Andrew Robinson (@ADrobinson3)
––

BROOMALL — Lauren Greer couldn’t quite believe what was happening.

It was a never-ending possession for Archbishop Wood girls basketball, the Vikings unable to get a shot to drop but also able to grab an offensive rebound after each miss. Not only was it the kind of effort that had been lacking in their last two games, it was coming on the road against a really good team.

Eventually, Makayla Finnegan found Greer and the senior ended the possession with a 3-pointer.

Greer had a double-double, Ava Renninger had 20 points and Wood snapped its two-game skid, handing Cardinal O’Hara its first loss 45-32 in a big Philadelphia Catholic League clash Friday night.

“Coming out with a lot of energy was something we talked about — we lacked it in our Penn Charter and Friends Central game,” Greer said. “That possession, it felt like we had five offensive rebounds — I was shocked myself.

“Everyone was really hungry for the ball, and we just really wanted it.”

Greer finished with 10 points, hitting all four of her shots, and 10 rebounds. Renninger had nine of her 20 points, plus an assist on a 3, in the second quarter as the visiting Vikings outscored the host Lions 16-9.

The entire game was a far cry from Sunday, when the Vikings fell behind 15-2 to Penn Charter after the first quarter and didn’t even have a field goal until the second quarter. Wood coach Mike McDonald put the onus on the starters to bring the energy Friday, and they responded with the first five accounting for all 45 points.

“Him pushing us for sure helped, we spent the whole week picking up the energy and competitiveness,” Renninger said. “We didn’t want to lose, this game especially, it’s one both teams circle on the calendar. We lost to them here two years ago, we wanted to come back and get another win. It was a great game and everyone had fun.”

That word, fun, was something else the Vikings lacked last weekend. Greer said McDonald told the players to remember to have fun playing, and it was a message that resonated with the senior guard.

Prior to the teams going to the bench for introductions, McDonald pulled the starting five into a huddle on the court.

“He said this was the last time that me, Ava and Alexa (Windish) were probably ever going to play here, and I remember two years ago when we played here, it was so energetic and I wanted to be a part of that,” Greer said. “He told us to go out and work hard.

“He didn’t say it this game, but it stuck with me from the Penn Charter game to just have fun out there and I think it’s something we as basketball players forget a lot of the time. These girls are my best friends, and that helps sharing the ball and passing the ball.”

Wood certainly shared the ball on Friday. Of the team’s 14 made field goals, nine of them were assisted. Moving the ball is always a necessity against a disciplined and stout defensive team like O’Hara.

After the Lions cut the Wood lead to 17-16 following the Greer 3 after all those offensive boards, Renninger drove into the lane and kicked out to Emily Knouse for another trey. The shot kicked off a 10-4 Wood run to end the half, sending the visitors to break leading 27-20.

The Fairleigh Dickinson recruit credited the preparation during the week in practice, knowing O’Hara liked to switch on defense. The Vikings tried to play off that, looking for back cuts or playing off their movement.

“We were getting stagnant the last two games, we had to get back to moving it and finding the better options,” Renninger said. “Ripping downhill and getting to the hoop was our plan coming in, and I think we did a pretty good job of it.

“We want everyone to get theirs; we’re not all ‘me, me, me,’ but we need to realize if we move the ball and move the ball quickly, we’ll get looks off cuts instead of just staying in our offense.”

O’Hara cut the lead to four, then settled on a 35-30 deficit going into the final frame.
The other thing Renninger noted Wood lacked in the last two games was defense. Friday, the Vikings held the Lions to one score and just two points in the fourth quarter, although there were some good looks on the O’Hara end that didn’t fall.

Finnegan, Emma Yogis and Sophia McDonald were the only reserve players to see the court until the final minute when both teams went to the subs, but the Wood bench had an impact. Renninger said it was their work in practice all week that lit a fire in the starters while Greer hyped them up for keeping the energy in a road gym.

“Confidence is a major thing. It’s something I myself struggle with a lot, but the girls on the court and the bench build up my confidence,” Greer said. “Their cheering, I feed into that. Before we came out for the second half, I said that they were going to come out with energy, so we had to make sure we came out with more.”

Cardinal O'Hara's Molly Rullo (second from left) celebrates her 1,000th career point after Friday game with her family, Jim, Megan and Maureen. (Photo: Andrew Robinson/CoBL)

Rullo reaches 1,000

Molly Rullo was well aware of the lineage of great players that had preceded her at Cardinal O’Hara.

The junior forward was able to add her name to one list of those greats Friday when she scored her 1,000th point on a free throw late in the first quarter, becoming the 18th player in program history to do so. Rullo, who has committed to Drexel, came into the night needing just five points to reach the milestone.

A drive led to a layup that got her 998 and 999, plus a whistle that presented the chance for 1,000.

Rullo swished the foul shot and a quick celebration followed, senior Joanie Quinn giving Rullo the ball which she quickly gave to parents Jim and Maureeen for safekeeping.

“It’s a great individual accomplishment, but it’s one that wouldn’t be possible without the teammates I have or the program I’m in,” said Rullo, who finished with 10 points. “It’s all due to the coaches and everyone who has helped me throughout my career. Definitely want to thank all of them.”

As a freshman, Rullo saw Maggie Doogan and Sydni Scott both hit their 1,000th points, and while it was a milestone she’d hoped to reach, it was always the team accomplishments that radiated more.

“I had a goal of going to the Palestra and winning a championship, which I did my freshman year,” Rullo said. “That’s still the goal, still going to be what I most want the next two years, but being recognized with some of the greats that have gone through this program is pretty cool, too.”

By Quarter

Archbishop Wood: 11 | 16 | 8 | 10 || 45

Cardinal O’Hara: 11 | 9 | 10 | 2 || 32

Scoring

Archbishop Wood: Ava Renninger 20, Lauren Greer 10, Emily Knouse 8, Alexa Windish 5, Sophia Topakas 2

Cardinal O’Hara: Molly Rullo 10, Carly Coleman 10, Leah Hudak 7, Greta Miller 5