GIAA Girls basketball region tournament: Mount de Sales knocks out Tattnall, FPD falls in upset

The last time Mount de Sales left the court at FPD, the Cavs were on the losing end of a 47-36 score to the host Vikings, the game coming after a week away from the action because of snow.

The weather was better, and so was the performance as Mount de Sales got in control early and stayed there en route to a 38-27 win Tuesday over Tattnall in the opener of the GIAA District 6-3A/4A tournament at FPD.

Mount de Sales improved to 12-14 in taking the season series 2-1, while Tattnall’s season ended at 10-13. Mount de Sales advances to play top-seeded Piedmont at 6:30 p.m. Thursday

There wasn’t much to analyze for Tattnall head coach Matt Chambless, who is in his first year leading the Trojans’ girls team.

“We shot one for 16 from three, and we shot (12 of 22) from the line,” he said. “We missed a boatload of layups down low.

“I told them it wasn’t an effort issue, or a game-plan issue. We didn’t shoot the ball well. That’s what it came down to.”

And Mount de Sales took advantage, not quite lighting it up but turning in an efficient afternoon on both ends of the court.

“Our defense,” Mount de Sales head coach Craig Carroll said regarding the main key. “We held them to 27 points. Our defense was tremendous all game. We sped them up with our full-court press. I feel like that was an advantage for us.”

Payton Latimer led the Cavs with 14 points, hitting a pair of threes. Three teammates added at least five points.

Carroll watched his press and defense get into a groove early and keep Tattnall from getting in one.

Post defense improved, too. The Cavs held Kennedy Walton to seven points.

“Their advantage was down low, with their post,” Carroll said. “Last time we played them, Walton had 24. We beat ‘em, but she lit us up. I didn’t want the ball to get down to her.”

Mount de Sales survived a worse night at the line than Tattnall, going only 5 of 14. Annamary Talcott led Tattnall with 10 points in its second straight game of 27 points.

Mount de Sales led 8-4 after one quarter and 18-13 at halftime.

The Cavs took a 27-19 lead into the fourth quarter. Tattnall’s comeback hopes took a hit just before the halfway point of the third quarter when starting point guard Sara Kate Phillips fouled out, pointless, and Tattnall gained no ground in the final eight minutes.

“We got the shots we wanted,” Chambless said. “Wide open 3s, layups, one on ones. And free throws. It’s frustrating.”

Mount de Sales will need a better start on offense on Thursday.

“We struggled offensively the first half,” Carroll said. “We came out kinda hot in the third quarter, hit a few big shots. I tried to do a good job calling timeout when I felt Tattnall was making a run.”

John Milledge 49, FPD 47

John Milledge and first-year head coach Jordan Walters pulled off the upset, knocking off the hosts with clutch play down the stretch.

The 9-14 Trojans advance to play No. 2 seed Stratford at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

John Milledge lost 48-47 to FPD (14-11) on Jan. 14, then lost again 45-30 two weeks later. The Trojans came in on a 2-5 skid, but with a little momentum after beating Mount de Sales 45-42 in the regular-season finale.

FPD led 13-8 after one and 23-20 at halftime.

A seven-point FPD lead with 3:39 left in the third became a tie game in less than 90 seconds, Pierce Moore tying it with 2:13 left only for the Vikings to take a 38-36 lead into the fourth.

Calah Foston scored on four straight trips for John Milledge — the last on a nice bucket low off an inbounds pass from the side — and suddenly the Trojans were up 45-41 with 2:47 left in the game.

It was tied at 47, but a left-handed shot in traffic in the paint from Moore — her only points of the quarter — gave John Milledge the lead with 18 seconds left.. 

A shot by FPD’s Bowen Matthews rolled off the rim and, after a scramble, the Vikings got the ball back but couldn’t get a shot off.

Foston and Moore had 15 each for John Milledge, while Matthews led FPD with 17. Elcee Leslein adding 14.