Blue Dons fall to Donahue in Undo’s Tourney

WHEELING - Feeling a little apprehensive entering Monday's game against Weirton Madonna, Bishop Donahue head coach Paige Williams asked her players to come out and jump on the Blue Dons quickly.

One tip, four passes and two points later the Lady Bishops were off and rolling to a semifinal victory in the Undo's Ohio Valley Catholic Tournament.

Senior standout Lacey Hampton dropped in a game-high 20 points and added nine rebounds and classmate Jenna Noice chipped in 11 markers and eight caroms as Donahue raced to a big early lead and never looked back in rolling to a 50-39 victory over Madonna at the Alma Grace McDonough Center on the campus of Wheeling Jesuit University.

The victory moves Donahue to 5-1 on the young season and puts them into tonight's championship game at 7:30 p.m. with a chance to defend its title.

"The girls had a lot of goals coming into the season and being able to come back here and defend our championship was certainly near the top of the list," a smiling Williams admitted. "But we know it will be a challenge with Wheeling Central and Charleston Catholic in the other bracket."

Points in the paint were the reason for the Lady Bishops' big early run as the designated visitors ran off the first 12 points of the contest and led 18-5 at the end of the opening stanza. Not one of Donahue's initial nine hoops came from more than two feet from the basket.

The Bishops would also score the first eight points of the second quarter to cap an amazing first 10 minutes of play with a 26-5 lead.

During its opening run, Donahue was 13-of-19 from the floor and forced 12 Blue Dons' turnovers while not committing one itself.

"I told them before the game that I just had a bad feeling about this one and asked them to do me a favor and go out and get a quick start," Williams admitted.

"Boy, did they go out and get after it. They really looked good out there early on."

Coach Don Ogden's squad did make a modest 8-3 run late in the second frame to cut the deficit to 29-13 at the break and then opened on a 10-2 spurt to trim the margin to 31-23 on Jen Nogay's third triple of the game at 4:37 of the third.

But, the Dons would never get closer than 10 the rest of the way.

"We have been working on our inside game in practice," Williams added.

"Our goal is to not just pass the ball one time and settle for an outside shot, we want to work it around and get the ball inside and we did a good job of that (Monday)."

Sara Carpenter contributed eight points, all in the first half for the winners. Nogay, who scored all five of Madonna's first quarter markers, ended with 14 and sophomore Sara Lyons added 11, including seven in the third chapter.

Donahue grabbed a 30-25 edge off the glass and turned the ball over 16 times, five less than the Lady Blue Dons.

Bishop Donahue 50, Madonna 39

Bishop Donahue 18 11 8 13 - 50

Madonna 5 8 12 14 - 39

BISHOP DONAHUE: Hampton 8-18 3-6 20; Carpenter 4-6 0-0 8; Barry 1-5 3-4 5; Noice 5-11 1-5 11; Blazer 1-2 0-0 2; Kleeh 0-0 0-0 0; Kobasko 2-3 0-1 4. 3-pointers: Hampton. Totals: 20-44 7-16 50.

MADONNA: Bragg 0-4 0-0 0; Nogay 3-7 4-4 14; Brancazio 2-7 0-0 5; Gilson 0-2 0-0 0; Magnone 0-5 1-2 1; Lyons 5-8 1-2 11; Anice 2-10 0-0 4; Conner 1-5 1-2 4. 3-pointers: Nogay (3), Brancazio, Conner. Totals: 13-48 8-11 39.