MICHAEL KIRAL

RESERVE – Newman guards Jessica Neveu and Lauren Miotov, held to six points in the first half, came alive for 27 in the second half as the Greenies overcame a nine-point deficit for a 45-33 win at Riverside Wednesday night. Newman moved into second place in District 9-2A with a 5-1 record in district and a 20-8 mark overall. Riverside fell to 4-2 in district and 12-9 overall. Neveu, held scoreless in the first half, finished with a game-high 19 points. Miotov helped out with 14, eight in the second half. Tiffany Jones contributed eight points. Crystal Rome led Riverside with 14 points. Wendy Reames added another eight points and Amy Hymel six. Newman trailed, 17-8, at the break but pulled to within three early in the third quarter. Neveu buried a jumper from the free throw line on the opening possession and Jones scored on a put back and layup to make it 16-14. Riverside got the lead back up to 21-16 on a hook by Rome and a pass from Candice Perret to Hymel inside after the Lady Rebels broke the Greenie press. But Neveu and Miotov hit jumpers on the next two trips down the court. Neveu put the Greenies ahead for the first time since the early minutes of the game with a drive with 1:29 left. Riverside regained the lead on its next possession as Rome drove the lane and dropped a pass to Hymel underneath. But Neveu answered with a jumper from the free throw line to give the Greenies a 24-23 lead going into the fourth quarter. Newman built the lead to 28-23 with 6:56 remaining in the game on a jumper by Macie Alef and a drive by Neveu. Rome pulled the Lady Rebels back to within two on a 3-pointer from the right side but Newman came back with jumpers by Miotov and Katherine Katz. After a drive by Rome, Jones bounced a pass to Miotov driving down the lane. Neveu then grabbed a steal in the backcourt and drove in to make it 36-28. Another drive by Neveu and two free throws by Jones gave Newman a 40-28 lead with 1:35 left. Riverside got it down to 11 on a drive by Rome and a free throw by Jessica Watts. But Cassandra Koederitz grabbed a defensive rebound and tossed to Neveu who found Miotov driving in with 23 seconds remaining. “Their main strength is their guards,” Riverside head coach Matt White said. “When they get the ball, they put up the shot. “In the first half, we did everything we could ask of the girls. Their post killed us early in the second half and they took advantage.” Riverside took a 4-3 lead with 3:30 left in the first quarter on a jumper by Perret. Reames followed with a 3-pointer from the top of the key and Hymel tossed in a put back to make it 9-3. Miotov nailed a jumper to make it 9-5 at the end of the first quarter. Rome sailed in a 3-pointer on Riverside’s second possession of the second quarter to increase the lead to 12-5. After Newman closed to within 12-8 on a jumper and a free throw by Miotov, Reames responded with a 3-pointer from the left side after a save by Hymel. Reames added a jumper in the lane in the final 1:30 to give the Lady Rebels a 17-8 halftime lead. Riverside plays host to Maurepas in non-district action Tuesday evening.