St. John Vianney High School’s unwavering commitment to defense reached new heights in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions girls basketball semifinal game.

St. John Vianney’s Arron Zimmerman (r) looks to block a shot by Shabazz’s Ka-Deidre Simmons during the first half of their NJSIAA Tournament of Champions game played at the Ritacco Center in Toms River on March 18. The reigning TOC champion Lancers were victorious, 37-22. More photos, www.gmnews.com. JEFF GRANIT staff The Lancers from Holmdel held NJSIAA Group II state champion Malcolm X Shabazz High School of Newark to 22 points in a Tournament of Champions semifinal played March 18 at the Ritacco Center in Toms River.

On the strength of a 37-22 victory, the Lancers, who had already won the NJSIAA Non-Public A state championship, returned to the Tournament of Champions final at the Izod Center, East Rutherford, on March 23 with the opportunity to defend their 2009 crown.

St. John Vianney played Neptune, the Group III state champion and top seed, in a state championship game that matched two teams from the Shore Conference. The game was played after the deadline for this issue.

At halftime of the Shabazz game, Lancers coach Dawn Karpell said she had good news and bad news for her team. The players wanted the bad news first. That, Karpell reported, was their 20 percent shooting from the field, which explained the Lancers’ 13 points.

The good news was that Shabazz was shooting only 10 percent from the field, which was why the Lancers led, 13-7.

It was a credit to the St. John Vianney players that while their shooting eye was off, they played with intensity on defense.

“We talked about this all year, that we were not going to let our offense affect our defense,” Karpell said.

Case in point: the Tournament of Champions semifinal.

For the first 16 minutes, St. John Vianney and Shabazz both looked more comfortable playing defense. Shabazz scored the first points of the game one minute into the first quarter. The Bulldogs would not score again until there was 1:46 left in the second quarter.

St. John Vianney, which wasn’t setting the scoreboard on fire either, led 6-2 after one quarter.

“That was just crazy,” said St. John Vianney point guard Jackie Kates. “With us and Shabazz, you would have expected a higherscoring game. It was a credit to their defense. It was the best defense we’ve played against this year. They play in-your-face defense. It took us the first quarter to get acclimated to that.”

If the Bulldogs were playing great defense, what exactly was St. John Vianney doing?

“We played great,” said Kates. “Clare (Kerrisk) did an awesome job on No. 11 (Ka- Deidre Simons). She stopped her the whole game.”

Against Shabazz, the Lancers put on a clinic of team defensive basketball. They took away the baseline, clogged the middle, defended the passing lanes and boxed out under the boards.

Karpell said the Lancers had three goals on defense. The first goal was to press the Bulldogs on a limited basis to slow them down. The second goal was to keep the Shabazz guards out of the lane where they like to make plays, and the third goal was to rebound.

Karpell also praised Kerrisk’s defensive play on Simmons, who was held to five points. Simmons will be playing at Seton Hall University next season.

Help defense is always important against a quick team like Shabazz and Karpell said Aaron Zimmerman and Missy Repoli were the help defenders. They picked off a number of passes and cut off drives to the basket.

Shabazz made its only real run of the night at the start of the third quarter. The Bulldogs scored back-to-back baskets for the first time in the game and trailed by two points, 13-11. It was the first time the Bulldogs had their running game going.

Kerrisk answered with a three-point field goal from the baseline to stretch the lead to 16-11.

Leading 16-12, the Lancers finally got some separation. Katie O’Reilly scored on a drive, and Repoli, who has been the team’s leading scorer in the state tournament, swished back-to-back jumpers, and St. John Vianney had a 22-12 lead after three quarters.

Down double figures, Shabazz began forcing some three-point field goal attempts.

The Lancers did have an anxious couple of minutes. With 6:27 left in the fourth quarter and the Lancers up 24-15, Kates tweaked her ankle on a drive to the basket.

With Kates out of the game, the Lancers had trouble handling Shabazz’s full-court pressure. The lead went down to seven, 24- 17, and it was nervous time.

Kates’ value to the team was never more evident than during the two minutes she was on the bench getting her ankle wrapped. She was able to return, much to everyone’s relief, to direct the offense. All was right again.

“I had to get back into the game,” said Kates.

Kates and Repoli hit free throws in the final two minutes to not only prevent a Shabazz comeback, but to extend the lead to its final 15-point margin. Kates was 5-6 and Repoli was 3-4 from the foul line.

Repoli was the only player in double figures, with 12, for St. John Vianney, which improved to 28-3. Kates added eight points.

Shabazz lost for only the second time and finished the season with a record of 31-2.

The Lancers were the No. 3 seed in the six-team Tournament of Champions and had to play a first-round game on March 16 in Toms River against the No. 6 seed, New Providence. In keeping with the m.o. they had used in winning the South A and Non- Public A state titles, the Lancers delivered the knockout punch early. They led 20-6 after one quarter and 32-11 at the half.

Repoli led St. John Vianney with 20 points, including three treys, and Zimmerman added 10 points.

For the second straight year, the Tournament of Champions final will feature two Shore Conference teams. Last year, St. John Vianney defeated Colts Neck to win its record sixth Tournament of Champions title. This year, Neptune will be the foe. The Scarlet Fliers, the No. 1 seed, beat North Hunterdon, 53-47, in their semifinal.

The Scarlet Fliers are ranked No. 1 in the state and can play defense like the Lancers, and they can score.

Shakema Richardson (21) and Syessence Davis (19) combined for 40 points in Neptune’s win over North Hunterdon.

But no one should be surprised if the Lancers find a way to notch a seventh Tournament of Champions crown. They have the experience of last year and a grittiness that is second to none.

“I am so proud of them and their mental toughness,” said Karpell. “They play like a team.”

That just might be enough to bring home another championship.