Sacred Heart beats Nardin in tournament final
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

A few of the faces have changed from last year’s roster but Sacred Heart still has Nardin’s number in girls basketball.

For the fifth straight time, the Sharks were victorious over the Gators, this time a 44-41 win Friday in the finals of the 21st Al & Rose Pastor Tournament at Daemen College. Sacred Heart won all four meetings over Nardin last year, including a 40-36 decision to win the Monsignor Martin Association title.

Trailing 16-13 at halftime, the Sharks adjusted their defensive philosophy in the third quarter which enabled Sacred Heart to outscore Nardin 18-10.

“They were getting the shot from the baseline wing,” said Sacred Heart coach Sister Maria Pares. “We were bringing one of our two low players outside and by doing that we gave up the inside rebound and a shot from the outer corner. We made an adjustment there and then we started to take some shots.”

Up 40-38 with under 1:30 left, Sacred Heart’s Katie Keller (nine points) hit a jumper off a screen from Krystal Watson. Watson also set a great screen in the third for Gina Ricotta (13 points), who dished it to MVP Meaghan Daley. Daley finished with 16 points.

Pares said all 11 of her players saw action.

“This game was good for us, especially for the younger kids who’ve never played under pressure like that,” said Pares.

Sacred Heart beat Niagara Falls, 66-33, on Dec. 5 to play Nardin. The Sharks led 33-12 at halftime. Every Sacred Heart player scored. Liz Subject led the team with 11 points.

“Niagara Falls is very quick, gets up and down the floor and can penetrate so I think the game was good for us because we hadn’t seen a team like that before this season,” said Pares.

Sacred Heart, 4-0, faced Hutch-Tech in a non-league game on Monday then plays at Canisius High School at 4:30 p.m. Friday against St. Francis Prep of New York City in the inaugural Tom Keenan Memorial Tournament.

Williamsville North

Eighth graders Corrin Genovese, Allie Ahern and Jen Piaggione came off the bench to score 26 points in North’s 36-25 home win over Frontier on Dec. 5.

Genovese scored a team-high 13 points in her first game of the season. She had been out with a broken finger. Piaggione scored seven. Ahern had six.

North led 6-4 after the first quarter, 19-8 at halftime and 32-17 after the third quarter.

Eight Lady Spartans scored.

Two days later, North outscored Clarence 18-12 in the second half, including 13-3 in the fourth, but a poor first half resulted in a 44-30 road loss.

Clarence outscored North 17-7 in the first quarter and were ahead 32-12 by halftime.

Katie Kubala, North’s only tall player, picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter and a third a minute into the second quarter.

“Once Katie went out, we didn’t make any adjustments fast enough,” said North coach Mike DelValle. “They were getting two, three or four shots on the rebounds. When you take that many shots, eventually they’re going to go in.”

With Kubala out, Katie Lancelloti (11 points) was tough inside for Clarence. Holly Trabis led all scorers with 14 points.

Kubala had six points. Genovese led North with nine points. Nine of ten North players scored.

DelValle said his team’s pressure defense and bench were stronger than Clarence’s in the fourth.

North (2-3) played Orchard Park on Tuesday but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. They host West Seneca West at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

“They’re doing everything we’ve asked them,” said DelValle. “They’ve been improving every game.”