Forward Sabrina DeFreese pumped in 30 points to lead four players in double figures as Passaic County Community College held off the Roadrunners 90-83 in a Region XIX women's basketball tournament semifinal Saturday at Northampton CC.
The Runners, who finished the 2019-20 season with an 18-10 overall record, battled back from a 24-17 first quarter deficit to take a 45-44 halftime lead. But the Panthers outscored RCSJ-Gloucester by 25-17 in the third quarter and held on for the win.
Five Roadrunners finished in double figures in a solid offensive effort -- forward Trina Deveney-Bethea (21 points), guard Qeiajae Canty (18), forward Kadinah Harris-Hood (17), guard Kylar Coughlin (17) and guard Mya Lewis (10). Canty and Deveney-Bethea collected 10 rebounds each.
Passaic, which improved to 22-1 overall, will play Ocean County College for the Region XIX championship on Sunday in a 2 pm start. The Vikings won their semifinal with an 82-78 victory over Community College of Philadelphia.
Watch for more details here.
Game Day Preview
Head coach Rich Cooper and his Roadrunner women's basketball team are hoping to sneak away with a signature win Saturday vs. Passaic County Community College at Northampton CC in the Region XIX semifinal round.
But it will be a tall order.
The Runners, the No. 4 seed, face a talented Panthers' squad, the top seed and Garden State Athletic Conference champions. Top-seeded Passaic has compiled an impressive 21-1 overall record and features an explosive lineup.
"This is a team you can't fall behind on early because they have too many weapons on offense," said Cooper, whose team won the Region XIX crown in 2018. "They are well-coached and will be ready for anything."
Passaic is the defending Region XIX champion -- their only loss this season was a 76-70 setback to Ocean County on December 12th.
View Region XIX Tournament Brackets Here
In their last matchup vs. Passaic on February 14, the Runners came close to pulling off the upset. Four players finished in double figures, but it wasn't enough as Coach Cooper's team dropped a tough 65-60 decision at home.
Forward Nikita Acker led all RCSJ scorers with 17 points, followed by Katrina Harris-Hood (13), Trina Deveney-Bethea (12) and Syria Bass (10). Sabrina DeFreese (18) and Jada Camacho (16) led the Panthers. The Roadrunners fell behind at the outset by a 23-10 score and attempted to rally the rest of the way, coming up short in the final period.
"We'll need to turn up the pressure on defense and keep it close throughout," said Cooper., whose team beat Middlesex in a first-round game last Sunday. "We're capable of scoring a lot of points ourselves, and everyone will need to step up."
The survivor will face the winner of No. 2 seed Ocean County College (19-4) and No. 3 seed Philadelphia (17-5) in the other semifinal that begins at 2 pm. The Region championship game will take place Sunday at 12 noon.
Women's Game Day Preview
Region XIX Final Four
No. 4 RCSJ-Gloucester vs. No. 1 Passaic County Community College
February 28, 12 Noon
Hosted by:
Northampton Community College Athletics
3835 Green Pond Rd,
Bethlehem, PA 18020
Top Players:
Roadrunners: Kylar Coughlin, guard; Mya Lewis, guard; Q. Canty, forward; Nikita Acker, forward; Trina Deveney-Bethea, forward; Syria Bass, G-F.
Panthers: Sabrina DeFreese, G/F; Jada Camacho, G/F.
Records:
Roadrunners: 18-9 overall
Passaic: 21-1 overall
Coaches:
Rich Cooper, Roadrunners
Teya Eaton, Panthers
Tournament Information
Stay up to date with the tournament on Twitter @NJCAARegionXIX
UPDATES
Check the Region XIX website for updates www.region19.org
GAME TIMES
Saturday
12pm / 2pm / 5pm / 7pm
Sunday
12pm - Women's Championship Game
2:30pm - Men's Championship Game
TICKET PRICES
Saturday
Adults - $5
Students - $3
Children (under 10) - Free
Sunday
Adults - $3
Students - $1
Children (under 10) - Free