FRESH MEADOWS, NY- As the perceived favorite coming into this season in the CHSAA, St. Francis Prep have wanted to solidify themselves as the team to beat. They had another opportunity on Tuesday to showcase what they can do when the Terriers hosted an unbeaten Staten Island Academy team.
Over their first three games of the season St. Francis Prep has made quick work of their opposition and this one would be no different as a balanced scoring attack was led by Xavier commit MacKayla Scarlett '20 who had 14 points as the Terriers would dispose of the Tigers in a non-league tilt on Tuesday, 62-44.
Some teams may not embrace the role of team to beat but this season's St. Francis Prep group seem to be enjoying that role. They have gelled together as a unit quicker than head coach Kerri White expected as they learn to get used to among the best of the best in New York this year.
"I think we have put the pressure on ourselves," White explained. "We hold ourselves to a very high standard so every day we come out we want the best."
It's that mindset that has the Terriers playing great basketball very early in this season, with an undefeated coming in Staten Island Academy in their path on Tuesday as St. Francis Prep looked to stay perfect on the year as well, as they got out quickly and set a tone that this was not going to be the Tigers evening.
Having been struggling a bit offensively so far on this season, the Terriers began to get going in a big way from the outside early on in this one as Destiny Howell '20 was able to connect on a pair of early three balls, with Scarlett joining in on the three point barrage as well as it wasn't long until St. Francis Prep took a double digit lead.
A wing three ball early in the second quarter from Scarlett put the Terriers up 20-10, and while young freshman Saran Moschella '23 was doing what she could to keep Staten Island Academy close it was the perimeter play from St. Francis Prep that was dominating the game at the stand as Howell had 11 at the break with Scarlett adding 9 to see the Terriers hold a 34-21 halftime advantage.
A solid offensive start made White happy with what she was seeing out of her team but it's what they are doing defensively, even without star center JeAnna Cunningham '20 who has been sitting out because of an Achilles injury, that has her impressed with her group of Terriers.
"You always want to take pride in your defense and I think that is something we are doing a lot more this year," White stated. "We are a lot more athletic, and we are a bit smaller so we can move around and do a bit more out there."
St. Francis Prep clamped down on the proven stars for the Tigers in Nyema Lindsay '22 and Allie McGinn '21 with that duo scoring a combined 3 points in the opening half of play, showing off and flexing their defensive muscles in the first half of play.
Another young star for Staten Island Academy in Abbey Lindsey '23 started to attack the St. Francis Prep defense a bit more in the second half as she was able to get to the rim and finish on a number of occasions, though no one for the Tigers could contain the perimeter weapons of the Terriers.
With most of the attention focused on Scarlett and Howell on the outside, it was Sanaa Ferreiras '21 who was the one who opened the most eyes in the second half as she connected on a three and was relentless in putting the ball on the floor and beating the Tigers defenders one on one. Some may have been surprised to see the unsung junior thriving so much for St. Francis Prep if this was their first look at the Terriers this season, but for White it's Ferreiras who is a major part of the engine that makes them go.
"Sanaa is huge," White said about her 5'4" junior. "She is that little fireball that we need all the time, and she bring that every single day and everyone else really feeds off of that."
The St. Francis Prep lead was bumped all the way up to 50-28 after the third quarter as the Terriers emptied their bench for the final stanza, and while Staten Island Academy got a bit closer, make no mistake about it this was all about the CHSAA power proving exactly the type of team they are this season as St. Francis Prep was near flawless on both side of the floor on Tuesday en route to a dominating 62-44 victory over Staten Island Academy.
Scarlett had 14 points, Howell added 11, while Ferreiras and Skye Owen '22 each had 10 points apiece to pace the Terriers, with Lindsey being the game’s high scorer as she led the Tigers with 16 points, 14 of which came in the second half where she really came alive.
After this victory the Terriers have one more game before Christmas coming on Saturday at home against Harry Truman of the Bronx before going to Florida post Christmas for a prestigious tournament in Orlando, Florida where they hope to continue proving themselves, only this time on a national level.
Expectations are sky high now for St. Francis Prep with White and her team fully aware of what people are saying about their chances of taking the CHSAA title this season, with Scarlett saying for her if that were to happen it would be the perfect close to what she feels so far has been a near perfect high school career.
"We are all working hard for this and to end it with a bang would really be the best thing ever," Scarlett stated.
On the course that Scarlett and the rest of the Terriers are on right now you can expect to see them making a deep playoff run, with the coveted CHSAA title certainly a distinct possibility this season.
