By Larry Moko
Just call it a '3-D' victory for the St. Thomas More Knights.
Powered by a stifling defence and an attack which generated 11 3-point baskets compared to none for the opposition, the Knights defeated the visiting Corpus Christi Longhorns, 48-34, in a senior girls' high school playoff basketball game Tuesday.
With the outcome, the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic Athletic Association champions from More advance to the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Association final Thursday in Oakville against the Garth Webb Chargers.
The winner of that contest qualifies for the 2024 OFSAA tournament in Windsor.
Milania Bozzo led the onslaught from behind the arc by draining four. Adrianna Stocco netted three and Isabella Moro sank two, while Gabriella Mazzuca and Caitlin Connolly tossed in one apiece.
More led throughout -- 12-4, 26-11 and 39-21 at the quarter breaks.
"Our defence won us the game," More coach Ralph Bozzo said. "It allowed us to get the ball up the floor to make decisions. And our 3s were falling. It was just our day on both ends of the floor."
The leading scorers for the Halton Catholic champions from Burlington were Keianna Cambridge, with 11, and Samera Jeffers, with eight.
"For sure we were locked down on our defence," the More coach added. "I thought we did a fantastic job on their shooters. And Savannah Gallea (More's centre who also scored eight points) did a great job in the middle."
Moro finished with a game-high 13 points.
"Any time you play a Hamilton team you expect good, high intensity basketball," Longhorns coach Ashley Black said. "They played great defence, but our shots were not dropping. That hasn't been the case this season. It was today, though."
Corpus Christi came in with a record of 10-1, including a 53-45 decision in the league final against the Bishop Reding Royals. In addition, the Longhorns downed the Knights, 43-35, at the Cathedral tournament last month.
"But we know a GHAC semifinal is much different than a tournament result," Black said.
Stocco, a Grade 11 student, came off the bench to score all three of her long-range baskets in the second quarter.
"Everyone was hitting," Stocco said. "It wasn't just one person. Everyone played great. Our defence was awesome.
"We did a good job of communicating with each other and making sure there was always help defence."
Coach Bozzo said Stocco "just lit it up" with her performance.
"She gives us that spark that we need off the bench," he said. "That really motivated everyone else. She's a very good shooter."
Stocco also plays club basketball for the Transway organization.
"I feel a lot of the time people coming off the bench are underestimated," she said. "So doing that and being able to score is a great feeling."
More enters the GHAC final with no knowledge of its next opponent. Said coach Bozzo: "I've never seen them. I don't know anything about them. I'll find out on Thursday."
The Chargers finished third in the Tier 1 standings (6-4) and split a pair of playoff results. They downed the Frank Hayden Huskies, 52-29, before dropping a 47-39 decision to AA King's Christian.
In other GHAC semifinal AA action, Milton's Elsie MacGill topped the Crusaders, 58-43, at St. Mary on Monday.
Photos by R.F. (Bob) Butrym, RFB Sport Photography
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