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Hot-shooting Hiltunen sends Kearney to second-straight diocesan title

Hot-shooting Hiltunen sends Kearney to second-straight diocesan title
Photo by Ken Maldonado

Emily Hiltunen knew that to win, she had to keep her head in the game — and put out of her head the fact that this game was the diocesan championship.

“When I don’t think about it is when I shoot my best and when I do my best, so I just thought of this as just an ordinary game,” said the Bishop Kearney senior guard. “I didn’t let it cross my mind that it was a championship game.”

The strategy worked as Hiltunen scored 23 points to lead second-seeded Kearney to a 55–28 win over No. 5 St. John’s Prep in the Brooklyn-Queens Division II girls’ basketball final at St. Francis Prep last Saturday.

The title is the Tigers’ second straight. They will be the dioceses’s top seed, and get a bye into the city semifinals of the Catholic Class B state playoffs on March 6 at Sacred Heart in Yonkers. For Hiltunen, it means the season’s effort was all worth it.

“From the beginning out, [assistant] coach Diana [Canzoneri], she always tells us ‘don’t waste that time,’ ” Hiltunen said. “It means I don’t want this whole thing that I worked hard for to be a waste of time. Everyone felt that way.”

Hiltunen’s biggest basket came after an 8–0 St. John’s Prep run that trimmed the Tigers’ lead to 31–19 with 3:28 in the third quarter. She buried a three-pointer from right in front of the Kearney bench to stem the Red Storm’s momentum. Kearney coach Rocco Sellitto has seen her score big baskets all year.

“She always seems to get open when we need the shot the most,” he said.

Kearney took control of the game with a 12–0 run over the second and third quarters. Freshman forward Emily Boisacki scored six of her nine points in the second quarter and Kim Dorce came off the bench with two big jumpers. Boslacki’s emergence has been a big boost for the Tigers.

“I feel more comfortable,” Bosiacki said. “In the beginning of the year I wasn’t as comfortable.”

Christina Heyer, who delivered seven points, got the third started with a bucket, and then Hiltunen hit a trey to make it 31–11 with 6:29 left in the frame. Simone Khedaru and Amailia Downer each scored nine points for St. John’s Prep.

Sellitto said he is open to promoting his team back up to Division I in the future after moving down three seasons ago, but the decision is up to the school. The Tigers junior varsity took home this year’s diocesan crown also.

“I’m not in a rush to do it, because the games are competitive.” Sellitto said. “We are not blowing everybody out that’s for sure … I always say we are somewhere in between.”

Hiltunen, Heyer and fellow senior starter Nicolette Conti will all graduate, leaving holes to fill next year. Boslacki and talented sophomore forward Kailey O’Grady return, and Sellitto is hoping to have junior forward Jennifer Kaye back next year after she left the team for personal reasons.

“We have some girls who can develop into something,” Sellitto said.

Kearney (JV) 40, Fontbonne (JV) 32: Jessica Diaz scored 12 points and Gabby Rafaniello had nine to lift the Tigers to their first junior varsity diocesan title since 2012. Tara O’Keffe’s defense was key to the victory. Erin Kennedy paced Fontbonne with 20 points and Farah El-Choum added four.

Reach reporter Joseph Staszewski at jstaszewski@cnglocal.com. Follow him on twitter @cng_staszewski.