Hijjah Allen-Paisley, Cathedral girls' basketball end its Division 4 reign with third trophy in a row
'It definitely felt surreal,' Allen-Paisley said. 'I believed we were going to win, but for it to actually happen, it just feels really good.
'It was sweet. I don't want to leave my freshmen, but I have to do it. I love the ride that we got here.'
Cathedral senior Hijjah Allen-Paisley was too quick for the South Hadley defense Sunday, like on this drive baseline.
Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
She was not alone. Junior Tamia Darling notched 16 points and senior Malani Smith 14 as the Panthers (19-5) presented coach Clinton Lassiter with his seventh title in the past 10 years — a feat no other current coach can boast. Malden Catholic boys' coach John Walsh had six entering Sunday's Division 2 final, but lost to Somerset Berkley, 65-44.
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— Graham Dietz (@graham_dietz)
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South Hadley was outmatched from the start, with Allen-Paisley netting 6 points and Cathedral taking a 30-17 lead into halftime.
Still, Lassiter felt South Hadley was ready to make a run.
'They stayed poised,' Lassiter said. 'They know their stuff, and they stay committed. We were up by 13, but they were right there. So they were in the game without being in the game, so to speak. They just missed some opportunities.'
The chief threat was sophomore Cora Dean, who collected 21 points, the only Tiger in double figures.
Cathedral's Tamia Darling drives to the bucket during the Division 4 girls' basketball state final.
Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
But in the end, it was Darling who stepped forward with her work on the boards. She challenged the South Hadley post players with ferocity and had double digits in rebounds in the first half.
'I know I'm strong and I know that I can get to the basket, so I feel like there's no one stopping me from doing that,' Darling said. 'That's really where my confidence comes from. I've always been a rebounder my entire life, and it's just easy. Just grab the ball.'
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Cathedral will not be able to repeat, because the Panthers are moving up to Division 3 next season. But Lassiter is savoring this moment.
'Four years ago, I called it the daycare center, because we had all babies,' Lassiter said. 'It was all freshmen, like seven or eight freshmen. And now they've grown up.'
D4 champions. What a run for Clinton Lassiter.
— Graham Dietz (@graham_dietz)
Cathedral 68, South Hadley 37
at Tsongas Center, Lowell
South Hadley (22-4) 7 10 15 5 — 37
Cathedral (19-5) 14 16 21 17 — 68
SOUTH HADLEY — Taylor Bullough 0 1 1, Olivia Athas 1 0 2, Ava Asselin 1 1 3, Cara Dean 8 2 21, Kate Phillips 4 2 10. Totals 14 6 37.
CATHEDRAL — Anixia Bizcaino 0 2 2, Hijjah Allen-Paisley 5 6 20, Keyona Raines 2 0 5, Jahmya Simeon 1 0 2, Tamia Darling 5 6 16, Malani Smith 5 0 14, Leilani Benson 2 0 4, Karilyn Perez-Guerrero 1 0 2, Kristina Dallas 2 0 4. Totals 23 14 69.
3-pt. goals: SH Cara Dean 3; C Hijjah Allen-Paisley 4, Keyona Raines, Malani Smith 4.
South Hadley senior Ava Asselin (left) has her hands full against Cathedral senior Malani Smith during Sunday's Division 4 final.
Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
Cathedral senior Leilani Benson (center) splits the South Hadley defense inside as she goes up for 2 in the first half Sunday.
Ken McGagh for The Boston Globe
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