Canarsie

Canarsie shocked by overtime loss to Evander Childs

March 12, 2015 By Rob Abruzzese Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Fataya Larry scored five points and had 13 rebounds before she fouled out in Canarsie's loss to Evander Childs. Photo by Rob Abruzzese
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This was supposed to be a big year for the Canarsie Lady Chiefs, but their undefeated 16-0 season ended abruptly when they lost to Evander Childs Campus 59-54 in overtime during the Public School Athletic League quarterfinals in Canarsie on Wednesday.

“This is really hard,” said head coach Keiya Smith. “This was my baby. It’s been three years with these same girls, so when they graduate this year, that’s it. They expected that this would be the year they would go all the way.”

Smith took over the program during the 2011-12 season, and the majority of the team’s six seniors began playing in 2012-13. The Lady Chiefs went 13-3 that year and were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. They took another step forward last season, and this was the year they finally went for the championship — a quarterfinal loss was completely unexpected.

“We were a good team when we started [sophomore year], but we weren’t that good,” said senior Fataya Larry. “Over the years we grew as a team, our chemistry got better, we became better athletes. We worked so hard to get here. We were undefeated during the regular season, and this is our first loss.”

Canarsie got off to a hot start as they led 15-3 in the first quarter behind five points from Hevenly Palmer and four points each from Briana Stoddart and Brianna Jones. Evander Childs rallied from that point behind a 12-3 run to pull to within three in the second quarter.

Canarsie held on to that lead into the fourth quarter until Larry got into foul trouble and Evander Childs began to key in on Jones, which prevented her from taking threes. Evander Childs eventually tied it at 41-41 with 5:05 to play and forced an overtime.

Evander Childs thrived in overtime when Julia Key, who scored seven points in the extra frame, and April Acosta, who scored five, began to dominate. Canarsie played from behind the entire overtime period without Larry or Kiyah Williams, who both fouled out, and Stoddart was the only one to score.

“It’s been a good season, a hard season,” Stoddart said. “We were undefeated in the regular season. We lost a few non-league games, but we felt good coming into the playoffs. I don’t know what happened here today.”

Canarsie players and coaches were upset with some calls referees made, but Smith said that ultimately the loss came down to a failure to adjust to playing without its two players who fouled out and Evander Childs’ game plan.

With six seniors graduating, Canarsie is going to look much different next year. Smith said she isn’t concerned though as she has Jones coming back as a sophomore and expects a few other promising players to join the team.

“I’m not worried,” Smith said. “I started with these girls from nothing. When I got here there was nothing here and we build from that year and kept going. We can do it again. Canarsie will be fine.”

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With Canarsie’s loss and Fort Hamilton’s 57-47 loss to Lab Museum United in Manhattan on Wednesday night, all Brooklyn teams have now been eliminated from the PSAL Girls A division playoffs.

Brooklyn College Academy will play in the B division semifinals at York College this Sunday and South Shore and Grand Street Campus play for the AA division city title at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

 

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