The last time Harrison and Panas met in the County Center—in last year’s Class A Championship Game—the end result wasn’t one the Huskies like to think back on. But on Saturday afternoon, Harrison got some measure of revenge on the Panthers, topping the reigning state champs champs 55-46.
The Huskies and Panthers battled evenly for the first two quarters before a strong showing after halftime helped 6-3 Harrison pull away for good. Key in that run was the Huskies’ ability to break down Panas’ vaunted press, which led to good scoring chances.
Mia Strazza led Harrison with 20 points—including four from beyond the arc, while Stella Perini proved to be a force in the paint, finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Olivia Fernandez rounded out Harrison’s top scorers with 12 points and five assists. Sofia Tavarez scored a game-high 22 points to pace the Panthers, but Harrison was able to limit other contributors in the win.
“We know Panas is a good team and Sofia is a tough player,” said Strazza. “But we had a great team effort today, especially in the second half.”
Strazza admitted that Harrison came into Saturday’s game with something to prove, after falling to the Panthers in overtime on the same court last year.
“This gives us a chance to see what the end of the year is going to be like and getting a win over a Panas makes it that much better,” said Strazza. “They ended our season last year, so to win in a rematch makes it a little more special.”
The win over Panas (8-2) was Harrison’s third straight victory since suffering back-to-back losses at the hands of out-of-section private school teams, and the Huskies will look to build on the win in their next stretch which will see them take on tough squads including Ursuline (5-1), Mamaroneck (5-3), and Rye (6-4).
On Jan. 29, they will take on an Albertus Magnus team that has emerged as the front-runner for a Class AA crown this year. Currently, the Falcons are 9-0 and averaging 65 points per game while allowing only 40.
“This win over Panas definitely gives us confidence,” said Strazza. “We know we can compete with anyone and but we have to keep that mindset and continue to work hard.”
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