Rancocas wins with a strong finish

Willingboro's Michaya Owens gets rid of the ball as she falls, with Rancocas Valley's Briana Logan (left) defending. (RON CORTES / Staff Photographer)

By Chris Melchiorre, For The Inquirer

Posted: February 20, 2012

Maybe it's because the team has played too many of these kinds of games to count over the last two seasons. But it's almost as if the Rancocas Valley girls' basketball team doesn't feel the same pressure that other teams feel.

It's part of RV's identity.

When other teams are scrambling, the Red Devils are calm. When opponents are indecisive, RV is assertive.

Through three quarters, the team had made just 4 of 12 free throws.

It was trailing through most of those three quarters in Sunday's South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament championship game against rival Willingboro.

As it has so many times, RV found another gear in the fourth quarter. The Red Devils were causing turnovers at will. And they were 8 of 9 from the line in the final period of a 46-43 win at Kingsway.

"Playing in these games, against these great teams, so many times, you know it's always going to come down to the fourth quarter and it's always going to come down to foul shots," said Natalya Lee, who was named tournament MVP for the second year in a row as RV, ranked No. 1 in South Jersey by The Inquirer, won its second straight SJIBT. "So that actually helps take the pressure off a little bit."

Lee was named MVP after scoring just two points against No. 2 Willingboro (19-4). But it's never been about big numbers for RV (20-2). It's the timely steals that Lee, a senior guard, came up with. It's her ability to grab tough rebounds in the final minutes of close games.

"We showed a lot of character today," RV coach Anthony Corrado said. "This game was a war; there was a big crowd. But the girls got stops when they needed to. They made their foul shots down the stretch. That was the difference."

The Chimeras were without starting point guard Nola Henry, who sat with an ankle injury that could keep her out until the playoffs. And though she gutted it out through an entire game, guard Kara Cezar (13 points) was visibly slowed by a lower-back injury she suffered in Friday's win over Holy Cross.

"I'm proud of Kara because I know she was in a lot of pain, but she wouldn't let me take her out," Willingboro coach Marchelle Coleman said.

Rancocas Valley 9 8 17 12 - 46

Willingboro 10 10 13 10 - 43

RV: Natalya Lee 2, Kristen Smith 10, Lauren Moses 8, Jasmyne Lewis 10, Brianna Logan 16.

W: Micahya Owens 18, Gabby Bennet 2, Kara Cezar 13, Imani Stepni 8, Taylor Lewis 2.

Contact Chris Melchiorre

at rallysports@phillynews.com.