Memorable games – Part 4 – Rams best Chargers in high-scoring 2009 gem
By Stephen Zerdelian
With Jefferson and Dominican poised to meet on Saturday, we look back at a thrilling run-and-gun CACC affair between the teams in 2009 as Part 4 of our Memorable Games series…
While there has only been one four-overtime game in the region since the 2003-’04 season, there have been eight triple OT contests in that span, as well. This one, arguably, was the best of them all, as it saw over 200 points scored and was highlighted by three virtual buzzer-beaters. Take a bow, Philadelphia (now Jefferson) University and Dominican College, and thanks for what was a majestic contest.
Valentine’s Day, 2009 was the date as the teams arrived at Philadelphia’s Herb Magee Court for this CACC crossover contest. Both clubs were in the chase for their respective division titles (DC in the North and the Rams in the South), so the game had plenty of relevance for their coaches, Tom Shirley (Philadelphia) and John Burke (Dominican).
After a relatively even start, the visiting Chargers enjoyed the first real run of the game, putting together an 18-2 burst to flip a 19-15 deficit into a 33-21 lead with 3:56 left in the first half. Althea Chambers (6 points) and Shalissa Burgess (5 points) started the surge and Adele Laskowski capped it off with DC’s last eight points. Remember those names, by the way, since they accounted for almost 80% of Dominican’s scoring on the day. The Rams managed to pull within 35-28 by halftime but didn’t catch the Chargers until the 12:13 mark of the second half, taking a 48-47 lead.
Neither team led by more than four points during the rest of regulation play with DC snapping the eighth tie (to that juncture) thanks to a Chambers trey with 1:22 left, 69-66. Philadelphia rallied but still faced a 71-68 shortfall following Kaity Lent’s free throw for DC with eleven seconds left. Kate Brennan missed a possible game-tying trey for the Rams but they retained possession after DC lost it out of bounds in the rebounding action. Brennan did not waste a second chance, though, sinking a triple off a Stephanie Agger assist, with :04 to go and the teams made their way to overtime even at 71.
Philadelphia rode that momentum into the first OT, building a six-point lead twice, including 81-75 (2:51), but a 6-0 Dominican response, capped by a pair of Chambers foul shots, tied it at 81 with :34 left. Brennan put the Rams back ahead with a drive (83-81, :19), only to see Chambers follow a Laskowski missed three-pointer (thanks to a Burgess board and assist) with a layin at the horn to even it at 83.
Overtime #2 was cagier, with the Chargers leading most of the way but never by more than four points. Laskowski’s triple with 55 ticks left gave DC a 90-87 edge and they spent the rest of the frame at the foul line as Philadelphia stretched the game. DC went 7-8 at the stripe but it somehow wasn’t enough to deny the Rams, who answered every time with a score. Laskowski was the only Charger to miss at the line, going 1-2 with nine seconds left (97-94) and it proved costly. Agger made a free throw with :05 left but missed the second one intentionally, a tactic that rarely works… except here it did, as Jessica Romano slipped in for the board and put-back to create a 97-all deadlock and a third overtime.
Amazingly, as Shirley remembers it, that play was planned. “That particular play, where Agger missed the foul shot and Romano spun inside to rebound and put it back was also memorable because it is actually how we drew it up,” he recalled. “Steph (Agger) and Jess (Romano) executed it perfectly.”
The Rams had the bit between their teeth now and this time did not let go. Amanda Brennan’s three-pointer (yes, she and Kate are sisters) started the session (100-97, 4:36) and before the Chargers knew it, the Rams had a 110-100 lead with just under a minute left. Agger (6) and Amanda Brennan (5) did the bulk of the damage in that stretch, leaving DC with little time to recover. Philadelphia went 6-8 at the line in the final minute to seal the deal and end an exhausting but exhilarating 55 minutes of action.
Four Rams scored all but six of the team’s points. Amanda Brennan potted a career-high 39 points (9-26 FG, 9-20 3FG, 12-13 FT) and hauled in eight boards in 54 minutes to lead the effort while Romano contributed 29 points (10-17 FG, 9-11 FT) and 11 boards in 52 minutes. Kate Brennan (21 points, 10 caroms; 7-18 FG, 6-8 FT in 43 minutes) and Agger (19 points, 7 rebounds and 13-18 at the line in 41 minutes) also had superb outings to top a Philadelphia attack that was +9 on the glass (52-43) and made an eye-popping 43-55 at the foul line.
Chambers tallied a personal-best (and still DC record) 43 points to top the Dominican stat sheet, shooting 13-22 from the field and 14-15 at the line and adding 7 rebounds in 46 minutes. Laskowski tossed in 26 points (10-24 FG, 3-12 3FG) and hauled in a dozen boards in a team-high 51 minutes while Burgess added 14 points (6-10 FG) and nine boards in 45 minutes. The Chargers shot better than their hosts (46%-39% FG) but were ‘only’ 22-30 at the foul line.
Romano and Chamberswent on to be first team CACC All-Stars that season while Laskowski and Amanda Brennan were second team choices. Philadelphia ended up with a more successful campaign, going 21-10 and winning the CACC tournament title over Wilmington, 72-63. Dominican saw their season ended by the same Wilmington team in the CACC semifinals but did wrap up at 17-12 after having won the CACC North regular season crown (the Rams ended up second in the South to Holy Family).
Interestingly, starting with this game, these two teams played three OT contests in a five-game span in the series (they split the other two), so they must have liked the bonus sessions. Romano, Kate Brennan and Agger all ended eventually their Rams careers with over 1,000 points while Laskowski and Chambers did the same for Dominican. Another notable statistical thing about this game? It was the only one in the region since the 2003-’04 season in which both teams reached triple digits, not to mention the most overall points scored (218) within that same span.
Shirley’s lengthy career (in his 41st season overall, 33rd at Jefferson) has seen plenty of memorable games, including over 800 victories, but this is actually his favorite.
“That game is my # 1 favorite of all time,” said the veteran mentor. “We have had some great wins but that was most memorable game. We beat a very good and very well coached Dominican team that day. (I) look back on a game like that and realize why you chose coaching for a living. You can’t find that level of intensity, the air of competitiveness and the will to win, in too many occupations. It was all on display that day and most importantly, the kids had a wonderful time and made a memory. ”
Yup, it was fun, it was dramatic, it was a key game between a pair of good teams, and it set some regional standards to shoot for. So, what’s not to like about this game? Nothing, and even more than a decade later it deserves to be recognized as one of the all-time regional gems.