The SJIBT Final Four Recap & Championship Game Preview

What a Friday afternoon/night of action that we got in Voorhees for the semifinals of The South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament. Four great teams and two fantastic games that were played. To get ready for the championship game on Sunday between Cherokee and Shawnee, we’re going to recap Friday’s action while giving you a preview of what will be a fantastic SJIBT final. <strong>Shawnee 46, Lenape 23</strong> This highly-anticipated matchup between two bitter rivals in the Olympic Conference quickly turned into a blow-out from the start as Shawnee led 21-4 at halftime. Lenape definitely played much better comparatively in the second half, but the game was already well out of hand by that point as the Renegades advanced to the SJIBT final. [player_tooltip player_id="321572" first="Avery" last="Kessler"] once again had herself a day in the win, scoring a game-high 18 points along with 3 made three-pointers. Anna Lacovara had a balanced day overall, knocking down a three as she recorded 10 points and sex rebounds in the win. Alexa Henry and Kaitlyn King were neutralized in the loss, combining for 11 points and nine rebounds. <strong>Cherokee 37, Eastern 36</strong> Eastern had itself a chance to tie and take the top-seeded Chiefs to overtime in the nightcap, down just three with a few seconds left to play. However, Cherokee’s slim three-point lead was enough as the Vikings were only able to muster up a two-point field goal, losing by just one point. [player_tooltip player_id="134757" first="Gabby" last="Recinto"] led Cherokee on the day with a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double, a very impressive performance for the junior forward. An unsung hero for the Chiefs was Oliva Selverian, who knocked down two three-pointers for her six points on the day. [player_tooltip player_id="319334" first="Mia" last="Robbins"] led Eastern with 15 points in the loss while Maya Edwards and Jane Trauger just missed out on double-digits, scoring eight points each for the Vikings. <strong>FINAL: Cherokee (19-2) v Shawnee (21-2) (Sunday @ 4 PM)</strong> This is the matchup that people have been waiting since the Elite Eight was released. The two Olympic Conference rivals have had their fair share of great games over the years, but as of recently, Cherokee has had Shawnee’s number, winning the last five matchups between the two schools. One thing to note is that this season’s game, a 37-31 Chiefs victory, was the closest game of the last five. That might signal things going in the right direction for the Renegades coming into this game, but Cherokee is not a team to underestimate. We’ve talked about the balance that the Chiefs have in their lineup before, with the aforementioned Recinto as a forward, but senior guards CJ Apistar and [player_tooltip player_id="319335" first="Katie" last="Fricker"] up top as well. Delaney Jackson is a fantastic forward to combo with Recinto and is learning fast her role on this team. You won’t see a deep lineup with this team most of the time as their starters have some of the best endurance of any players in the area. With the spurts of energy that the aforementioned Selverian and Brianna Wegner bring, a six-to-seven woman rotation for Cherokee is all they need. For as good and consistently good as Cherokee has been in recent years, Shawnee has quickly matched them as equals this season. The Renegades have already eclipsed the 20 win mark, reaching 20 wins in a season for the first time since the 2014-15 season. This Shawnee lineup has star power in it, defensive specialists, dominators on the glass and more. Look one way and you’ll see junior [player_tooltip player_id="321564" first="Nia" last="Scott"], who’s working her way toward double-double averages this season. Scott is Shawnee’s best defensive player without a doubt. Another way, you’ll see the sharp-shooting junior duo of Kaylan Deveney and Nicole Miller, who are knocking down nearly two threes a game combined. The leader of the pack is junior [player_tooltip player_id="321572" first="Avery" last="Kessler"], who’s taken leadership into her own hands and is just absolutely dominating every facet of the game. She can score, she can pass, she can disrupt offensive schemes on defense, she can knock down shots from the perimeter or a quick runner in the lane. The point is, however you slice it, Shawnee is going to give you trouble. My prediction on the game?? Expect a slugfest and a low-scoring game as Cherokee is really good at slowing down tempo and playing at their desired speed. I really don’t know who is going to win, but this should be a five-point game and will come down to the wire, guaranteed.