all out on the floor. She had 19 points, was the primary ball-handler and facilitator, and rebounded and defended at a high level. Okananwa is seeing the floor well and is distributing the ball better than I have ever witnessed from her. Her impact on a game from start to finish is unlike any player in her class, and it took Rivers throwing the kitchen sink at her to slow her down.   [caption id="attachment_361635" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/59694657-2205-4250-96E9-9CE3B8E20E37-scaled-crop-1660x1090-1638883675.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-361635" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/59694657-2205-4250-96E9-9CE3B8E20E37-scaled-crop-1660x1090-1638883675-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: Produced4Soul[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="361621" first="Lola" last="Lesmond"] - 6’1’’ - SG - ’22 The 6’1’’ sharpshooting Yale commit came out in the 1st quarter with her jump shot locked and loaded, connecting on a couple of highly contested outside attempts. In the first half, she paced Worcester Academy with 13 points (19 for the game), and none of her buckets came easy. Lesmond is a long, athletic wing who runs the floor well and gets many points in transition by beating everyone up the floor. She shoots effortlessly and is a major threat once crossing halfcourt.   <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-361637" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/4C5C342B-80CD-455E-BB61-3112DDDB8E98-scaled-crop-1707x1121-1638883734-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="269250" first="Cameron" last="Rust"] - 6’2’’ - SF/PF - ’24 Finishing with 13 points, Rust was controlling the game early on with her playmaking in transition. She rips rebounds down and immediately looks up the court to make a play. Rust drew a ton of fouls in the first half just off her brute strength alone. Her quickness and size on the perimeter were hard to match up with, and she gave Rivers problems early in the game.