Neumann-Goretti tops Carroll in CL semi
Lamarr Kimbell and Ja'Quan Newton lead Saints into the Catholic League championship game.
THE MATCHUP that some anticipated when the season began will determine the Catholic League champion when Ss. Neumann-Goretti meets Roman Catholic on Monday at the Palestra.
The Saints (20-4, 12-1) knocked off Archbishop Carroll, 67-62, in the second of two semifinal games played last night at the Palestra. Roman Catholic held off La Salle, 52-45, in the first game.
Junior guard Lamarr "Fresh" Kimble led the Saints with 17 points (6-for-10, 4-for-5 free throws). Senior wing Ja'Quan Newton finished with 15 points (6-for-12, two threes). Samir Taylor and Ernest Aflakpui led the Patriots with 14 apiece. Derrick Jones (10 rebounds) and Austin Tilghman (five assists) added 11.
Carroll (20-4, 11-3) played the entire first quarter in a triangle-and-two defense with the focus on N-G's Newton and Kimble. The strategy might have caused the Saints momentary pause, but even after six turnovers in 11 possessions, the teams were tied at 14 after one quarter.
Patience and poise prevailed for the five-time defending champions. Shooting 25-for-43 (58 percent) 8-for-13 (62 percent) from trey overall didn't hurt, either. Carroll shot just 1-for-10 from distance.
"Yeah, that was big for us because Ja'Quan and I are used to having the ball," Kimble said. "We just had to trust in our teammates and they came up big for us. They made shots so [Carroll] had to come out of that triangle-and-two and that just opened it up for us."
The Saints also overcame a 35-15 rebounding disadvantage.
Seniors Troy Harper (nine points overall) and Jamal Custis (10 points, four blocks) took care of the scoring in the first half along with freshman wing guard Vaughn Covington (nine points, four assists).
A 10-2 spurt to start the second quarter afforded N-G some separation and a 24-16 lead, but the Patriots stormed back with eight unanswered. A banked-in Vaughn Covington triple from straight away gave the Saints a 29-24 advantage.
Newton finished with five points at the half and Kimble with two, but a 9-2 spurt to end the third quarter led to an 8-2 spurt to begin the fourth.
Newton eventually broke free in the second half and even ended the third frame with a three that made him the school's all-time leading scorer. His dunk over a defender with 1:32 left in the game gave the Saints a 62-56 lead, and sent a charge through his South Philly fans.
"[Newton] wouldn't let us lose," said N-G coach Carl Arrigale. "What he does in this building is something. For lack of a better word, he's got some stones."
Of the rematch with Roman, Arrigale said: "It's not our first rodeo. We're going for six straight. We don't work hard to come in second place. We're coming Monday to win. It'll take a good 32-minute effort, but I wouldn't trade my guys or my locker room for anything."
Roman (21-3, 13-0) won the first matchup with Neumann-Goretti, 71-64, Jan. 23 at Philadelphia University. As that game concluded, friendly banter between Roman senior guard Shep Garner and Kimble spoke to the rivalry and the anticipation with which each side entered the season.
"I told you," Garner told Kimble with a smile from the foul line. "I told you."
After that game. Garner said the two are good friends and exchanged predictions preceding the game.
Kimble, a Lawncrest resident, smiled last night when he was reminded of the exchange.
"Yeah, we're real good friends. He played on my AAU team [Team Final] so we always talked about it. Ja'Quan was on that team, too. We always talked about playing them and beating them. They got the first one, but we're coming for the second one."
The Cahillites faithful also let the crowd at the Palestra know who they preferred to face with a chant after their squad knocked off La Salle: "We want Neumann! We want Neumann!"
The rematch will be played Monday at 8:30 p.m., following the Catholic League girls' championship game at 6:30 p.m.
"We're coming for the six-peat," Kimble said, "that's all."
