MIAA D2 Final 4: Banana Slamma

Bash Hudson

March 17, 2022 @ 10:22 AM

The MIAA D2 Final 4 matchup between #1 Norwood and #5 Whitman-Hanson was as physical and competitive of a playoff game you’ll see. Both teams couldn’t get into a consistent rhythm on offense and traded blows down the stretch in the 4th, but Norwood came out on top 51-46. The size and strong Whitman-Hanson defense helped shut down the paint for stretches of the game; yet, Norwood always seemed to hit timely shots or get a key rebound to help propel them to victory. They will play #3 Oliver Ames in the State Championship.   Player of the Game: <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-401806" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/03/51F26A18-2D08-4470-A81B-EC87D640C9AA-scaled-crop-1907x1252-1647530369-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="183929" first="Megan" last="Olbrys"] - 6’2’’ - PF - ’22 Olbrys started feeling it in the 2nd quarter and took the game over on offense and defense. She led the game with 18 points and could not be stopped underneath the basket. Olbrys was too big and strong to keep off the boards, and I thought she set up her teammates for good shots in the halfcourt. In the 2nd half, Olbrys had a couple of loud rejections that fired up the team and crowd. Olbrys’ impact on both sides of the ball is a huge reason why she is a top 3 player in the ’22 class.   Norwood Standouts: [player_tooltip player_id="298836" first="Tricia" last="Wladkowski"] - 5’11’’ - SF - ’24 Wladkowski had another solid scoring performance for Norwood netting 15 points. She showed her range with a three in the 2nd quarter and displayed her shiftiness in transition in the second half. Wladkowski leaked out on the break, maneuvered through multiple defenders, and scored several times. Her body control and change of direction in the open court stood out to me most in those moments. Wladkowski also ripped down a huge offensive board at the end of the game to seal the win for Norwood.   [player_tooltip player_id="298705" first="Alexa" last="Coras"] - 5’7’’ - SG - ’24 Coras might’ve been the biggest playmaker of the night. She finished with 8 points, including a big 3 in the 4th that halted Whitman-Hanson’s momentum as they shot their way back into the game. All-around, Coras was helping her team on the court. When she wasn’t playing excellent on-ball defense and blocking shots, she was using her length and athleticism to be a factor on the offensive glass. Coras made the most of her minutes on the floor and came up big for the Mustangs.   [player_tooltip player_id="183937" first="Erin" last="Reen"] - 5’6’’ - PG - ’22 Reen’s athleticism and vertical leap are impressive. I noticed it most on defense when she would track down her assignment and make a big-time swat out of bounds. She covers a lot of ground quickly, moves well east to west, and has no problem staying in front of faster guards.   Whitman-Hanson Standouts: [player_tooltip player_id="263827" first="Megan" last="Stone"] - 6’2’’ - PF - ’22 Stone had 14 points and scored at all three levels. She scored Whitman-Hanson’s first points of the game with a tough post move on the right block, drained 3 threes, and hit a catch and shoot mid-range jumper. I also liked how hard Stone competed throughout the game. She was constantly battling for position down low, and when Norwood started to extend their lead and pull away, Stone hit big shots to allow her team to come back.   [player_tooltip player_id="263804" first="Abby" last="Martin"] - 5’10 - SF - ’22 Martin had the challenging task of sticking with [player_tooltip player_id="183929" first="Megan" last="Olbrys"] but also needed to provide some offense for Whitman-Hanson. She also ended the game with 14 points and hit big shots in the second half to help close the gap on Norwood. Martin had her three-ball going connecting on 3 of them and forced the Norwood defense to move with aggressive drives to the rim.   [player_tooltip player_id="266760" first="Anna" last="Stone"] - 5’10’’ - SF/PF - ’22 Stone’s competitiveness and toughness will never go unnoticed by me. No one played harder than she did, and her effort and hustle on defense resulted in Norwood turnovers. Stone has a high motor, was diving on the floor constantly, and left it all out on the court for Whitman-Hanson.   [player_tooltip player_id="401799" first="Caitlin" last="Leahy"] - 5’8’’ - CG - ’23 Leahy had a big scoring first half dropping 9 of the teams’ 21 points. She has three-point range and attacked the basket strong; scoring a couple of impressive baskets contested at the rim. I also liked how she showed her offensive versatility, brought the ball up occasionally, and got Whitman-Hanson into their offense.