Terriers edged by Bryant in NEC playoffs

Second-seeded SFC squanders late lead to Bulldogs

March 8, 2022 John Torenli, Sports Editor

A rapt crowd of Brooklyn basketball fanatics saw the Terriers get ousted by Bryant in the opening round of the NEC women's basketball championships on Remsen Street Monday. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

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Seeded second in the Northeast Conference Tournament, the St. Francis Brooklyn women’s basketball team saw its NCAA Tournament hopes dashed Monday night on Remsen Street.

The Terriers squandered a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead over the final six minutes en route to a heartbreaking 65-63 loss to Bryant in front of 571 fans at Brooklyn Heights’ Pope Center.

Nevena Dimitrijevic poured in 21 points and Alyssa Fisher added 11 for the deeply disappointed Terriers (17-10, 12-3 NEC), who established a new program record for league wins, but failed to reach the tournament semifinals.

SFC appeared destined to reach the final four when Isabella Posset hit a pair of free throws to give the Terriers a 58-48 lead with 5:44 remaining.

But the Bulldogs (9-21, 6-12), who got 19 points and 12 rebounds from Nicole Gallagher, finished the game on a decisive 17-5 run.

Mariona Planes Fortuny added 17 points, including the go-ahead free throw with just over a second left before Ally Lassen missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer for SFC.

Before they were sent home, the Terriers placed three players on the league’s All-Conference teams.

Demitrijevic and Lassen were named to the NEC Second Team and freshman standout Jaila Lee was tabbed an All-NEC Rookie selection.

The Long Island University women’s team saw its turnaround season end with Monday night’s 66-55 loss to Wagner in the NEC quarterfinals in front of 659 fans at Staten Island’s Spiro Center.

Senior Brandy Thomas amassed 18 points and 10 rebounds and freshman sensation Emaia O’Brien added 12 points for the Sharks (9-18, 9-7), who lost their first 12 games before playing two games above .500 the rest of the campaign.

The LIU men were ousted in the semifinal round of the NECs by Wagner on Saturday before 2,004 fans at the Spiro Center, suffering an 82-62 setback to the Seahawks despite 24 points and eight rebounds from Ty Flowers.

Ty Flowers and the LIU men fell in the NEC semifinals to Wagner over the weekend, ending their season. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

Eral Penn added 15 points and Isaac Kante had 14 for the Sharks (16-14, 12-6), who beat Sacred Heart last week at the Steinberg Center in Downtown Brooklyn to advance to the semis.

The Brooklyn College women’s basketball team finally saw its historic run at a Division III NCAA title end Saturday in Northhampton, Massachusetts with a 76-58 loss to Smith College in front of 700 fans at Ainsworth Gymnasium.

Graduate student forward Chanel Jemmott scored a game-high 22 points and ripped down eight rebounds in her swan song performance for the Bulldogs (22-4), who went unbeaten in conference play en route to winning their first-ever NCAA Tournament game, 70-57, over Emmanuel College Friday.

Though all off Brooklyn’s NCAA Tournament hopes are gone, the borough will welcome the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships here beginning Wednesday.

The Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament will be held at Downtown’s Barclays Center from Wednesday to Sunday. Photo courtesy of BSE Global

Borough President Antonio Reynoso promoted the event outside of host arena Downtown’s Barclays Center Monday, proclaiming it ACC Tournament week in Brooklyn.