RANDOLPH _ The first half of the 2026 Morris County Girls Basketball Tournament semifinal between Morristown and Madison was slow-paced. deliberate and relatively polite.

When the second half commenced, though, the game took a turn as both sides wanted to make the leap into the title game and were wiling to do whatever it took to get there.

Colonials coach Allie Ferrara referred to the final two quarters as "wild." Morristown standout Nawel Ibazalene Lefebvre got the feeling that the victory would go to "whoever hustled the most."

Either one of the teams could have been awarded that distinction but it was the Colonials who triumphed, gaining a 37-30 win over the equally hard-charging, determined Dodgers on Friday, Feb. 13 at County College of Morris.

"It was a dogfight," said Ibazalene Lefebvre, who led all scorers with 26 points. "We were all on the floor the whole time. We came to the conclusion in the locker room at halftime that all of our energy on defense was going to transfer to offense. We put our hearts out there."

Second-seeded Morristown (17-6) will face off with Morris Catholic, which notched a 75-45 victory over Chatham in the other semifinal on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m., also at CCM. The Crusaders and Colonials also met in the MCT championship game in 2022, with Morris Catholic coming out on top, 63-35.

Morristown went to a full-court defense after the break in hopes of shutting down No. 3 Madison and boosting its attack. The Colonials aimed to stick to their players, add traps and be in the passing lanes. They eventually accomplished that. However, the Dodgers weren't going to back down and the action was intense.

Madison led 24-19 with 1:18 remaining in the third period after a pair of baskets by Sammy Nielsen. Morristown then outscored the Dodgers 7-2 in a burst bridging the third and fourth quarters to pull even, 26-26.

With 3:48 remaining, Madison regained the lead on a Kate Reigle field goal, 30-29. The 6-foot-1 Ibazalene Lefebvre then scored all but two of the Colonials' last 11 points. Her left-handed layup that banked in off the glass put Morristown in front, 31-30. Next, she made a block on the other end. At 1:04, Ibazalene- scored off an inbounds pass before making a steal. She went 4 for 4 at the free throw line over the last 39.7 seconds.

"I didn't know what to expect but it wasn't that," Ferrara said. "It was heart and hustle. A great battle between two athletic teams in a collegiate gym. It was super exciting. I'm super proud.

"We were passive on offense in the first half. That was part of our problem. The defensive effort was great. The girls all helped. Madison has size and is physical."

Ibazatene-Lefebvre noted that in the second half, she made the most of "a wide-open, left-handed drive" and was able to "kick out to my teammates more often."

Having the opportunity to go against Morris Catholic is something Morristown relishes. The Colonials were ousted from the MCT in the semis last winter by the Crusaders.

"This means so much," Ibazalen Lefebvre said. "Our tournament was cut short by Morris Catholic so to play them again... Our goal is always to be at our best in February and March for the counties and states." 

Morris Catholic, which will be seeking a fifth consecutive MCT crown and 17th overall, registered the first 13 points, six on two 3s by Jax Edelman, to go up 13-0. Chatham's first basket was by senior Ava Paone, who nailed a 3-pointer with 1:32 remaining in the first period.

Edelman scored 16 points while the sharp-shooting Paone knocked down seven baskets from outside the arc to finish with 23 points.