By Chris Stevens, Editor
The DIAA girls’ basketball tournament takes center stage tonight as four teams go home, and four others make plans for Wednesday’s semifinals at the Bob Carpenter Center.
Each team has something to prove, not just to the state of Delaware, but themselves as well.
In a season where we’ve seen a little bit of everything, there’s reason to believe Quarterfinal Monday could have one more surprise in store. Let’s preview tonight’s matchups.
All games start at 7 p.m., tickets will be available here.
No. 24 Smyrna (15-7) at No. 1 Caravel (17-3)
How they got here: Smyrna defeated Archmere 47-41 in the first round Feb. 28, defeated Appoquinimink 70-62 in the second round Mar. 1. Caravel defeated Odessa 64-25 in the second round Mar. 1.
Key match-up: Kai Burnette/Amiyah Ellerbe/Kylie Jones vs. Jasiyah Crawford/Speedy Wilson/Anaya Price/Cherish Bryant
Outlook: Smyrna was better than a 24 seed, though the numbers placed them there, so while they’re a great story, they’re also nobody’s Cinderella. The backcourt duo of Kai Burnette and Amiyah Ellerbe has given teams fits all season long and you can’t double down on them too much as senior Kylie Jones has hit some big shots in big moments for the Eagles.
They’ll have their hands full tonight with the Buccaneers’ four-guard rotation of Crawford/Price/Wilson/Bryant, so you can expect a very fast-paced ballgame that depends on who has just enough energy and depth to finish with a win.
No. 10 Dover (19-4) at No. 2 Ursuline (15-6)
How they got here: Dover defeated Wilmington Charter 59-23 in the first round Feb. 28, defeated Delmarva Christian 49-37 in the second round Mar. 1. Ursuline defeated Saint Mark’s 69-38 in the second round Mar. 1.
Key match-up: Sara-Zionna Benson/Ashtyn Torbert vs. Skylar Bolden/Jazlynn Wesley
Outlook: Dover plays a smart, tough brand of basketball that will need to be clicking on all cylinders for their trip to Ursuline, who looks to get back to the Bob and take the title they feel is theirs.
The forward matchups will tell the story of this game will go as the Raiders’ Jazlynn Wesley and Skylar Bolden must keep the Senators’ Sara-Zionna Benson from crashing the boards and find a way to limit Ashtyn Torbert’s touches on the perimeter, where she’s been lights out all season long.
No. 6 Sanford (15-5) at No. 3 St. Elizabeth (18-3)
How they got here: Sanford defeated Woodbridge 78-36 in the second round Mar. 1. St. Elizabeth defeated Delaware Military Academy 35-32 in the second round Mar. 1.
Key match-up: Ericka Huggins vs. Jada Snow
Outlook: Sanford announced their best intentions to defend their state title with a 20-point win over these same Vikings Feb. 3, so St. E will be looking for some revenge as well as the program’s first Final Four appearance since their 2021 undefeated championship year.
Ericka Huggins was a first-year player on that Viking team who played key minutes and now she’s the team’s heart and soul, a player of the year candidate who has already committed to Delaware State. She’ll be at her best tonight and so will Sanford’s Jada Snow, now able to play the perimeter game she’s known for. This could be the duel of the night with a trip to the Bob on the line.
No. 13 Howard (15-6) at No. 5 A.I. duPont (17-5)
How they got here: Howard defeated Hodgson 47-42 in the first round Feb. 28, defeated Padua 49-47 in the second round Mar. 1. A.I. defeated Seaford 58-39 in the second round Mar. 1.
Key match-up: Destiny Smith/Londen Bungy vs. Ny’Aijah Jackson/Jourdyn Henderson
Outlook: Incredibly enough, this quarterfinal means we’re guaranteed a public-school team north of the C&D canal in the final four since Concord way back in 2016, and these are two teams who have an intense rivalry to say the least, so it should be fun.
A.I. and Howard both feel they belong here and will do everything possible to crash the Bob party this year. The Tigers own a 64-54 regular season win over the Wildcats, so Howard will look to reverse the trend of A.I.’s incredible third-quarter runs.
The rebounding battle will likely decide the winner as Howard post players Destiny Smith and Londen Bungy will try to take control of the glass against Ny’Aijah Jackson and Jourdyn Henderson of A.I. Jackson and Henderson are more likely to be offensive threats, but if Bungy and Smith can slow them down, that gives Howard a chance.
