BOSTON — When Central Catholic girls basketball coach Sue Downer talks, you can be certain that All-Scholastic junior Katie Zenevitch and the rest of the Raiders listen.
Central's 75-45 romp over Brockton in last night's Division 1 state semifinal at TD Banknorth Garden is proof positive of that.
With the 6-foot-3 Zenevitch scoring a career-high 31 points while pulling down 23 rebounds and blocking four shots, the Raiders (21-3) pulled away in the second half to advance to Saturday's 5:45 p.m. state-championship game in Worcester against the winner of tonight's East Longmeadow-Shepherd Hill game.
This will be the second time in three years that Central will be playing in the Division 1 state championship game, having lost to Dartmouth 51-50 in 2007.
After a back-and-forth first half, which ended with the Raiders ahead by just one point, 34-33, Central went on an eye-popping 26-4 third-quarter blitz to make sure it wasn't upset like the boys team was Sunday by Lynn English in the North finals.
"The boys made us realize that we couldn't let the same thing happen to us," said Zenevitch. "It was a wake-up call."
And, it was a wake-up call that Downer was determined to use to her advantage.
"We used that as a teachable moment," said Downer. "We told them that we had to make sure the same thing didn't happen to us."
Downer also had some special words for Zenevitch, who was facing a Brockton team that starts four guards and only two players, 5-8 Sabree Rodriguez and 6-2 Morgan Thatcher, who are listed over 5-5.
"She told me to go right to the basket, and that I could dominate," said Zenevitch. "I knew I had a big size advantage."
Zenevitch scored the Raiders' first basket of the night off an offensive rebound, had a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter and, for the game, was 12 of 16 from the floor as well as 5 of 6 from the free throw line.
"We talked about her staying out of foul trouble and that she could dominate if she did," said Downer. "She did everything we asked of her."
Zenevitch had 19 points and 13 rebounds at halftime and was ably complemented underneath by sophomore Melissa Miller, who had eight of her 14 points and six of her 12 rebounds before the intermission.
Still, Brockton rode the hot shooting of Beatrice Atkinson (13 of her 15 points) to stay right with the Raiders.
But in the third quarter, Downer employed a box-and-one, putting feisty Ashley Evangelista on Atkinson, and the rout began.
While Atkinson was completely shut down in the third quarter, Central put on an offensive clinic, using the give-and-go and back-door cuts to free players underneath, running the break to perfection and scoring following offensive rebounds.
Sophomore Gabie Polce scored nine of her 13 points in the third quarter and five players scored as the Raiders went on a blitz that left the Boxers in their tracks.
"I think the first half took a lot out of us," said Brockton coach Eric DeBiase. "We just didn't have enough left against a very good team.
"Zenevitch was a very tough cover for us. We could cover her in the box, but when she went outside, we'd have to put someone else on her. That doesn't work. I believe they'll win the next game. They've got a lot going for them."
Downer, of course, isn't ready to make any predictions but, after last night's clinic, she's feeling confident about her squad.
"We're peaking at the right time," said Downer. "We're playing as well as a team as we have all year."
Central Catholic 75, Brockton 45
Division 1 State Semifinals
Brockton (45): Zeyanna Defortunato 1-0-2, Sabree Rodriguez 3-0-6, Shannon Singletary 2-2-6, Morgan Thatcher 4-2-10, Beatrice Atkinson 5-4-15, Nephie Marsh 1-1-4, Mariah Lemos 1-0-2, Kelsey Sheridan 0-0-0, Jenn Rafuse 0-0-0, Makayla Williams 0-0-0. Totals 17-9-45
Central Catholic (75): Katie Zenevitch 12-5-31, Gia O'Connor 2-0-4, Melissa Miller 5-4-14, Gabie Polce 5-3-13, Ashley Evangelista 0-2-2, Maura Coburn 1-0-2, Alex Borrelli 1-0-3, Brianna Martin 1-0-2, Kelley Mikus 2-0-4, Courtney Williams 0-0-0, Rachel Hebert 0-0-0, Kendall Desrosiers 0-0-0, Bianca Sacco 0-0-0, Katie Quinlan 0-0-0. Totals 29-14-75
3-pointers: CC — Zenevitch 2, Alex Borrelli; B — Atkinson, Marsh
Brockton (19-6):20âÇ13âÇ4âÇ8 — 45
Central Catholic (21-3):21âÇ13âÇ26âÇ15 — 75
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