Garnets Blow Out Rams

The Rye Garnets girls basketball team blew out a rebuilding Port Chester Rams team Tuesday, 57-25.

"I thought we did well," said Rye Coach Mary Henwood. "I thought we had a lot of passing and unselfish play."

Jumping out to an 8-0 lead, Rye limited the Rams to two three-pointers in the first quarter, leading 14-6 going into the second quarter.

The Garnets would eventually build a 13-point lead, 20-7, before the Rams called a timeout with under six minutes left to play before the half. Lillian McCabe scored two at 4:22 but the Rams quickly answered back with a three-pointer that cut the lead to 12. 

The Rams stepped it up on defense making it tough for Rye after a timeout at 1:13. The Garnets' lead would dwindle to seven before Kelly O'Neill netted two with less than ten seconds left to end the half, putting the Garnets up by nine, 24-15.

Lillian McCabe, coming off a career-high 31 point game against Byram Hills on Friday, gave Rye momentum, scoring three straight times in the third as the Garnets led by a comfortable 32-19 margin with less than five minutes left in the period. The team had a 42-19 lead heading into the final quarter.

The Garnets led by as much as 30 with under three minutes left to play when McCabe made two trips to the line and made those free throws.

The dominance continued after Henwood called a timeout and McCabe tallied another two points at 2:11 for a 32-point lead. Port Chester fouled again with less than two minutes to play, bringing Katie Killup to the line. Killup made both shots and added to Rye's 34-point advantage, 57-23. 

Despite a meaningless foul called on Victoria Pacos and the Rams netting two more free throws, the Garnets were unfazed, winning 57-25.

Senior Karly Fitzgerald scored a career-high 12 points during the Garnets last regular season game. McCabe had 15. 

Rye will compete in the playoffs. On Friday, the team will find out who their first-round playoff opponent will be.