Mount de Sales Captures the IAAM B Conference Title

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Sailors of Mt. De Sales won their first ever IAAM championship with an absolutely thrilling 54-52 overtime win over Notre Dame Prep. The Sailors took control of the game early and held a 24-11 lead at halftime. Their lead got up to 14 points before the Blazers of NDP went on a huge run to take a five-point lead late in regulation. Some big stops and big shots allowed MDS to regain control and force overtime. Both teams had chances to win in regulation but couldn't' get it done. In the extra session MDS got three big stops in the last few seconds to hold on for the win. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ella Mercandante, Notre Dame Prep, 2026, Forward </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ella is long and athletic and she was a crucial part of NDP's big rally. Her defense in the press was strong and she helped turn MDS over multiple times. She also knocked down some big shots, chipping in 9 points on the day. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Stacey Giannopoulos, Notre Dame Prep, 2028, Guard </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stacey had an overall good game. She had some tough breaks late, but she played like a warrior all game and really helped NDP climb back into this game. She's athletic and competitive and attacked the basket fearlessly. I have a feeling NPD will be back in this game next year and she'll be a big reason why. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='455404' first='Shelby' last='Lewis'], Mount de Sales, 2025, Forward</strong> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the Sailors' top player coming in, Shelby was the focus of NDP's defense. She faced constant pressure but was able to pass out of doubles and set her teammates up for open shots all game. She battled on the boards and fought through fatigue and on her way to helping the team secure the win. She finished with 11 points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Katie Carroll, Mount De Sales, 2026, Forward </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Katie had a rough day shooting the ball but she was relentless and would not let her team lose. She had a double-double and was all over the court on defense. She made some big plays in transition and got to the foul line multiple times. She led the team in scoring with 12 points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mackenzie Conley, Mount de Sales, 2025,Wing </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>MacKenzie came up big with several clutch plays when it looked like the Sailors had blown this game. She made a huge three and came up with crucial rebounds and a steal. They don't win this game without her. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->