DRIBBLING — Madonna’s Gia Riccadonna dribbles down the court during Thursday’s game against Clarksburg Notre Dame. (Photo by Andrew Grimm)

WEIRTON — Trailing by two points at halftime, Madonna girls head coach Rodney Boniti was not happy with the way his team was playing, and he let it know.

The No. 6 ranked Blue Dons responded and stopped Clarksburg Notre Dame — the first non-ranked team receiving votes in the latest Class A AP Poll — 37-30 Thursdya night on the JoAnna Bernabei-McNamee Court inside the Bill Barrett Gymnasium.

“We challenged them at halftime,” Boniti said of his team. “They didn’t play a very sharp or a very crisp first half. I think (Notre Dame’s) defensive 1-3-1 strategy kept us out of rythm. We weren’t in attack mode. We talked at halftime about getting our minds focused back on attack mode.

“I think the ball movement was a lot better in the second half. I think the dribble penetration was a lot better, which created a lot of opportunities.”

Taylor Martino scored 13 of her game-high 17 points for Notre Dame (11-6) in the first half. At halftime, the Blue Dons (14-4) made an adjustment and shut her — and the rest of the Irish — down in the second half.

“To hold a team like that to 30 points overall, two points in the third and 12 points in the second half is a pretty good defensive effort,” Boniti said. “Coach (David) Lammers decided to go to a box-and-one on Martino in the second half, and I think we did an excellent job in lock down mode on her. I think it took them out of rythm. Once we took the ball out her hands, they struggled.”

After Notre Dame made the first shot of the third quarter — its only points of the stanza — for a four-point lead, Madonna scored the next eight. It went on a 12-2 run that spanned deep into the fourth quarter, and it was on top by six points, 28-22.

“We didn’t hit shots,” Notre Dame coach Bob Martino said. “We are a good team when we hit them, but we haven’t been lately, and that’s how we get the losses. It’s pretty simple — we’ve got to put the ball in the hole. They went box-and-one (on Taylor Martino), and that bothered us. We needed someone to step up and make some shots, and we just didn’t do it.

“(Madonna) has a nice team. They are well-coached. It’s a tough environment to play in. It was a fun game to play in. We just came out on the wrong end.”

Notre Dame battled back to within three points twice with less than three minutes to play, but never pulled even. Madonna pulled back away by as many as nine points before winning by seven.

“My hats off to Bob and his team,” Boniti said. “They play a heck of schedule and have been in the top 10 all year. I can see why. That is a team that is going to be competing to get down to Charleston and are going to be dangerous. We’re lucky to get out of this one with a win.”

Kennedy Martin led the Blue Dons with 14 points. She had four blocks, including a key one late in the game that prevented the Irish from getting any closer than three points. Andrea Alimario finished with nine points, while Gabby Staffileno and Jazzy Melnyk each scored five points.

Notre Dame plays at Lewis County on Monday.

Madonna continues a tough stretch on Saturday, hosting No. 3 Magnolia at noon. The Blue Dons then open the OVAC tournament as the top seed in Class 1A against No. 8 Trinity Christian on Monday at home.

“It doesn’t get any easier,” Boniti said. “The path ain’t getting any easier. We knew this was a tough schedule. The girls know it’s a tough schedule. They are staying on the pedal right now and staying focused and finding ways to win.”

GAME NOTES

¯ No jayvee contest was played.

(Grimm can be reached at agrimm@heraldstaronline.com)

Madonna 37, Notre Dame 30

Notre Dame 12-6-2-10 — 30

Madonna 9-7-7-14 — 37

NOTRE DAME (11-6): Yokum 3 0-0 6; Turner 0 0-0 0; Henderson 1 0-0 3; Argotti 1 0-0 2; Martino 6 3-4 17; McKeen 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 12 3-4 30.

MADONNA (14-4): Boniti 1 0-0 2; Riccadonna 1 0-0 2; Saffileno 2 1-4 5; Battista 0 0-0 0; Melnyk 2 1-2 5; Alimario 4 1-1 9; Martin 6 1-3 14. TOTALS: 16 4-10 37.

3-POINT GOALS: Notre Dame 3 (Martino 2, Henderson); Madonna none. TURNOVERS: Notre Dame 10; Madonna 15.