St. John's University Athletics
Red Storm Drop Close Exhibition Game, 52-50
11/12/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
It took the Red Storm about four minutes to get into the flow of the game, but once they did they had control. Freshman Patrycja Gulak (Olsztyn, Poland) got SJU on the board with two foul shots. The Red Storm would not trail for the rest of the first half. Sophomore Sherri Brown (Willingboro, N.J.) put St. Johns ahead by 12 with her second three-pointer of the half. The Red Storm headed into the intermission with a 32-20 lead, having outrebounded the Travelers 16-7.
The second half would be a different story for the Red Storm. They were hungrier in the second half than we were. We were both hungry for wins, but they just wanted it more in the second half, Head Coach Darcel Estep said about her teams performance during the second half of play.
Celen Kilinc, who scored 13 points and pulled down four rebounds after the break, led the Travelers to a 32 point half. The Red Storm saw a 14 point lead become a two-point deficit at the 9:58 mark with a jumper by Kilinc. SJU would never regain the lead. Freshman Shemika Stevens (New York, N.Y.) would put the Red Storm within one, after getting fouled on a made layup. Two free throws by the Travelers Esra Sencebe gave them the 52-49 lead with just 24 seconds on the clock. In an outstanding effort, Stevens drove up the lane looking to give her team a final shot. Stevens shot missed and she was fouled on the play. She would make one of two shots, and the Travelers took the game 52-50.
Stevens scored a team-high 11 points and dished out a team-high four assists in her Red Storm debut. I was very nervous in the beginning of the game, but I felt better as the game went on. After sitting out last year, I was just so happy to finally be out there, Stevens said after her first game.
Gulak was the teams high rebounder, pulling down seven boards, and chipping in 10 points. Brown also added 10 points, six rebounds, and three assists. The Red Storm knocked down five three-point shots on the night, including two apiece by Brown and freshman Mary Pat Statler (New Cumberland, W.Va.), who finished with eight points.
St. Johns opens the regular season on Friday, November 16 when they travel to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to take on Marist College in a non-conference game. Tip-off is set for 4:00pm.
