Ryan's three-point barrage sinks Penn Charter

It did not matter who you were for the Archbishop Ryan girls' basketball team Friday. You were going to shoot if you had the basketball behind the three-point line.

And chances were, the shot would fall.

Whether the player shooting from beyond the arc was a starting guard such as Shayna Rodriguez, a starting forward such as Danielle Skedzielewski, or a spark off the bench such as Megan McLaughlin, the three-pointer was Ryan's weapon of choice.

It was certainly effective.

The Ragdolls hit 10 of their 22 three-pointers and six players knocked down threes in Ryan's 52-49 nonleague win over Penn Charter.

"I feel like we are finally starting to click and play better with each other," Skedzielewski said. "We are finally playing to each other's strengths and assets."

"We know all of us can step out on the court at any time and everyone is ready to play," Skedzielewski added.

The tightly contested game had seven lead changes in the second half, as both sides gained and lost momentum. Penn Charter (4-3) was paced by junior guard Hannah Fox, who led all scorers with 16 points. Nicolette Napoleon was a force down low and converted some big free throws. She finished with 13 points and hit a huge three-pointer late in regulation to tie the game at 49.

But whenever it seemed as if Penn Charter got some momentum by stringing together some nice possessions coupled with stiff defense, Ryan (4-1) knocked down a three.

The Ragdolls converted seven threes in the second half. None was bigger than Rodriguez's eventual game-winner with 1:44 left.

"I knew that we could be down, so I just had to step up and shoot a three," said Rodriguez, who scored 15 points. "I got myself open and that's that."

The clutch shooting is becoming a habit for the senior.

She sent a game last week to overtime on a three-pointer with 11 seconds left. The Ragdolls lost that contest. But on Friday, Rodriguez made sure her late-game heroics were not in vain.

Penn Charter 6 16 20 7 - 49

Archbishop Ryan 7 15 16 14 - 52

PC: Hannah Fox 16, Nicolette Napoleon 13, Ayanna Matthews 9, Mireyah Davis 6, Lexi Hnatkowsky 5.

AR: Shayna Rodriguez 15, Danielle Skedzielewski 13, Shannon Glenn 8, Megan McLaughlin 6, Ashley Smink 5, Emily Ostaszewski 3, Sarah Ostaszewski 2.