Sacred Heart Greenwich edges Greenwich Country Day School in final seconds in back-and-forth FAA basketball battle

By David Fierro on December 14, 2024 • ( Leave a comment )

**Photo by David Fierro**: Eva Wilkerson of Sacred Heart Greenwich, center, takes a shot under the basket while being tightly defended by Mia McCauliffe-Grant (to her left) and Brianna McDermott (No. 1) of Greenwich Country Day during the fourth quarter of an FAA basketball game on Dec. 11, 2024, at Greenwich Country Day School. To the left is Jadamarie Henry of Sacred Heart. Wilkerson made a basket on the play for the Tigers, who earned a 42-40 comeback win.

As the highly intense, early-season basketball game between Sacred Heart Greenwich and Greenwich Country Day School clearly illustrated, the Fairchester Athletic Association should be as competitive as ever this season.

A group of formidable teams should contend for the FAA Tournament title and two of them were in action on Dec. 11 at Greenwich Country Day School’s brand new gymnasium held inside the Donvan Mitchell Family Athletic Center, as the Tigers of Greenwich Country Day hosted the Tigers of Sacred Heart Greenwich.

Close throughout, Greenwich Country Day School held the lead the majority of the first three quarters of play, but the fourth quarter belonged to defending FAA Tournament champion Sacred Heart Greenwich, which made enough plays down the stretch to earn its third straight win to start the new season.

Senior guard/captain Eva Wilkerson and senior guard Aisha Hassan scored 10 points apiece, while senior forward/captain Jadamarie Henry and sophomore guard Emma Matthews totaled eight and nine points, respectively, leading Sacred Heart to a come-from-behind 44-40 win over Greenwich Country Day, before a big crowd at the Donovan Mitchell Family Athletic Center.

**Photo by David Fierro**: Jennaly Rodriguez of Greenwich Country Day School, left, dribbles toward the basket while being defended by Lucianna Parrotta of Sacred Heart Greenwich in varsity basketball action at Greenwich Country Day School.

The Tigers of Sacred Heart led 9-8 after the first quarter and the FAA neighborhood rivals entered halftime in a 19-19 tie. GCDS opened a 33-24 lead following three quarters by outscoring SHG, 14-5, in the third quarter, but Sacred Heart used an 18-7 advantage during the fourth quarter to pull out the two-point triumph.

“I think we came in almost too amped up for this one,” Sacred Heart coach Ayo Hart said. “We knew it was a big FAA game, we knew there was going to be a big crowd and I think our girls were trying to do a little too much too soon, so we had a lot of turnovers that really caught up to us. I told the girls at halftime we were lucky to be tied. I was really proud of how the last five minutes we locked in and finished the game.”

Sacred Heart Greenwich is coming off a 2023-2024 season that saw it capture the FAA Tournament championship by defeating St. Luke’s School in the final, 68-43. Also last season, Sacred Heart was undefeated during the regular season in the FAA, while winning the league’s regular season title and advanced to the championship game of the NEPSAC Class A Tournament, where as the No. 2 seed it lost to third-seeded Kent School in the tournament’s semifinal round.

Greenwich Country Day School was paced by 12 points from senior captain/guard Brianna McDermott and 10 points from senior forward/captain Lara Young. The matchup marked Greenwich Country Day’s first game in its impressive, brand new gymnasium.

Aisha Hassan of Sacred Heart drives to the basket while being pursued by Brianna McDermott of Greenwich Country Day during an FAA varsity basketball game at Greenwich Country Day School’s new gymnasium. Sacred Heart won, 42-40.

“It was a fantastic game from beginning to end, the energy was there,” GCDS coach Elisha Brown said. “Defensively, we did our job. We were prepared for these moments and we really locked in on our defensive aspect. Now the offense has to flow a little bit more.”

With the score tied at 40-40, Henry scored the game-winning basket for Sacred Heart. Hassan sent a pass to Henry, who was positioned in the low post. Using the backboard, Henry banked in her shot from close in, giving SHG a 42-40 lead with 20 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Sacred Heart then got a key stop on Greenwich Country Day’s ensuing possession to hold on for the hard-fought two-point win.

“Aisha gave me such a good pass,” Henry said of her go-ahead basket in the game’s final 20 seconds. “It was definitely super intense, I definitely was a little nervous, but when it counts you have to focus in and do what’s best for you and best for the team and the program.”

Wilkerson converted two foul shots to tie the score at 40-40 with 1:22 left to play in the final quarter. The Tigers of GCDS headed into the fourth quarter with a nine-point advantage (33-24). Four straight points by the Tigers of SHG cut GCDS’ edge to 33-28. O’Neill then swished a 3-pointer from the left corner, putting the hosts up, 36-28.

**Photo by David Fierro**: Lucianna Parrotta of Sacred Heart Greenwich looks to pass the ball while being guarded by Brianna McDermott of GCDS on Dec. 11, 2024, at Greenwich Country Day School.

Henry scored in the low post, then Lucianna Parrotta nailed a 3-pointer, bringing Sacred Heart to within 36-33 midway through the fourth quarter. Grabbing an offensive rebound, Wilkerson scored on a putback in traffic while being fouled, trimming Sacred Heart’s deficit to 36-35 with 2:38 to go in the final quarter. Wilkerson then swished her ensuing free throw, knotting the score at 36-36.

“It was definitely a rough start offensively, we weren’t making the shots that we normally make, but I think our defense – we kept getting steals and I think defense converted to our offense,” Wilkerson said. “In the second half we came back stronger.”

Wilkerson crashed the offensive and defensive backboards hard throughout, gathering key rebounds on both ends of the court for the victors.

“When the shot goes up you have to rebound and play for each other, I really wanted this team win,” Wilkerson noted.

Mia McCauliffe-Grant (No. 33) of Greenwich Country Day and Aisha Hassan of Sacred Heart Greenwich battle for the ball.

“Eva hit the floor a lot was sacrificing her body, rebounding and getting us another possession – and those possessions were huge,” Hart said.

Points were hard to come by for both teams in the first quarter, as the game was scoreless until Young made a layup at the four-minute mark. A 3-pointer from the left corner by Matthews gave SHG a 7-6 edge in the final minute of the opening quarter. Young scored on a layup off a pass from McDermott for Greenwich Country Day, which trailed 9-8 following the first quarter.

“It was a fantastic game from beginning to end, the energy was there,” Brown said. “Defensively, we did our job. We were prepared for these moments and we really locked in on our defensive aspect. Now the offense has to flow a little bit more.”

Guard Jennaly Rodriguez’s 3-pointer gave the home team an 11-9 lead early in the second quarter and after Sacred Heart tied the score with a basket, McDermott converted a 3-pointer, giving GCDS a 14-11 advantage. After the first half concluded in a 19-19 deadlock, Greenwich Country Day started the second half strong on its way to taking a nine-point lead.

Sacred Heart Greenwich’s Ava Curto looks to pass the ball while being guarded by Lara Young of Greenwich Country Day.

“I think that we had energy and intensity from the beginning, but we had difficulty keeping our composure and settling down,” Sacred Heart senior guard Mackenzie Gillen, also one of the team’s captains. “By the end when we got into an intense situation we really locked and were able to come out with a win.”

Ferry made a runner in the lane, McCauliffe-Grant scored off a strong low post move, putting the Tigers of GCDS ahead, 27-21. A basket by O’Neill made it 29-21 in favor of GCDS at the 3:40 mark of the third quarter. After free throws from Young and McDermott gave GCDS its biggest lead at 33-21, SHG scored the final three points of the third quarter, making it 33-24, before staging a fourth-quarter comeback.

“GCDS is great, they play great offense, they move the ball well and they keep their positive energy,” Hart said. “They are going to be a contender this year.”

Members of the host Greenwich Country Day varsity basketball team huddle up during a brief break in the action on Dec. 11, 2024, against Sacred Heart Greenwich. The Tigers of Sacred Heart Greenwich won, 42-40.

McDermott, who reached the 1,000 career point plateau as a junior last season, Young, Ferry and McCauliffe-Grant are Greenwich Country Day’s captains.

“I’m super pumped for them and what they give,” Brown said of her GCDS captains. “Bri is a vocal leader, she dictates on the floor – with actions and words. Nina leads by example. She did a great job of getting back so much today and slowing down their transition. Mia is our young leader. She is getting to the basket more and doing a lot more. Lara is going to be a spark. We have some freshmen who are going to do some big things.”

The varsity basketball game between host Greenwich Country Day School and Sacred Heart Greenwich marked the opening game at the Donovan Mitchell Family Athletic Center.

Among some of Sacred Heart’s outstanding contributors from last season’s FAA championship squad were Payton Sfreddo, Madison Hart, Victoria Hart, Olivia Leahy and Maddie Hooper. Sfreddo reached the 1,000 career point plateau a season ago.

“I’m feeling good about the team, it’s a pretty new team since we graduated five seniors last year,” Gillen said. “But I think that we already have great chemistry and we’re doing a great job on and off the court. It’s great being a captain, I love being able to lead this team on and off the court.”

Sacred Heart is back in action, hosting FAA foe School of the Holy Child today (Dec. 14) at 1 p.m. Greenwich Country Day is currently competing in the Berkshire School Classic.

Mia McCauliffe-Grant of GCDS is guarded by Jadamarie Henry of Sacred Heart during an FAA varsity basketball game.

“I think we have really high potential,” Wilkerson noted. “We have strong new players and I think that we’re only going to get better from here and there is so much potential individually and as a team.”

Said Henry: “We have a lot of new girls for the team, it’s definitely kind of a rebuilding year, but we’re just as strong as we were last year – a lot of new talent. As the games go on and practices go on, we continue to build chemistry and get to know each other on and off the court with our personalities and our skills.”