Sweet Home wins nail-biter over Williamsville North

It wasn’t easy but Sweet Home was able to hold off Williamsville North, 53-51, at home on Thursday in ECIC Division I varsity girls basketball action.

North led, 47-46, with five minutes left in the game but costly turnovers resulted in a four-point Sweet Home advantage 3½ minutes later. North cut it to two then had a look with about three seconds left but the ball rimmed out. Sweet Home inbounded to seal a hard-fought victory.

“I wish we would have done a few things differently but I guess a win is a win and our girls hung tough,” said Sweet Home coach Matt LaRoach.

“We didn’t get that big stop when we took a lead,” said North

coach Mike DelValle. “Plus they were much more experienced than us and their pressure forced mistakes.”

North opened the game with a 9-0 run and was ahead, 15-11, by the end of the first quarter. Sweet Home mixed up its defenses in the second quarter to outscore the Lady Spartans, 19-6, to spark a 30-21 halftime advantage. The Lady Panthers were up, 40-35, after the third quarter.

Coretta Davis (16 points, 13 rebounds), Kiaya Burks (13 points, 18 rebounds) and Ellie Allen (12 points, 10 rebounds) each posted a double-double. Nadia Durno pulled down 10 rebounds.

“We did a better job on the boards but I sill think our defense and finishing needs to improve,” LaRoach said. “This is a great team victory for our kids and I am glad to see our continued progress everyday in practice and games.”

Amanda Cannizzo scored eight points and was 6-of-7 from the free throw line. Sweet Home was 17-for-29 overall from the line.

North’s Corrin Genovese led all scorers with 23 points.

“Although she’s in eighth grade, she was the best player on the floor in our last two games, counting everyone on the other teams too,” said DelValle.

Katie Kubala added 14 points for the Lady Spartans.

Sweet Home and North each posted a loss earlier in the week. Last Tuesday, Sweet Home fell at home to Clarence, 63-48. North lost a non-league home game to Holy Angels, 44-32 last Monday. DelValle left Holy Angels in 2002 after winning 13 Monsignor Martin Association titles in 16 years. He had a 213-24 record.

LaRoach said he was pleased with his team’s nice start against Clarence, leading, 13-11, after the

first quarter but they hit a dry spell offensively and defensively and turned over the ball in the second and third quarters. Sweet Home trailed, 26-35, at halftime and, 42-32, after the third quarter.

“We needed to get defensive stops in the second and third quarter and we just did not make those plays,” LaRoach said. “Give Clarence credit. They hung tough and made plays every quarter.”

The Lady Panthers cut Clarence’s double-digit lead to four with about five minutes to go in the game but could not get closer.

Clarence was also more aggressive to the basket, making 17-of-24 attempts to Sweet Home’s 6-for-8.

“That’s not enough for us,” said LaRoach. “We talked about the importance of getting to the free throw line. We need to do a better job.”

Allen (17 points) and Burks (15 points) scored in double figures. Cannizzo and Durno chipped in six points each.

Clarence was led by Brianna Nemmer’s 18 points, Holly Travis’ 16 points, and Katie Lancelotti’s 12 points.

Two early fouls in the first quarter and another in the third from Kubala made it hard for North to rebound offensively or defensively, DelValle said.

“We have to her on the offensive and defensive boards,” said Del- Valle.

Despite foul trouble, Kubala led North with 11 points. Allie Ahern chipped in four points and nine rebounds.

Holy Angels led 21-19 at halftime. Abby Franckowk led Angels with 15 points.

Sweet Home (3-5, 3-2) and North (3-6, 2-4) return to action in the Williamsville East Girls Basketball Tournament on Thursday and Friday at East. On Thursday, North opens with Williamsville South at 4 p.m. followed at 6 p.m. by Sweet Home versus East.

”I’m happy with the way we’re progressing,” said DelValle. “They keep improving. By the end of the year, we’re going to be young but dangerous.”

(Patrick J. Nagy contributed to this article)