Girls basketball: Fox, Kascsak help Millbrook win sixth straight Section 9 title

NEWBURGH - Hannah Ross gazed down at her gold medal and smiled as she spoke, discussing its sentimental value as compared to the one she received last winter. The one adorning her neck in that instant, the Millbrook senior said, felt "more rewarding."

The difference, of course, is that Ross was a reserve last season, seldom on the court during the pivotal moments. She now is a key player, one of four first-time starters in a lineup tasked with trying to help maintain a dynasty.

It's why, girls basketball teammate Natalie Fox said, their most recent championship "feels more earned."

"Not to sound cocky," the senior continued, "but the (previous) years, we were more of an overpowering team and there wasn't much doubt we would win. The fact we aren't that anymore, and had to work harder to get here, makes it almost feel more significant."

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Despite all the changes, and the challenges of a new-look roster during the regular season, the Blazers ended up in a familiar position Wednesday: hoisting a plaque and posing for photos at Mount St. Mary College.

Fox had 32 points, 20 rebounds, six assists and three blocks to lead top-seeded Millbrook in a 63-54 win over Pine Plains, capturing a sixth straight Section 9 Class C title. The Blazers surged in the fourth quarter, erasing a two-point deficit and eventually pulling away.

"It means a lot to us," Ross said. "The season started slowly, but we gained momentum late. That's kind of how this game went, too. We didn't play great, but we finished strong."

Their victory came a couple hours after the boys team won its first championship in five years. The double-up, Ross said, gives the "whole community a reason to celebrate."

The Millbrook girls, seeking a third consecutive state title, will face the Section 1 champion in a regional final next week.

"We're excited to be going forward," Fox said. "Not a lot of people expected us to accomplish this much, so right now, it feels like we have nothing to lose."

Because last year, as the team celebrated its third state championship since 2018, it seemed like a farewell to an era with several standouts graduating. The Blazers would return Fox, a 6-foot-4 superstar who is committed to William & Mary, but the supporting cast would be a cluster of question marks.

This group, though, converted those into exclamation points. Lydia Kascsak had 13 points and seven assists and Ross scored five of her 10 in the fourth quarter for Millbrook (15-4). Serafina Fauci added six points and four steals, including two in the final five minutes while Millbrook made its run.

"There have been a lot of games where different people stepped up, hitting big shots when we need it," Blazers coach Adam Peek said. "It doesn't always have to be Natalie... They're so deserving of this moment."

Millbrook, admittedly, meandered through the first half, slowed by turnovers and miscues. In the final seconds of a back-and-forth third quarter, layups from Michelle Blackburn and Nevaeh Rennie sent No. 3 Pine Plains to the fourth with a 41-39 lead.

Peek noted that it was the first time Millbrook struggled in a section final since 2020, when they rallied in the second half to beat Seward.

Sophomore Michelle Blackburn scored 23 points, including four 3-pointers, for the Bombers (14-7). Rennie, an eighth-grader who had to match up with Fox, had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Tessa Blackburn added six points.

"I'm impressed by how much these girls have improved in a short period," said Bombers coach Les Funk, whose team won only a game last season. "We weren't a good team in December, but we've got a young group that has gained a lot of basketball knowledge in these few months.

"Getting to compete against a team like Millbrook is great experience for us going forward. There's reason for optimism about the coming years."

Millbrook found its footing in the fourth, scoring the first six points of the period. Kascsak tied it at 41, finishing through contact along the baseline, and Fox's basket put them ahead 50 seconds in.

Pine Plains, a feisty group showing fight, tied it at 45 on Michelle Blackburn's steal and layup with 6:07 remaining. But the Blazers went back ahead for good on Ross' corner three with 5:25 left. Their lead eventually grew to 59-46 with three minutes to go.

"This wasn't our best performance and Pine Plains made it difficult, but we showed grit," said Fox, who lauded her teammates. "They did so much and came through when we needed it. There were times I missed opportunities, and they picked me up. This whole season, they've been more than I could've imagined."

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4826, Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Girls basketball: Fox, Kascsak lead Millbrook to sixth straight title