Basketball

Back in the groove

Burnside’s six three-pointers pace S.S. Seward to convincing win over the Bears

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — It was a wild and wooly ride for the Lady Spartans in the Billy Moran Tip Off Classic Tournament, held at Sullivan West High School on January 26 and 27.

But in the end, S.S. Seward exited the tourney with a renewed sense of confidence and purpose after downing Tri-Valley 58-22 in the consolation game that followed the Lady Spartans’ crushing loss to Onteora in the opening round.

The tournament is a fundraiser dedicated to the memory of Billy Moran, a former Delaware Valley High School stellar athlete, who died in an April 1981 car accident in Florida, while on a spring training with his college baseball team from Utica.

His parents, Kathleen and William, set up a scholarship fund to award a student who most embodies those qualities that defined Billy’s life: exceptional athleticism, fine scholarship and impeccable character. The award, which existed for 23 years at Delaware Valley, is now part of the Sullivan West tradition.

Ironically, the untimely death of Sullivan West junior Scott Krantz from a vehicle crash on November 29, 2006 had forced the postponement of this year’s girls tourney.

Lady Spartans lose a tough one in the first round to Onteora

Coming off a six-game winning streak, S.S. Seward played an inconsistent game in the opening round against the Lady Indians of Onteora, despite getting off to a good start.

Riding a three-pointer in the opening frame from Jillian Harter and a pair from downtown, courtesy of Brooke Burnside, the Lady Spartans nursed a narrow 15-14 lead after the first quarter. They built it into a 10-point spread at the half.

But Onteora’s effective trapping defense, coupled with Seward’s failure to rebound in the third quarter, enabled the Lady Indians to outscore the Lady Spartans 22-6 to take a 42-36 lead heading into the final frame.

S.S. Seward valiantly fought back late in the fourth quarter, as Patricia Collins tied it with a put-back of a weak side rebound and Burnside got the lead with her fourth trey of the day. Onteora eighth grader Julia Hinchey answered right back. The young phenom, who is the granddaughter of Congressman Maurice Hinchey, received an inbounds pass beyond the arc and buried a three for the tie.

She then went on to hit six-for-six from the charity stripe to ice the 55-51 win which sent Onteora into the championship game with Sullivan West and dropped the Lady Spartans into the consolation round against Tri-Valley, who was crushed 71-20 by Sullivan West in its opening round.

S.S. Seward coach Joe DiMattina was unhappy with the first-round loss and stunned by his team’s disappearance in the third quarter. “We looked like deer in the headlights out there,” he noted, lamenting that the only rebounds recorded came from center Kathleen Folkl.

DiMattina understands that if his team is to have a chance in the daunting Class D wars still to be fought against defending champion Chapel Field and runner up John A. Coleman Catholic, his team has to go on the attack and not stand around waiting for things to happen. Chapel Field won the first match-up against Seward earlier this season by the score of 51-39.

When Onteora turned up the heat in this one, S.S. Seward didn’t appear to be up to the task. “We failed to attack,” DiMattina said.

The Lady Indians would go on to play Sullivan West close to the vest until the Lady Bulldogs blew the game open with a 16-4 fourth quarter to take the tourney title. As it turned out, Onteora would ultimately suffer from the same kind of inconsistency that plagued S.S. Seward in its opening round game.

Young Tri-Valley Bears overmatched against hungry Lady Spartans

Tri-Valley found itself in the consolation round of the tournament following a one-sided 71-20 loss to eventual tournament champion Sullivan West. In the game against S.S. Seward, they quickly fell behind as the Lady Spartans got out to a quick start with a pair of buckets from Courtney Howell and one from Vivien Greiser. Tri-Valley answered with points from Kelly McNamara and Jakki Pugh to pull within two at 6-4. The Lady Spartans then reeled off seven straight points to end the quarter and never looked back.

Brook Burnside did much of the damage with six threes on the night, getting three each in the second and third quarters against Tri-Valley’s zone defense that afforded her loads of space.

In an earlier match up between the two teams in Florida, NY, Tri-Valley coach Karen Andrews had her team trying to man the Lady Spartans to little avail. The Lady Spartans posted Folkl down low and proceeded to drub Tri-Valley 69-15. The Bears’ zone strategy worked a little better, but the Lady Spartans’ inside-out play between Folkl and Burnside was nearly as deadly this time out.

Often a step behind the resurgent Lady Spartans, Tri-Valley (3-10) sent Seward (9-6) to the line for 13 attempts. They made eight of them. Seward’s helping defense also forced 19 Tri-Valley turnovers.

There were some bright spots for the young Bear cubs, who will retain a strong nucleus for next year’s run. Skylar Musa hustled and dove for every ball. Lauren Wilsen did a fine job of finishing shots. Miranda Benevides led the Bears with eight points and McNamara had five.

Musa joined Burnside, who had 10 three-pointers over two games, in being named to the All-Tournament team that would ultimately also be comprised of Onteora’s Hinchey and Kira Wrixon and Sullivan West’s Rachel Houghtaling. Sullivan West’s Sarah Lander was designated as the tournament’s MVP.

While Tri-Valley closes out the remainder of this season, playing hard with next year looming large in its viewfinder, S.S. Seward resumes its hunt to recapture the Class D title from defending champs Chapel Field, which the Lady Spartans won two years ago before their one-year hiatus in Class C. In the interim, Chapel Field roared all the way to last year’s state final before losing to South Kortright.

With an upcoming game scheduled against the Lady Lions on February 1, and one the following week against Class D runner up John A. Coleman Catholic, DiMattina and his ladies in orange will have a better idea how they are apt to fare once sectionals arrive. With a 5-1 record in their league, the Lady Spartans haven’t ruled out the notion of winning the division.