Peahens prove they can run with the big dogs
Drop heartbreaker to No. 12 Texas Tech, SPC’s women point to optimistic future
It was only minutes after the St. Peter’s College women’s basketball team lost their second game of the season Wednesday night that members of the Peahens were already pointing towards the future.
They were ready to put the 75-68 loss to the nation’s No. 12-ranked team, Texas Tech, on the backburner. The Peahens also realized that, at 7-2, with only two losses coming against two teams ranked among the nation’s 25 best – namely Arizona State and Texas Tech – that things definitely do look bright in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
"I think we can build on this," said center Tanesha Seaton, who had a strong game against Texas Tech with 17 points and 13 rebounds. "I think we played well against a great team. I think we have a good team that is only going to get better."
"We had the game in our hands," said forward Felicia Harris, the Peahens’ leading scorer, who had 21 against Texas Tech and is averaging close to 15 points per game. "It was a real close, intense game and we all worked hard together as a team. But after the game was over, I told them all that we should have our heads up, that we just played a nationally ranked team and hung with them. It’s definitely something that is going to push us to work harder.
Added Harris, "I think this taught us that we can play with anybody. We can take that with us that we can hang with the best teams."
There is one consolation in the loss. First of all, when the Peahens return to action after the Christmas break, first in their own Holiday Classic, then in the regular season schedule in the MAAC, they won’t find many teams with 6-5 towers of power like Texas Tech’s freshman Cisti Greenwalt, who ate up the Peahens down low to the tune of 14 points and 18 rebounds. Greenwalt had 15 rebounds in the second half alone, as the Lady Raiders held off any late surge from St. Peter’s.
Secondly, the Peahens will not face an offensive dynamo like Texas Tech’s shooting guard Jia Perkins, who scorched the nets for 32 points, 24 of which came in the second half. Perkins, the daughter of former New York Giants receiver Johnny Perkins, ran off the Raiders’ three-player offensive weave to perfection, nailing jump shot after jump shot – mostly all off the dribble.
It was an ability that is rarely seen in the world of women’s basketball. Perkins was perhaps the best shooter off the dribble that has ever stepped foot inside Yanitelli Center – male or female.
"You could see the two areas where we couldn’t keep up," veteran St. Peter’s head coach Mike Granelli said. "We couldn’t keep them off the boards and we couldn’t stop Perkins. She was so quick that it was hard to stay on her. And she made some difficult shots."
Before the season, Granelli knew that he had the makings of a much-improved team over last year’s 17-11 squad. With the addition of the 6-2 Seaton, who transferred from the University of Kentucky, and some freshmen, like 6-2 Tyiana Sears, an All-State selection out of Bloomfield High School, prospects looked much brighter.
"I knew we had a good team," said Granelli, who is ranked ninth in the nation in career coaching victories with 560. "They work hard and have a good understanding on the court. They play well together and practice so well."
But Granelli isn’t as sold as the players are about the idea that the tough losses to Texas Tech and earlier in the year to No. 22 Arizona State will have a positive effect on the Peahens later in the season.
"I think that’s a question that can be answered after the fact," Granelli said. "You hope that they learn something from that. The question is: Do they learn? Instead of just saying that you can play with someone, you have to wonder whether you can beat these teams. The lessons are to be learned and it’s what you do with the lessons that count. We’ll see how they react when they come back."
Harris seems to think it’s a no brainer.
"Now, we know what it feels like," Harris said. "It won’t be a new feeling to us. We’ll take that with us. We know we can play."
It’s also safe to say that the Peahens can play exciting basketball – a brand that brings out the best in a crowd. Perhaps having a nationally ranked team coming to Harvard on the Boulevard helps, but there was an electricity and a buzz that hasn’t been inside Yanitelli for a college basketball game in a long time.
Here’s to hoping that it remains that way for Granelli and his hard-working team, all the way to the MAAC Tournament and a possible NCAA Tournament berth.