By Christopher Shaban
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CLAREMONT — There is nothing like a good, old-fashion rivalry game as Stevens welcomed Newport on a wintry Thursday night.
There were lots of whistles, fouls, turnovers, and a game that was closer than the final score indicated as a deep Cardinals group tangled with a very young Tiger team that kept scratching and clawing.
Kiley Bundy flexed her shooting muscles in the final quarter as she dropped in eight of her team high 17 points to help the Cardinals pull away for the win.
“This was a very physical game,” Bundy said. “Newport always comes to play and we matched their intensity.”
It was a block party early for the Cardinals as Tara Sullivan, Jenna Bonneau and Alyssa Paquette were dominant in the paint with multiple blocked shots forcing the Tigers to stay outside. Newport had jumped ahead as Maddox Lovely and Riley Skarin canned hoops but when Bundy turned in a four-point play, the Stevens 12-6 lead grew into a 21-11 halftime gap.
“I know this group will be really good,” said Skarin as her limp just doesn’t improve from an early season injury. “My role is to keep pushing everyone and help them get better.”
With both coaches barking at the officials as play had turned into a free for all, Stevens ripped off an 11-1 run to open the second half. Sullivan opened the door with a jumper and Stella Lavertue knocked down a shot then made a beautiful underhanded pass to Paquette and Stevens was rolling. Sylar Nelson and Sanchez drilled back to back three pointers for Newport to cut the lead to 32-19 entering the final quarter.
“One day we’re going to put it all together,” said Newport coach Ross Dole. “I know we’re young but our time will come. I know it.”
Unfortunately for Dole, that time wasn’t in the final quarter as Stevens would outscore Newport 16-4 as the much bigger Cardinals just wore the Tigers down. Three-pointers rained down from the rafters for Stevens as Bundy, Rice and Sullivan all connected from beyond the arc as Bonneau and Lavertue had multiple rebounds for second chance opportunities for the Cards.
“We had good rotation tonight and kept our shape,” said Stevens coach Steve Condon. “It never matters what the records are, Ross always has his team ready for this rivalry.”
Bundy led everyone with 17 points with Sullivan’s 10 points and Paquette’s nine points leading Stevens. Taylor Fellows paced Newport with 11 points while fellow freshmen Lovely and Nelson each finished with five points.
Stevens (10-2) will head to Kearsarge (9-3) on Saturday evening while Newport (4-7) hits the road at Campbell, Sunapee and Conant then a home game against White Mountains next Saturday.
The Cardinal started off the night with a 45-21 win in the junior varsity game. Addison Derosier led Stevens with 11 points and Joar Figal added 10 points. Torrence Williams paced the Tigers with six points and Cassie Sanborn finished with five points.
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