Third time’s the charm for Janell Flores, Ridgewood

Ridgewood 43, Elmwood Park 40

THE SKINNY

The Ridgewood girls basketball team avenged a loss to Elmwood Park earlier this season with a three-point victory in Elmwood Park Thursday night.

TURNING POINT

Elmwood Park junior guard Ariana Kelley drained a pair of free throws to cut the Rebels’ lead to 41-40 with 39.7 seconds remaining, and the Tigers sent Ridgewood junior guard Janell Flores to the line on the ensuing possession. Flores missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but Ridgewood sophomore forward Lexie Crotty was able to jump into the lane and grab the offensive rebound. Flores, the team’s best free-throw shooter, wound up with the ball and the Tigers once again sent her to the line. Flores missed the front end of the 1-and-1 for the second straight time, but Crotty grabbed another offensive rebound. The ball again made it back to Flores, and she was sent to the line for the third time in the final 30 seconds. Flores nailed her final two free throws.

THE STAR

Crotty’s pair of offensive rebounds late in the game were huge. She also scored a game-best 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

BY THE NUMBERS

Ridgewood senior forward Amanda Frey was sick the first time the Rebels (4-19 overall, 2-5 Metro Suburban) and Tigers played this season, forcing her to miss the game. She was a difference maker on Thursday as she scored six points and pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds. Kelley and senior point guard Koraima Marroquin both had 10 points to lead Elmwood Park.

BY THE NUMBERS

“Everything.” — Frey said when asked what beating Elmwood Park means to the Rebels. Elmwood Park is Ridgewood’s biggest rival.