Albertus Takes Boston Invitational Tournament Title With 86-66 Win Over Pine Manor

Miles Roberts

Pine Manor Athletic Communications

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Albertus Magnus College used an 11-0 run to take a 23-12 lead with 11:34 remaining in the first half and never looked back as the Falcons captured the Boston Invitational Tournament Championship on Sunday afternoon at Brunelli Court at Pine Manor Gymnasium in Chestnut Hill, MA. The win makes Albertus a perfect 4-0 on the season, while Pine Manor drops to 2-1 in 2011.

Lindsay Karle ( Wallingford, CT) hit back-to-back three point shots to help Albertus take the 23-12 advantage to help her finish with 11 points and earn a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Karle was one of four Albertus Magnus players to finish in double-figures as Shannon Brackeen (New Haven, CT) also had 11 points, while Lianna Carrero (Hamden, CT) finished with a team-high 16 points. Tournament MVP Bianaca Brown (West Haven, CT) finished with a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Falcons.

Albertus continued to stretch its lead in the final minutes of the first half going on a 13-0 run to take a 45-23 lead at the halftime. The Falcons scored 15 points off of Pine Manor turnovers while outscoring the Gators 20-10 in the paint during the opening stanza.

For Pine Manor, senior Therline Dumeran (Cambridge, MA) finished with a game-high 30 points while collecting 12 rebounds for her third double-double in as many games this season. Yiafia Dowridge (White Plains, NY) finished in double-figures for the second consecutive game, scoring 11 points for Pine Manor. Dumeran and Dowridge were both named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Falcons maintained a 20 point cushion for most of the second half. Pine Manor cut the deficit to 14 following to free-throws by Dumeran at 7:42 of the second, but the Gators would get no closer despite outscoring Albertus 43-41 in the second half. For the game, Albertus owned a 58- 35 advantage on the boards while shooting 47 percent from the field compared to just 34 percent for Pine Manor.

In the third-place game, The College of New Rochelle defeated Lesley University 52-36 thanks to a strong second half performance. Only four points separated the teams at the half, as New Rochelle led by a 26-22 margin at the break. The teams exchanged baskets for most of the first half, with the lead changing hands four times and score even four times as well.

The biggest lead of the first saw Lesley in front by six points with 6:56 to play after Chelsea Contre (Pomfret, CT) hit the second of two free throws to make the score 18-12 Lesley. Contre finished with a game-high 15 rebounds to go with 6 points. However, New Rochelle closed the gap with a 6-0 run, tying the game at 18-all when Alyssa Pechin (Yonkers, NY) hit a three pointer with 5:38 remaining. Pechin finished with a team-high 15 points as well as 8 assists for the Blue Angels.

The teams went back and forth with the game remaining tied at 22-22 before Elizabeth Johnston (Plano, TX)hit a pair of free-throws with 31 seconds remaining and Kathia Williams (Jamaica, NY) converted off a Lesley turnover to put New Rochelle ahead 26-22 at the half. Johnston finished with 11 points, earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team following a 17 point performance in New Rochelle’s first round loss to Pine Manor. Holly Cammarota (Bronx, NY) also finished in double-figures for the Blue Angels, scoring 10 points.

After the break New Rochelle pulled away, taking its biggest lead with 2:40 remaining on a basket by Tra’Leassa King (Yonkers, NY). King finished with 9 points as well as 6 blocks. For Lesley, sophomore Emily Fleming (Medford, MA) scored a game-high 20 points, going 8-8 from the free throw line as well as collecting seven rebounds. Fleming was named to a spot on the All-Tournament team. The result drops Lesley to 0-3 early in the season, while New Rochelle improves to 2-2.

2011 Boston Invitational Tournament at Pine Manor College

Tournament Champion: Albertus Magnus College

Runner-Up: Pine Manor College
Third-Place: New Rochelle
Fourth-Place: Lesley

All-Tournament Team:

New Rochelle: Elizabeth Johnston (Jr., Plano, TX)

Lesley: Emily Fleming (So., Medford, MA)

Pine Manor: Therline Dumeran (Sr., Cambridge, MA)

Pine Manor: Yiafia Dowridge (Sr., White Plains, NY)

Albertus Magnus: Lindsay Karle (So., Wallingford, CT)

Albertus Magnus: Bianca Brown (Sr., West Haven, CT) – Tournament MVP