THE AQUINAS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012 SPORTS 15 “giANTs” CONTINUED Women’s basketball team defeats Crusaders FROM PAGE SIXTEEN by kevin dermody This season, the Giants again Staff Writer faced off against a team chasing perfection in Week 13. The Green The Lady Royals are coming Bay Packers had an 11-0 record off a solid weekend effort that heading into the game against included a loss to the 13th nation- New York. The game went back ally-ranked Juniata College and a and forth until the Giants finally win over Susquehanna University. tied it with 58 seconds left in the Scranton is now 13-9 overall with game. However, Packers’ quarter- an 8-3 record in the Landmark back Aaron Rodgers drove Green Conference and three conference Bay down the field to set up a games remaining. game-winning field goal for kick- Friday in the Long Center, the er Mason Crosby. The Packers won Lady Royals came out well pre- the game 38-35. It is at this point pared to face Juniata, knowing that the Packers and the other 30 that for the entire game would be teams in the NFL should have said a battle. “Uh-oh.” “Prior to the Juniata game we Also during the 2007-08 post- worked hard in practice, focusing season, the Dallas Cowboys, on our defense and recognizing Packers and Patriots all stood in that we must all work together the Giants’ way of a Super Bowl and play as one,” junior forward championship. The Giants defeat- Erin Boggan said. ed Dallas in the divisional round Boggan scored seven points of the playoffs. They then went and collected 11 rebounds in the THE AQUINAS PHOTO/SHAWN KENNEY on to beat the Packers in overtime loss. JUNIOR GUARD Katherine Torto looks for an open teammate in Scranton’s game against Susque- in the NFC Championship game, Unfortunately,Scranton hanna University Saturday. The Royals defeated the Crusaders 73-50 in their final regular season thanks to an ill-advised pass by couldn’t keep up with the high- home game of the season. Most Valuable Senior Sidney Jaques scored a career-high 22 points in Brett Favre. Finally, in one of the scoring open offense and defen- the victory. greatest upsets in NFL history, the sive pressure of the Eagles. Scran- lead 31-26 at halftime. In the sec- along with amazing other players this week knowing that they have Giants took down the undefeated ton battled back in the first half ond half, the Lady Royals were led in the past, along with three oth- clinched a playoff spot in the Patriots in the Super Bowl. after being down by as many as 15 by senior guard and captain Syd- ers I have played with.” Landmark Conference, though This season the Giants had to to cut Juniata’s lead to only eight ney Jaques, while they continued Coach Strong said that the they are still looking to improve. win their last game of the sea- points by halftime. However, Juni- to score at will, shooting a solid game for Jaques was as “good as Boggan said the team realizes that son to get into the playoffs. Once ata came out with a strong offen- 55.6 percent from the floor. Jaques, it gets” and that her career high in the next three games cannot be again New York had to fend off sive push to start the second half who was playing in her last regu- points coming on senior night was overlooked. the Cowboys to continue on the and clamped down defensively lar season home game, scored a “storybook.” “We will continue to work hard road to the Super Bowl. The Giants to ensure a 66-45 victory for the game-high 22 points, including Jaques was also named co-Ath- in practice and stay united,” Bo- rose to the occasion and defeated Eagles. four 3-pointers. The total was also lete of the Week, along with senior gan said. “Staying together and the Cowboys to secure the #4 seed Saturday was Senior Day for a career high for Jaques, who was men’s basketball player Matt Swa- continuing to push each other in in the playoffs. After dominating Scranton and the Lady Royals honored before the game with the back, for her outstanding perfor- practice are going to be the keys the Atlanta Falcons, the Giants were back in action at the Long Dr. Harold Davis Award, given an- mance in the game. for our success in the tourna- faced off against a familiar foe in Center, hoping to move past the nually to the most valuable senior “[From here] we will go into ment.” a familiar location. New York once loss from the previous night as on the Lady Royals. every game with even more drive The Lady Royals will face Mer- again had to travel to Lambeau they took on conference opponent “It is a huge honor to receive than the one before since we are chant Marine Academy, Drew Field to advance to the next round Susquehanna University. Scranton the Dr. Harold Davis Award,” getting closer to the conference University and Moravian College of the playoffs. New York held came out strong offensively with Jaques said. “It’s overwhelm- tournament,” Jaques said. on the road in their final three the Green Bay Packers, one of the great accuracy behind the arc to ing knowing that my name goes The Lady Royals move forward games. most high-powered offenses in the league, to just 20 points and sent the defending Super Bowl champi- ons home to watch the rest of the Kobe further separates himself from shadow of Shaq playoffs with a 37-20 victory. Af- by joe baress NBA history. mate title contender. The Lakers he hoped to win a championship ter disposing of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship, Sports Editor After winning three straight advanced to the NBA finals in the alongside superstar Lebron James. championships, Bryant was ac- 2007-08 season and Bryant won However, the Cavaliers lost to the the Giants played the Patriots in a After Kobe Bryant nailed a cused of sexually assaulting a fe- his first MVP award. Despite the Celtics in the 2010 playoffs. O’Neal rematch of the 2008 Super Bowl. jump shot at the top of the key in male hotel employee and tensions improvement, the Lakers lost to wanted to try one last place to New York again scored a go-ahead the first half Monday in a game rose between the two players. In the Boston Celtics in six games win a championship, so he signed touchdown with less than a min- against the Philadelphia 76ers, 2004, the quarrel reached a boiling and Bryant remained one champi- with the team he lost to in the ute remaining, which didn’t give longtime teammate Derek Fisher point when the Lakers lost in the onship behind O’Neal. playoffs a year either. O’Neal ran the Patriots enough time to score. hugged him on the way to the finals to the Detroit Pistons in five The following season, the Lak- into some injury problems as a Furthermore, the Giants ad- bench. With the jump shot that games. After the season, the Lak- ers stormed back to the NBA fi- Celtic and was never able to re- vanced to the Super Bowl twice he makes all of the time, Bryant ers’ front office decided to trade nals and defeated the Orlando cover from it. His struggles during because of the leg of Lawrence passed former Laker teammate O’Neal to the Miami Heat. Magic in five games. The 2008- the 2010-11 season forced O’Neal Tynes. In 2008, Tynes missed a Shaquille O’Neal for fifth on the Two years later, O’Neal won 09 season gave Bryant a fourth to retire after 19 seasons. field goal that could have ended all-time NBA scoring list. With an NBA title with the Heat along- championship, which tied him With O’Neal’s retirement, Bry- the game in regulation for New 24 points in the first half of a 95- side budding superstar, Dwayne with O’Neal, but Bryant wanted ant won the championship battle, York. Instead, the game went into 90 loss, Bryant further separated Wade. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, more. Next year, the Lakers made but this season he also passed overtime, where the Packers won himself from O’Neal’s shadow. the Lakers didn’t make the play- it back to the finals, where they O’Neal on the all-time scoring list. the toss and elected to receive the Bryant and O’Neal both joined offs their first year without O’Neal would again face the Celtics. The “Congrats to Kobe for being ball. However, Giants’ cornerback the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996 and couldn’t advance past the Lakers won the back-and-forth the greatest laker ever thanks for Corey Webster picked off Favre’s because of former general man- first round in the next two sea- series in seven games. During the making us the greatest laker one last pass as a Packer and set up ager and Laker great, Jerry West. sons. Critics started to say Bryant post-game press conference, Bry- two punch ever and congrats on Tynes for a 47-yard field goal, West signed O’Neal when his couldn’t win without O’Neal. ant made it clear that he now had passin me up 2,” O’Neal tweeted, which he nailed to send the Giants contract with the Orlando Magic Bryant expressed his frustra- one more ring than O’Neal. after Bryant’s accomplishment. to the Super Bowl. ended and traded Vlade Divac to tion with the Lakers’ front office As the Lakers built a cham- Despite passing O’Neal in two This season, the Giants needed the Charlotte Hornets for Bryant. for not obtaining enough talent pionship team, the Heat traded categories, Bryant isn’t finished. another overtime victory to ad- West brought the two players to for the Lakers to win a champion- O’Neal to the Phoenix Suns for Whether it’s chasing Michael Jor- vance to the Super Bowl. In a de- Los Angeles for one reason: to win ship. Midway through the 2007-08 Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. dan’s six championships or solidi- fensive struggle the Giants again championships. The dynamic duo season, the Lakers acquired Pau After failing to win a champion- fying his reputation as the great- capitalized on a mistake by the did just that and became one of Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies ship in Phoenix, O’Neal moved on est Laker of all time, Bryant will opposing team. Punt returner Kyle the greatest one-two punches in and immediately became a legiti- to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where never stop striving for greatness. Williams fumbled and the Giants recovered. A few plays later, Tynes trotted onto the field to attempt a 31-yard field goal. Tynes kicked “DANZIG” CONTINUED FROM PAGE SIXTEEN the ball through the uprights and gave the Giants another berth in Danzig said he loves pretty his father. ful that can be.” from here.” the Super Bowl. much every part of the game, in- “He and I have a great relation- Danzig plans on playing base- Danzig said the team’s goal is Finally, during the post-game cluding its fast-paced, uncontrol- ship and this year has done noth- ball after the basketball season is not only to win the Landmark celebration, Manning stood on top lable nature as well as its simple ing but strengthen that,” Danzig over. In his free time, Danzig en- Conference Championship but of the platform waiting to receive and strategic aspects. said. “The level of understanding joys playing video games. also to make a run in the NCAA two trophies — just like he did in “For me the best part about the between us is incomparable to “I guess I’m sort of a closet Tournament. 2008. He hoisted both the Lom- game is the fact that your ability any other coaching relationship gamer,” Danzig said. “If anyone “We haven’t made it out of the bardi Trophy and his second Super is rarely defined by one aspect of I’ve had and that makes playing wants to challenge us, my room- first round in something like six Bowl MVP trophy. the game,” Danzig said. “You have all that more enjoyable.” mates and I always have the N64 or seven years so we’re hoping The Giants entered the postsea- so many opportunities to contrib- He also enjoys the bond his ready to go.” to remedy that this postseason,” son with confidence not backed ute to the team that it’s almost im- teammates have with each other. The Royals sit atop the Land- Danzig said. “In order to do that by a stellar regular season. The Gi- possible to be a nonfactor.” “We do a good job balancing mark Conference with a 9-2 con- we’re going to continue to push ants snuck into the playoffs with Danzig’s favorite basketball working hard and having fun and ference record. With three games ourselves every day in practice a 9-7 record. They didn’t secure a player of all time is Reggie Miller. that comes from having a close- left, Scranton has an excellent and be as well prepared as we can berth until their last game of the “He was just a skinny, unas- knit group of guys who know how shot at securing the #1 seed in the be for anything that gets thrown season, but none of that makes a suming guy who always came up to keep each other in check,” Dan- conference tournament. at us.” difference. The Giants went back big and made clutch shots for his zig said. “Despite a relatively slow start Danzig and the Royals will face to their 2007-08 season roots. They team,” Danzig said. “He’s always Danzig is undecided on his ma- and a couple close losses to some off against the Merchant Marine played mistake-free football on of- been someone I’ve look up to from jor, but is interested in procuring a really good teams, we’ve made Academy at 7:30 p.m. Friday and fense and forced timely turnovers the NBA.” job in secondary education. huge strides in the last couple Drew University at 4 p.m. Satur- on defense. As a result, history did Danzig chose The University so “I’d like to become a coach as months,” Danzig said. “We control day. The Royals close out the sea- repeat itself and NFL players, ana- he can stay in his hometown and well, but not at the college level,” our own destiny at this point and son Feb. 18 against Moravian Col- lysts and fans should have seen it have an opportunity to play for Danzig said. “I’ve seen how stress- I’m excited to see where we go lege. coming back in Week 13.