WATERBURY – Abby Casper scored 15 of her 20 points in the second half as Northwest Catholic beat previously unbeaten Holy Cross 64-53 Monday night in a battle between two of the state’s top girls basketball teams.
Casper’s younger sister Samantha scored all of her 15 points in the second half for the Lions (13-0). Shania Howard led Holy Cross (11-1) with 18 points before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.
Northwest won the Class MM championship last year and the Class S title two years ago. Holy Cross was the Class M champion in 2022 and the Class L runner-up last year.
Holy Cross led once, after Quinn Barry scored the first basket of the game, then Northwest took over and never trailed. The Lions led 13-6 after one quarter and 25-22 at halftime. Samantha Casper hit a 3-pointer and Abby back to back shots and Northwest led 32-24. Holy Cross cut the lead to 39-35 on a Mia Mattaboni fast break basket but Abby Casper had a putback and Maeve Staunton’s jumper closed out the quarter with Northwest leading 50-35. Staunton had 12 points for the Lions.
“This is huge,” Northwest Catholic coach Alison Connors said. “We needed this. You never know what’s going to happen at states – we got the whole package tonight, a long bus ride, a loud gym, not many people on our side. Holy Cross had a great showing, a great team. We needed the challenge to make sure we knew how to make the right plays at the right time.”
Northwest Catholic 64, Holy Cross 53
Northwest Catholic 13 12 25 14 – 64
Holy Cross 6 16 17 14 – 53
Northwest Catholic: Maeve Staunton 5 0 12, Lilyan Johnson 2 0 5, Zoey Canning 5 0 10, Samantha Casper 5 0 15, Abigail Casper 8 2 20, Lyla Diaz 1 0 2. Totals: 26 2 64.
Holy Cross: Shania Howard 5 8 18 Maddie Neibel 1 0 3, Julia Begvegnu 1 0 2, Isabella Lombardo 3 0 7, Amelia Mowad 1 0 2, Mia Mattabani 4 1 9, Cheyanne Little 1 0 2, Quinn Barry 5 0 10. Totals: 21 9 53.
Records: Northwest Catholic, 13-0; Holy Cross, 11-1.