DIVISION III GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT Irish want to 'finish the job'

Ursuline has won 14 straight heading into Thursday's state semifinal against Garaway.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Ursuline High coach Sean Durkin learned a very important lesson earlier in the season when his team started 1-3 while starting guard Vannessa Dickson was out with an ankle injury: His team wasn't as good.
OK, so that's a little obvious. But two things happened in that opening stretch. The Irish lost games. They didn't lose confidence.
"The kids understood and they knew [Dickson] was coming back," said Durkin. "The toughest part of our schedule was in the beginning. But even with those games we lost, we were in the games.
"We felt pretty good with where we were."
And, as result, the Irish feel pretty good about where they are.
Last defeat Jan . 14
Since a 65-39 loss to national power Mount de Chantal on Jan. 14, Ursuline (21-4) has won 14 straight games to advance to Thursday's state semifinal game against Sugarcreek Garaway (24-2) at Ohio State's Value City Arena.
"It took [Dickson] a little while to get back in the flow, but in the second half of the season, we were pretty much rolling," said Durkin. "This was certainly a goal of [ours] since the beginning of the year.
"I told them, 'There are 200-plus teams that start the tournament and it's down to four. You guys have made your point. Now you have to finish the job.' "
Impressed by opponent
Durkin doesn't know much about Garaway, which also made the state final in 1994 (finishing second) and 1996, but he's impressed with what he's seen so far.
"I know they're a very disciplined, very well-coached team," said Durkin. "They're very patient and, from what I understand, it's going to be a battle with tempo.
"We like to run up and down the floor and they'll probably try to slow the tempo down. Whoever dictates the pace of the game is certainly going to have an advantage."
Garaway coach Scott Bardall said his team will do whatever is necessary to win.
"We can pressure when we need to pressure and we'll control the tempo if given the opportunity," said Bardall. "We'll do what we have to do to come out with the 'W.' "
Grant is main concern
Not surprisingly, Bardall's main concern is Ursuline senior forward Tyra Grant, who is averaging 30.4 points and 11 rebounds per game. The Penn State recruit is the Mahoning Valley's all-time leading scorer with 2,245 points and is the leading scorer of any player in the tournament.
"She's a phenomenal athlete as well as a basketball player," Bardall said of Grant. "When you face a kid like that, the best you can do is slow her down. We're not foolish enough to think we can shut her down, but we're going to try and make her work to get the ball and keep a hand up on the other kids that might take a shot."
Grant and Dickson were sophomore starters on Ursuline's 2004 state title team, which Durkin thinks will help.
"I really think that's big," he said. "Playing in that venue for the first time, you're only human if you're in awe.
"With the kids having been there before, I don't think it does anything but help us."
Has state experience
Durkin has even more state experience, having also won state titles at Ursuline as a baseball player (1988) and a coach (2000).
"It helps me as far as preparation is concerned," said Durkin. "When you're fortunate enough to get here, sometimes the last thing on your mind is the coaching part of it.
"It helps that I've been through it. You know the different steps to take to make a trip smooth."
scalzo@vindy.com