Staten Island Academy breezes by Hackley in girls' basketball 72-36

The rematch didn't turnout to be a rematch at all.

Staten Island Academy built and early double-digit lead and broke open the game with a 24-point third quarter en route to a 72-36 non-league win over visiting Hackley School Friday in Dongan Hills.

The 5-0 Tigers, who received a game-high 15 points from junior Corinn Baggs, avenged a loss to the Tarrytown, N.Y., school in the NYSAIS C division championship game.

PLAYER THE GAME

This one was a tough up, but senior Madison Bulger get the honor for finishing 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Runners-up include Baggs, Sam Spadaro (12 points, six assists), Sade Dinkins (10 points, four rebounds) and Cameron Corbett (11 points).

TURNING POINT

With the Tigers up 29-21 early in the third quarter, coach Rose Bruno called a time out to talk things over. The Tigers responded by going on a 21-0 run behind Corbett (six points), Baggs (six point) and Dinkins.

The run was fueled by defense.

"We played multiple defenses, including a triangle-and-two and box-and-one to stop their point guard Sammy Mueller, 15 points) and center Maryrita Curcio (12 points),'' said SIA coach Rose Bruno. "I thought we did a pretty good job. We got them in foul trouble.''

Curcio fouled out two minutes into the second half. Mueller in the fourth quarter.''

WHY THE TIGERS WON

The Tigers various defenses also included several different presses. In turn, they forced 28 turnovers, many of which fueled a fast break led by point guard Spadaro. In addition, SIA outrebounded Hackley 43-24.

REVENGE FACTOR

Bruno said Hackley lost 1-2 solid players from the team that beat them in the NYSAIS C title game a year go. She didn't hide her emotions when she said she wanted to win Friday's game.

"Heck, yeah we wanted to win,'' she laughed. "I thought we were better than them last year and we should have won the game, but we simply just didn't play well.

"That should have been our championship, so we really wanted a W today.''

WHAT'S NEXT

The Tigers have a huge non-league encounter against Curtis on Tuesday at SIA.