Rye’s girls basketball team lost to Ossining for the third time Monday, ending the season one game shy of a return to the Section 1 championship.
The Garnets’ trademark defense, which propelled them from a losing record two seasons ago to back-to-back section semifinal appearances, was on display in Westchester County Center. The Pride didn’t score a single point in the third quarter, but Rye couldn’t muster enough offense on the other end, falling 33-29.
“They pressured us, and we struggled with that,” said Rye head coach Margo Hackett. “We couldn’t get the ball up the court or in the paint, and so that obviously hurt. But for such a low-scoring game, it was really such a defensive game on both sides.”
Rye started the year 16-0 against Class AA competition before losing back-to-back games against Ossining to conclude the regular season. In those games, the Pride scored 75 and 68 points. In the third meeting, the Garnets cut their opponents’ point total in half.
Ossining led 16-12 at halftime, but Rye stormed ahead thanks to a dominant third-quarter performance, entering the fourth with a 20-16 lead.
Pride freshman Amaya Yancey hit back-to-back threes to restore Ossining’s lead, 21-20, with 5:30 left. The game came down to the final minute, with Ossining clinging to a two-point lead, until Ty’Asia Carver sank two free throws to make it 29-25 with 30 seconds left.
The teams combined for eight points in the last 30 seconds, the same total they had in the entire third quarter, but Ossining held on for the four-point win.
“It didn’t go how we wanted, but we lost by four, and we did not play well, so I guess if you want to call that a bright spot, you can,” Hackett said. “Overall, to make it back to the County Center without Paige Tepedino, who was out all season, was an accomplishment. And to make it to the section semifinals is an accomplishment in itself.”
The Pride advance to face No. 1 Nyack in Saturday’s title game. For Rye, senior Phoebe Greto’s outstanding high-school career comes to an end, but junior Frankie Chiaravalle, sophomore Stella Maresca, and freshman Charlotte Storz will all return to form next season’s core.
