Gloucester earns emotional win over Gloucester Catholic

Red-faced, eyes welling with tears, Johanna James accepted a ride off the court on her teammates' shoulders.

James' 15-foot buzzer-beater moments earlier had sent her Gloucester girls' basketball team home Saturday with a 39-37 win over rival Gloucester Catholic.

The shot excited the Lions' fans, who helped completely fill the Gloucester Catholic gym.

It was the fourth game-changing shot that James made in the second half - she was the unquestioned hero of her team's biggest win of the season.

But even as the junior guard was being hoisted by her teammates, surrounded by ecstatic supporters, James could not turn her focus away from the man whom she considered the game's real hero.

"We had a special mind-set today. We wanted to win this one for Mr. Bucher," James said of Rich Bucher, an ardent supporter of the team who passed away Wednesday. "And that was in my mind the whole time.

"I just really appreciate everyone coming out here and supporting us, and I just hope that he's up there appreciating the win just as much as we are."

Bucher, the father of standout Gloucester field hockey player Emily Bucher, died after a long bout with cancer.

He was known as one of the team's biggest supporters and most loyal fans. Before the game at Gloucester Catholic, there was a moment of silence in his honor.

"Some kids certainly had heavy hearts today," Gloucester coach Sean Gorman said. Senior forward "Angela Harris didn't even make it to the game until almost tip-off. She's [Emily Bucher's] best friend, and she was with her at the viewing and the funeral, which was this morning. . . .

"We have some special kids on this team."

With less than five seconds on the clock and the game tied at 37, Gloucester's Irene Grimanis quickly worked the ball upcourt but had a three-foot jump shot blocked.

Fortunately for Gloucester (12-1), the shot was blocked backward right into James' hands.

James caught the ball, and with virtually no time left, took the shot and sent her team home with a victory.

"We just never gave up," James said. "That's always been our motto.

"And it's bitter between our two schools, but you have to love the competition. It keeps us going."

James finished with a team-high 12 points. Eleven of those came at crucial moments.

With seven minutes left in the third quarter and her team down by 20-18, James hit a three-pointer from about six feet beyond the arc. That gave Gloucester its first lead since midway through the second quarter.

The teams managed two points each in the quarter until James hit another three with 28 seconds left, sending the Lions into the final period with a 28-24 lead.

James, who went 3 for 4 from beyond the arc in the second half, hit another three-pointer with a little more than five minutes to go, giving her team its largest lead of the game, 33-28.

The two teams virtually traded baskets, until a resilient Gloucester Catholic (11-3) went on a 7-0 run, culminating with Alex Balara (four points) tying the game with five seconds left.

"We made a nice run and we played aggressive in that run," Gloucester Catholic coach Lisa Gedaka said, "but I thought the whole rest of the game we were pretty inconsistent."

Gedaka can hang her hat on her team's strong performance at the foul line. The Rams went 8 for 12 from the line, and Gloucester was just 5 for 18.

Gloucester   6 10 12 11 – 39

Gloucester Catholic   4 16 4 13 – 37

G: Gabrielle Cooper 10, Cori Conner 10, Irene Grimanis 7, Johanna James 12.

GC: Kristina Reiter 5, Alex Balara 4, Christie Orgero 2, Amanda Virgili 4, Nicole Fallon 11, Rachel Barlage 11.