Mother McAuley’s stranglehold on the game was starting to loosen in the fourth quarter. After leading by as much as 15, Aurora Central had cut the lead to five points in the fourth quarter.
The Mighty Macs’ resolve was now going to be tested in their first game of the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference playoffs. But Mother McAuley quickly responded with a three-pointer by number 23 and two quick layups created off turnovers. The relentless, up-in-your-face ball pressure allowed the Mighty Macs to create the necessary separation to win Tuesday’s game 70-62.
“[It really comes down to us just really talking to each other, and knowing when to rotate and go,” said senior forward Delia Sullivan, who scored 20 points. “I think especially having [sophomore forward] Ava Little come into the game and having her come in and be at the top of the press is really good for us.”
At the end of the first quarter of Mother McAuley’s wingame against Aurora Central, Deilia Sullivan darted toward the basket for a quick rebound and layup to put the Mighty Macs up eight.
The play was small in the grand scheme of Tuesday’s win, but it shows the type of extra effort that the Mighty Macs will need as they advance in the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference playoffs. Collecting those loose balls, fighting for offensive rebounds, and turning turnovers into baskets are highlighted in the playoffs, when each team plays with a level of desperation to advance.
The Chargers proved to be a good test for Mother McAuley. They hit a barrage of three-pointers, and Chargers senior forward Ashlee Watter was a mismatch problem, capable of doing damage inside and out. She finished with 20 points and knocked down four threes.
“I knew [Watters] could shoot the three ball well, so at least for us, we just wanted to put pressure on the ball,” Mighty Macs coach Curtis Lewis said. “But [the Chargers] spaced the floor well and made it hard for us to pressure just based on the floor-spacing.”
The one defensive advantage the Mighty Macs had was their full-court press. They love playing in transition and speeding up the game with talented offensive players like junior guard Taji Alexa (25 points) and senior guard Quinn Arundel (17), who was named GCAC Player of the Year.
Once Aurora Central made its push, Mother McAuley turned to their press to create some indecision and speed up the Chargers. Once a Chargers ballhandler crossed halfcourt, a Mother McAuley player would run from the backside to create a deflection or force the Chargers ballhandler to pick the ball up. Even in the halfcourt, the Mighty Macs were crowding ballhandlers.
“I thought we did a good job in moments,” Lewis said of his team’s pressing. “They didn’t always have to lead to steals, it just gave us more possessions.””
The Mighty Macs were able to pressure because of how good their offense was on Tuesday. They forced Aurora Central into rotations on multiple possessions and did a particularly strong job of attacking the offensive glass.
“Our drive-and-kick game was there, and we knew [when] to push the ball,” Alexa said. “We knew where everyone was on the court.”
Even if the team was not pleased with their defensive effort, the GCAC tournament is all about surviving and advancing. Mother McAuley plays the winner of St. Ignatius and Providence on Thursday.
“We’re trying to win the conference, and to just have the first win feels good,” Sullivan said.