South puts on shooting clinic, avenges only league loss
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville South ran the same offense it had been running all season at Hamburg last Friday. The biggest difference was execution.

South shot a school-record 27-of-39 (69.2 percent) from two-point range in a 78-56 drubbing of Hamburg to avenge a 56-51 home loss on Dec. 7. The old school record was 67.5 percent in a game against Springville in 2004-05.

"It was the best offensive execution I've had in a long time," said South coach Al Monaco. "We got out and executed our half-court game. I was impressed by the way our kids played that night."

Frankie Pieri (29 points) shot 14-of-14 from two-point range, breaking Mark Ward's 10-of-10 performance in the 99-00 campaign against Lew-Port. Pieri also attempted and missed his first career three-pointer. He also grabbed nine rebounds.

Adrian Wood was 8-of-9 from two-point range and finished with 23 points. He also hauled in seven rebounds.

South also distributed 27 assists, which is two shy of the school record. Scott Steimer made a career-high 10 to go with two points. Wood dished out seven. Point guard Mark Coppola had six assists, three steals and four points.

"To get that many assists means we were really breaking down their defense for layups," said Monaco.

Hamburg opened with a 4-0 run but it was all South after that. Led by Wood's 11, the Billies took a 24-14 lead after the first quarter, extended it to 42-26 at halftime and were up, 70-41, after three quarters.

Spencer McIntyre added three three's for nine points, two in the first half, along with four rebounds and three steals.

South (7-6, 6-1), winners of its last six ECIC Division II games and seven of its last nine, travel to Amherst (6-6, 5-1) for a huge league game at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. South won the earlier meeting, 74-49. South hosts Bishop-Timon St. Jude at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.