|
Article Audio:
|
JOHNSTOWN — For the first time in program history, the Fulton-Montgomery Community College women’s basketball team will host the Region 3 Division III semifinals and final.
The top-seeded Raiders earned the right to host this weekend’s final four with an 82-56 victory over eighth-seeded Tompkins Cortland Community College in the quarterfinals Thursday.
“It’s great to be hosting the regional tournament,” said FMCC coach Kevin Jones, who is in his 24th season as coach and the only coach the program has ever had. “It’s something we’ve never done before and we’re looking forward to it.”
FMCC had four players score in double figures, and all eight players scored. Abigail Lombardoni scored 25 points to lead the Raiders, including seven 3-pointers.
“Abby shot the ball well tonight,” Jones said.
Makenzie Smith scored 14 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and four blocks for FMCC (19-0 overall), while Kiya Marquez and Andie Gannon each scored 13 points. Marquez also had seven assists for the Raiders.
“Survive and advance is the name of the game this time of year,” Jones said. “We did what we needed to do today.”
Amarionah Dixon scored 24 points and grabbed 19 rebounds for Tompkins Cortland (7-13), while Karissa Wilbur added 15 points.
After posting an 80-34 victory at Tompkins Cortland on Jan. 29 in their regular-season matchup, FMCC got an unexpected challenge from the Panthers on Thursday.
Tompkins Cortland scored the first four points of the game before the Raiders used a 14-0 run to take a 14-4 advantage.
However, the Panthers outscored FMCC 9-2 over the final 2:02 of the opening quarter to trail 16-13 after 10 minutes of play.
The Raiders, who hadn’t played a game since Feb. 14, opened up their advantage early in the second quarter with a 14-8 surge to take a 30-21 lead. As it did in the first quarter, Tompkins Cortland responded with a 5-0 burst to pull within 30-26 with 3:08 left in the half.
FMCC closed out the quarter with a 12-2 run that included three straight 3-pointers from Marquez, Emanuel-Norwood and Lombardoni to take a 42-28 lead at the half.
“We came out flat today,” Jones said. “We haven’t played a game in over a week, and we didn’t have school today. We weren’t in our usual routine, and it showed. We figured it out in the second half, though.”
The Raiders opened the second half with a 19-2 run that put the game out of reach as they opened up a 61-30 lead.
FMCC took a 69-37 lead into the fourth quarter as Lombardoni scored eight points in the third for the Raiders. Gannon and Emanuel-Norwood each had six third-quarter points.
The Raiders coasted home from there, clinching the right to host the regional championship and finishing off the win.
FMCC will now turn its attention to winning a Region 3 title for the first time since the 2003-04 season. The unbeaten Raiders also won the Mountain Valley Conference crown for the first time since 2003-04 this season.
“We’re definitely fired up to host regionals,” Jones said. “We want to win it.”
FMCC will face fifth-seeded North Country Community College on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Region 3 Division III semifinals. The Raiders won both regular-season meetings with the Saints, posting a 76-54 win at home on Feb. 1, and won 73-63 at North Country on Feb. 7.
“They’re athletic and we’re going to have to get after it against them,” Jones said of North Country. “I think the kids will respond and they’re looking forward to playing on their home court.”
North Country topped fourth-seeded Mohawk Valley in the quarterfinals Wednesday, 58-56.
In Saturday’s other semifinal contest, third-seeded Jefferson will face second-seeded Onondaga at 3 p.m. Jefferson posted a 65-58 win over sixth-seeded Herkimer on Thursday, while Onondaga notched an 80-50 victory over seventh-seeded Hudson Valley on Thursday.
Tompkins Cortland 13 15 9 19 — 56
Fulton-Montgomery 16 26 27 13 — 82
Tompkins Cortland scoring: Smith 1-0-2, DeFranco 1-0-2, Gulini 4-0-9, Dixon 9-6-24, Wilbur 6-0-15, A.Foley 0-4-4. Fulton-Montgomery scoring: Marquez 4-3-13, Querrie 2-0-4, Goodwin 1-0-2, Gannon 6-1-13, Bliss 1-0-2, Lombardoni 9-0-25, Smith 6-2-14, Emanuel-Norwood 4-0-9. Team totals: Tompkins Cortland 21-10-56, Fulton-Montgomery 33-6-82.
