Flato wins it at the buzzer

Last-second heroics in BSAL semi-finals

By:B. Durham

In a game that was preordained to be a walkover for the Highlanders, Holy Names came within seconds of spoiling Piedmont's trip to the league championship game. Point guard Alit Flato rescued the suddenly disintegrating Piedmont basketball team scoring the game winner at the buzzer for a 41-39 win Thursday night in the semi-finals of the Bay Shore Athletic league playoffs.

The Highlanders had easily beaten the Monarchs twice this season, and held a 31-16 lead after three quarters. But you never count out a Dennis Flannery-coached team. The Highlanders went ice cold, missing all manner of shots, making turnovers and going nine minutes without a field goal. With 5:22 left, Marisa Lindquist drained a 3-pointer to break the drought, and Piedmont still held a comfortable lead at 34-21.

Holy Names then made its move, outscoring Piedmont 12-0 in two minutes to make it a 34-33 game. The final three minutes were as wild, wacky and dramatic as any game this season.

Of course, the dramatics could have been avoided much earlier had the officials scored Flato's 3-point shot off the glass with 1:57 left in the first half. Only two points were put on the scoreboard, a quiet reminder of what became a problem when Holy Names tied it up at 39-39 on Shereesa Bailey's free throw with 8 seconds on the clock.

Then came the play of the year. Under continued full-court pressure by the Monarchs, Lindquist inbounded the ball to Katie Leahy, who dished off immediately to Flato. Under a full head of steam, the 5-9 guard sped past three Holy Name defenders, put the ball off the glass and through the hoop as the final buzzer sounded.

Bedlam, folks. Pure bedlam.

The 24-point comeback by the Monarchs was their largest scoring quarter of the year.

The star of the game Ð and the season Ð was Flato, who was a bit embarrassed by the throngs of players and fans surrounding her after the game. "It was the last home game of season. We weren't exactly panicking, but we weren't sure what was going on," said Flato after seeing her team outscored 24-10 in the final quarter. "I didn't know they had that in them. They did a really good job."

"When I got the balI, I just knew I needed to make that basket. I didn't want to go to the free throw line," she added, making reference to having missed four free throws earlier in the fourth quarter. Flato finished with 14 points, 10 in the second quarter. Lindquist connected on three 3-pointers and also had 14 points, but struggled on a number of shots. Forward Gina Phelps scored 10 points plus some assists and a blocked shot, but both she and center Marya Leahy fouled out in the waning minutes of the game.

BSAL Finals

Unfortunately for Highlander fans it lasted only through the first quarter and Piedmont lost a bruising battle with the Eagles and the refs, 45-37. For the second time this year in the Kennedy gym, a game was influenced by the quality of officiating. The announcer was less of an obstruction than Piedmont's earlier game, thanks in part to the presence (and words of advice) of BSAL commissioner Phil Tomasini.

But after Piedmont stormed out of the gates for a 12-9 first-quarter lead, with no fouls called, Kennedy chipped away and took a 23-20 lead at halftime. The Eagles benefited nicely from the nine fouls called on Piedmont, and by early in the third quarter, Flato had to completely run Piedmont's offense. With Phelps and Marya Leahy in foul trouble, Lizzie Bowling came in to do a bang-up job. She finished with six deflections, some key rebounds and six points, all at critical moments. After intermission it was a 4-point game until baskets by Bowling and Flato closed the gap to 2 points.

Amanda Richardson, meanwhile, also scored six points and drove the Eagles nuts with four steals.

With 3:25 left, Marya Leahy fouled out on a phantom foul, as Kennedy's 6-5 center Diedre Chatman appeared to be shielded by officials from more than three fouls.

Such is life, but the lesson of the evening is not one easily explained in a civics classroom to teenagers.

"We we were really upset," said Flato, Piedmont's leading scorer with 11 points, 7 assists and 3 steals. "We felt we could have won the game. We were mostly disappointing in ourselves; we knew we could beat them and we should have." On to NCS playoffs

Some good news was received the following day. Piedmont received a No. 3 seed in the Div. IV North Coast Section playoffs behind No. 1 Marin Catholic and No. 2 Ursuline. The Highlanders have a bye tonight and play in the quarter-finals at home Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. against the winner of Tuesday's game between Windsor (12-14) and San Rafael (10-16).

The No. 3 seed is the highest earned by a Piedmont girls basketball team in at least 15 years. The opportunity to win on Thursday and advance to the NCS semi-finals is another giant step for the Highlanders' hoops program.