The FDU Women's Basketball team (20-6, 12 NEC) rolled past Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash 63-39 in the regular-season home finale at the Stratis Arena inside The Rothman Center in Hackensack, New Jersey. With the win, FDU clinched a share of the Northeast Conference Regular-Season Title.
"It's a shared regular season, and we still must take care of business with the remaining games to clinch the number one seed, "FDU Head Coach Angelika Szumilo noted. We have many returners from last year, and our younger players are buying in and following their lead."
"It's a group that doesn't care who gets the credit and it was hard for them to go through what we went through last year. That's what motivates them to practice hard and get on each other and challenge each other."
"For our girls to show the younger generation they can dream of being whoever they want to be and if they put their mind and work hard their dreams will come true because our players were little girls one day and sure they were going to some basketball games. My girls get it, and they want to be those mentors to little girls and boys who are coming to our games."
"It takes a village and a lot of special people and support from our administration and the coaches that have been a part of this program since I arrived four years ago, and all the players and it doesn't happen overnight. We have unbelievable support from the parents and families and community. The administration does a great job helping us in the community in Teaneck and Hackensack and surrounding towns and it's just so special."
Chloe Wilson registered a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Sierra DeAngelo supplied 15 points, while Dahomee Forgues and Ella Fajardo each tallied 11 points.
On scoring 15 points and clinching a share of the NEC Title, Sierra De Angelo said, "It's nice to have outside, mid-range and three-pointer shots and have been focusing on my interior game and taking advantage of my height. I'm trying to post more and build my confidence for the rest of the regular season and going into the playoffs. When the time comes, I can get those inside opportunities if my outside shots fall.
"Whether we have a regular-season title we're still going to work hard and want to keep that confidence going. In the playoffs we're going to be hungry, and we don't want to lose. Every game and practice we're going to push ourselves to be better and go on that streak and be the team people are scared to face."
FDU led 9-7 at the end of the first quarter but widened the margin in the second quarter by exploding for a 10-0 run to open a 22-11 advantage. The Knights were on fire from the perimeter, shooting a sizzling 56 percent and controlling the boards and held a 22-11 lead at one point. Once halftime rolled around, FDU led 30-15, with Chloe Wilson dropping 12 points.
"That first quarter we played good defense," FDU Head Coach Angelika Szumilo explained. "We rebounded the ball, but we didn't make the shots. Once we relaxed a little bit, we were able to put the ball in the basket."
Chloe’s (Wilson) is a big part of that and has a high motor. Unless you box her out, she will find a way to get her hands on an offensive rebound and does a good in the third quarter; the Knights erupted for an 11-2 run to stretch their advantage further. FDU blistering from behind the arc knocking down four triples. By the time the period ended, the Knights had held a commanding 47-24 lead.
"Our focus at halftime was to keep playing hard and come out strong in the first five minutes, " Sierra DeAngelo cited. That's what we lacked in the beginning of non-conference and even conference play, but we're now maturing and focusing coming down the stretch. We got those defensive stops to fuel our offense."
"What's great about our team is somebody's having a bad game somebody else is going to step up whether it's a forward or guard. We work so well together even if someone doesn't have the hot hand and we know we got to keep feeding them and work inside and outside."
FDU Head Coach Angelika Szumilo got some bench players quality time on the court in the fourth quarter. Even with the Red Flash answering back with an 11-2 run to trim the lead down to 49-33 with seven minutes remaining, the Knights could coast to the victory.
"It was emotional; we have these playoff games coming up, and we're going to get them at home, Sierra DeAngelo remarked on the senior's regular-season home finale. I didn't feel it was going to hit us as hard, but something to think about."
"When Coach (Szumilo) came in, she turned the whole program around, and it's so great playing for her, and we get a lot of recognition that we've deserved the past few years and a force to be reckoned with. Being part of a team and that person that all girls can look up to and that was us at one point and being there for somebody else it's great."
FDU returns to action on Saturday, February 25th, against St. Francis (Brooklyn) (10-16, 9-5 NEC) with tip-off set for 1 p.m. at the Daniel Lynch '38 Gymnasium in Brooklyn Heights, New York.
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