UNCASVILLE — Two times earlier this season, East Haven figured out a way to top Career. The third time the teams met did not look as if it would go the way of the Yellowjackets.
Then, the group of Kylie Schlottman, MaKenzie Helms, Olivia Coyle and Isabella Ragaini took over. Battling back from eight points down with 3 minutes, 10 seconds to go in regulation, Ragaini capped a vintage comeback, draining a bucket from six feet out as time expired to cap a wild 49-47 East Haven victory in the Class M final at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville on Saturday.
“It is unbelievable,” Ragaini said of her game-winner. “I don’t think it has sunk in yet. I was just in the right place at the right time. I just knew we were not going to give up. Once we put on the pressure, I knew they were not going to be able to hang with us.”
The title for the Yellowjackets was the first in the program’s history and caps a season in which East Haven finished 24-3.
“Everybody did something,” East Haven coach Anthony Russell said. “It was a big shot, a big rebound, a great hustle play, or something. Everyone contributed. Bella’s shot was just a hustle play.”
Trailing by six points after Helms drained a pair of 3-pointers, East Haven got within three at 45-42 on a 3-pointer by Helms. With the pressure on the Panthers, the game turned in an instant when Coyle converted a steal into a layup to cut the Career lead to 45-44 with 2:15 to go in the fourth quarter.
“We knew we had it in us,” Coyle said after finishing with five points. “We knew what we had to do. It is the craziest feeling right now. We pressured and I was able to come up with the steal. It is the greatest feeling. It is surreal.”
The Yellowjackets used a 10-0 run, which ended with a pair of free throws by Schlottman, and another by Ragaini for a 47-45 East Haven lead with less than a minute to go. Career would not go away and evened the game when Carmen Rosemond drained a shot with 14.8 seconds left in regulation.
“I didn’t think the pressure would bother us,” Career coach Steve Bethke said after his team fell short in a bid for its first state title since 2011. “I was a little bit surprised. I will take the blame for that as much as the kids. But, I couldn’t be prouder, especially the last three weeks. We came out and beat Kolbe and Cromwell. To be here today with a chance to win it? I could not be prouder of them.”
The rest was up to Ragaini. Coming off a set play, Helms’ shot hit the rim and was tipped back by Schlottman. With a perfect read off the wing, Ragaini raced in and grabbed the rebound untouched, before draining the winner as time expired.
“She’s a Ragaini,” Russell said of the winning play. “She comes from good stock. MaKenzie Helms made a nice play, and then Kylie Schlottman got a hand on it, batting the ball back to Bella. We wanted to run a play where the last shot went up as time expired. We did not want to give them any time.”
Added Helms, “We are down and in the timeout, and Coach (Russell) asked if we wanted to blow this game. Obviously, the answer is no, and we just started pressuring them. It turned around once we did that. There are no words to describe this. It is absolutely unbelievable.”
For three quarters, the Panthers (17-10) did their best to contain Schlottman and Helms, holding Helms to just five points and Schlottman to 14 with a variety of defensive looks. During that time, Career used an 8-0 run, led by a 3-pointer by Yariliz Santiago, for a 25-19 lead. When Ciara Little connected in the final seconds of the quarter, Career led 35-26 with eight minutes to play.
“We had a few things we wanted to do,” Bethke said. “We ended up putting Ciara Little down in the paint. She is our best defensive player. But, in the end, (MaKenzie) Helms is a very good player and she made some great plays for them.”
Both teams struggled from the floor in the first half and only managed 35 combined points. The Panthers shot just 13 percent (2-of-16), while East Haven was just a bit better at 25 percent (3-of-12).
For the Yellowjackets, it was the play of Ragaini early as she scored three points in the opening quarter, but more importantly drew three Career fouls early. With Ragaini doing the work inside in the opening quarter, Schlottman scored the final four points for a 9-6 East Haven lead after eight minutes of play.
East Haven had the biggest lead of the first half, twice taking leads of five points, at 11-6 on a bucket by Schlottman and 13-8 on Schlottman’s two free throws.
The Panthers quickly washed that deficit away, going on a 9-2 run. Kayla Franklin opened the run with a bucket, and Rosemond connected for the final four points to give Career a 17-15 advantage with 2:31 left in the opening half.
East Haven capped the second quarter on a run of its own, scoring the final three points for an 18-17 lead after Schlottman evened the game with a bucket and Coyle gave her team the lead with a free throw late in the half.
Schlottman led all scorers with 20 points, and added seven rebounds. Helms had 17 points and seven boards, while Ragaini finished with six points and four rebounds.
Rosemond led Career with 13 points, four rebounds, and four steals, while Santiago had 11 points and Hargrove 10 points and seven rebounds.
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Congrats to EH. What a fantastic game. Shout out to Career. They fought to the end.
Congratulations East Haven.big win tonigjt.!! The girls fought till the end. I also would like to congratulate Career for giving us a good game. I want to tip my hat of to Rosemond and her toughness ,. A young lady that doesn’t get the recognition she deserves..
But once again we’ll have Helms and Rags both a year older… along with the freshman big who Russell actually threw into the game at one point.
First, I wasn’t at Mohegan, so I’m going off just the Twitter feed comments and cell phone videos. Second, full disclosure: I was rooting for Career as the underdog.
Sounds like Career, with 9 point lead at end of 3rd quarter, played the 4th not to lose rather than to win. That NEVER works. Always backfires. As the ‘dog with the lead, Career should’ve gone for broke. Aggressive at both ends. Lean forward. In first 3 quarters, they doubled Helms and forced ball out of her hands. Good strategy. (EH only had 26 pts after 3!) Helms is best playmaker on the court. Limit her, win the game. But in the videos of Helms hitting 2 threes in the 4th Q, she gets clean looks — no contest. Those are big time shots, and all credit to her for knocking them down. But she should NEVER have gotten clean looks. Should’ve been doubled every time she touched ball…doubled on every high pick and roll…and chased off the 3 point line at all costs. Make her go to the hole. Make her give up the ball. Force someone else on EH to beat you. “Anyone but Helms” should’ve been the mantra.
As far as I can tell, Hargrove had no real impact in the 4th Q, and certainly no impact in the last 3 minutes. Which I don’t get. Most dynamic player on Career. So hard to defend. So good at attacking off the dribble. Was she being doubled? Why wasn’t she a factor in crunch time?
Bottom line: 3 out of Career’s last 4 possessions ended in turnovers (steal / travelling violation / backcourt violation). Can’t win a state championship if you come unglued with the game on the line.
If EH hadn’t hit the buzzer beater, no way Career was going to win in OT. They were reeling. EH had all the momentum and mojo.
Yes you are mostly correct but I don’t think Career necessarily played not to lose. Career could not handle the EH press. EH should have started to press earlier.
Both teams started the game missing very make able shots.
Great game for the fans. Large EH crowd. Very impressive.
Awesome job East Haven
East haven was lucky to win this one
Tom you really are a piece of work. If nothing else you are consistent. Troll.
Look no further than the coach he did a bad job up 9 and team is bombing the 3 ball not once did he try to take time off clock and didn’t have his team prepared to break the press and knew it was coming as played EH twice this year and many times in previous years -you just can’t make those mistakes in the big game
Correct If kohl was coaching they would of blown East Haven out again
Career controlled the majority of the game. I believe their main concern was trying to limit Schlottman’s touches and keeping her off the offensive glass. I think I counted 3 second chance baskets for her. Overall they were successful in what I perceived as their approach.
Bethke only has a 6 player rotation and they left it on the floor. Tough loss for Career as they put a great run together to reach the final.
Same blueprint for EH in these big games. Schlottman carried them for 3 quarters and Helms took over in the fourth.
3 second chance baskets is a lot. That is what Rodman averaged on the Bulls
Bill, with the comments you make I sometimes wonder how the heck you even can figure out how to get on here. If I were you before making meaningless comments at least have someone proof them, or did you just come home from spring shopping at Kohls? The comment you made in the other article is another gem – here in case you forgot “Carear should of one that state game”. P.S. Career was 0-3 against EH this year (they have to blow them out once in order to “blow them out again”) Thanks for making us all laugh, but nobody can take you serious with the content in what I think are supposed to be sentences.
Forget everything else-bottom line when the coach had to do some coaching there was none-they looked like a School yard team with no direction-yes Career looked good for 29 mins but it’s a 32 min game and the last 3 mins they looked lost
At the end of the day, East Haven beat a 20th ranked team by 2 points. They have only been challenged by 2 teams this tournament in the semifinals and the finals. Sometimes kids get nervous when they are in new situations. Both EH and Career struggled in the first half with shots and Career made some bad turnovers down the stretch. How is that the Career coach’s fault? Why don’t you give the coach credit for a good all around game and season with no D1 talent? Oh by the way, I remember that “school yard” team taking down Mercy as well. Regardless of your negativity and obvious hatred for the Career coach, good job to both EH and Career for getting to the Sun despite all the haters out there. Also good job to all the other teams that made the finals. A great accomplishment by a great group of coaches that know how to lead a team. Honestly, if you’ve never led a team to a championship game, you shouldn’t comment on things you don’t know. Just be a Fan!
Everyone seriously needs to relax with this stuff, agreed. Jeez.
Be Realistic-I have no dog in the fight and I have no hatred towards the coach I’m a fan who actually roots for the underdogs and to witness a big time meltdown that in my opinion could have been avoided that’s all I’m saying- Do you think bombing the 3 ball is good coaching method up 5-7 pts in 4th quarter or do u think taking time off clock would have been the correct move -Do you think preparing to break the press would have been advantageous to help them win ? And yes as someone stated earlier if Kohl’s was coaching them Career wins I agree with that statement
Again, SCC Fan, you have no idea what was said in the huddle. Has it occurred to you that a coach with as much experience as the Career coach as well as many others probably, most likely told his players to burn some clock? The fact that you would think an experienced coach wouldn’t have had his players ready for a press is laughably. I’ve seen Career play many times, and they usually break any press thrown at them. Especially when teams are trying to impose their size. I don’t know why you can’t accept that those girls were showing their nerves because they were in a big spot. Maybe the girls thought they could be heros with the three ball. They actually had been shooting the 3 ball better this year than previous years. As far as your Kohl’s comment, I love that people like you think that it’s so easy to coach anywhere, with or without talent. Those are truly the people that know nothing about coaching! Stay a Fan!
Listen, the bottom line is East Haven got the absolute most they could have out of a team with two good players. Coyle got hurt and that was a huge loss for them, with her they would have been a very different team. They had Shlotman, who gives you the most you can every time she is on the court and works extremely hard. She is strictly a low post player and since no teams had a chance in M, she didn’t have to face any size, which is why EH would have gotten killed in class L or LL. Helms has a lot of talent on the offensive end but was not consistent. Outside of those two EH didn’t have a player that would have started on most other teams, including Career, Mercy or Hand. Both Rocky Hill and Career should have beaten them, they simply played poorly down the stretch and part of that was that East Haven was relentless in there desire to win, but another part was lack of execution. Not East Haven’s fault that they have gotten so much attention, they are the heart of the SCC and gametime coverage and the referees and everything else associated with girls basketball in Southern Connecticut and haven’t won in a long-time, so many were rooting for them. Just the way it is.
EH beat Career 3 times. First time by 30 points on Careers home floor.
Last time i checked games are 32 minutes long. You need to play them all.
Does not matter what the half time or third quarter score is.
Career and Rocky Hill played poorly down the stretch. Why? Because EH pressed them and made them play poorly.
It is amazing why some of you guys just can not give EH the credit they deserve.
Be Realistic-FYI if your using don’t you think the coach told them in the huddle to burn time and they didn’t well that shows no respect for the coach wouldn’t you agree and to be quite honest I have witnessed that same situation up 7-10 under 5 left and guess what they lost cause no discipline or girls show no respect to coach u tell me one can only sssume so either no respect or lack of coaching your guess is as good as mine so don’t sit there and think you know the situation when quire frankly you have no clue
Your 100% right just the facts they won’t go anywhere next year
Who cares if they don’t go anywhere next year, they won the state championship on a last second shot THIS YEAR! Did your team win?
So Tom are you confident Mercy repeats with all the players they lose??
You just can’t bring yourself to give East Haven any credit. You act like a 5 year old.
Kudos to east haven for winning four games at the end of the season, in the quarter finals and semi finals of scc and semis and finals of class m, when games really do matter. Idon’t care where they are ranked at end of year, you showed determination, and you worked hard and you didn’t quit and now you are state champs! That’s a huge accomplishment and you will have that for the rest of their lives. A banner hanging and a plague and a record and no one will remember the comments from game time. Just that your champions. Congratulations on a job well done
Spot on A real hand tiger. Thank you.
I do not get why some on here have to bash high school kids.
Thanks Scc Fan, kohl would of beat them by 30,there’s no comparing the two coaches, he’s already on to next year.
Tom, the analysis you provide is amazing!! Keep up the good work!! Last time I checked Bethke has won more titles than kohs!!
Amazed that they even let you post the nonsense you do on this site!!!
Easy to be on to next year when you get kids from multiple towns, Thomas.
I must agree the coach did not know how to bring it home.As a spectator sitting close to the bench I heard him take off the press and go zone,(on a shooting team really?) I also heard his assistant coaches tell him to spread the court and play keep away.(you are up by eight with , let them foul the girls you are in the bonus) apparently he doesn’t listen to them and he got out coached. Its terrible for the girls they fought hard !! They need a better coach!!
Thank you Big Poppy