Rams Win First-Ever Skyline Conference Championship
#1 Farmingdale State - 67, #2 Mount Saint Mary - 58
Farmingdale, N.Y. – The Farmingdale State
women’s basketball team defeated Mount Saint Mary College,
67-58, to win the programs first-ever Skyline Conference
Championship. With the victory, the Rams broke the Blue Knights'
10-year Championship streak and received the Skyline
Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III
Tournament.
Farmingdale State (25-1) fell behind early and trailed 23-14
midway through the first half. A 7-0 run over the next 5:05 pulled
the Rams within one point at 23-22. The Blue Knights (22-5)
answered with six straight points and took a 29-22 advantage into
halftime.
Farmingdale trailed 53-50 with 5:33 remaining, until senior guard
Kimberly Blakney (Brooklyn, N.Y./Benjamin Banneker) scored on a
layup and converted at the free-throw line after being fouled. The
Rams forced a turnover on the Blue Knight’s next possession
and senior guard Juanita Chappel (Brooklyn, N.Y./Grand Streer) hit
one-of-two free-throws, giving Farmingdale their first lead of the
game at 54-53.
The Rams trailed 57-56 with less than two minutes to play, before
senior guard Kamaya Miller (Brooklyn, N.Y./Midwood) hit a jumper to
regain the lead. A missed shot by the Blue Knights followed by a
Blakney free-throw, gave the Rams a 59-57 edge with 1:37 left on
the clock.
Mount Saint Mary was fouled on their next trip down the floor, but
missed both free-throws. Farmingdale increased the lead to four,
61-57, as Monah hit a long bank shot with two seconds remaining on
the shot-clock and 48 seconds left in regulation. The Rams
converted at the line over the final 30 seconds, earning the 67-58
win and the programs first-ever Skyline Conference title.
Blakney, who was named the Championship MVP, led Farmingdale with
16 points, seven rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals.
Miller scored 11 points, had 11 rebounds and four steals, while
Chappel pitched in with 11 points. Senior guard Tiffara Steward
(Elmont, N.Y./Sewanhaka) scored 10, shooting 4-for-8 from the field
for the Rams.
Mount Saint Mary was led by senior forward Shannon Sangster
(Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden) who scored a team-high 12 points.
Junior forward Jess Tice (Altamont, N.Y./Guilderland) tallied 11 in
the loss for the Blue Knights.
The NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Committee will
release the bracket and listings of teams that have been selected
for the tournament during the selection show, which will air
tomorrow, March 1st at 12:30 p.m. on www.NCAA.com.
Watch the final 27 seconds of the game below...
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