Big first quarter leads South over Amherst
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

A quick start led the Williamsville South girls basketball team to a 62-52 home win over Amherst Central last Thursday. It was the Lady Billies' third ECIC Division II league win of the season.

Sarah Marcus scored 11 of her career-high 23 points, many off of left-handed layups in transition in a 24-10 Lady Billies' first quarter, and Katie Ostroot poured in eight points in the second quarter as South led, 37-24, at halftime. Ostroot, who did not play in the team's earlier meeting won by Amherst, 49-39, finished with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and grabbed 18 rebounds. Marcus added five assists.

"We came out pumped up and ready to go," said South coach Duke McGuire. "The first time we played them we didn't have Katie and played tough, so with her, we knew we had a chance."

Amherst cut the deficit to 44-37 after three quarters, but South outscored the Lady Tigers, 18-15, in the fourth.

Cassiana Hyppolite chipped in nine points and four assists for South.

Duke's daughter, Shannon, paced Amherst with 11 points. She hit a three-pointer in the first, second and fourth quarters and had no turnovers.

It was the last time in the regular season Duke will coach against Shannon. Many years ago, Duke coached Shannon and her Amherst teammates Jodi Battaglia, Daisy Timlin and Mollie Lang in Amherst Youth Basketball.

"It's fun," said coach McGuire. "I think they play a little harder because they want to win. I think our girls play a little harder because I'm over there so it's always a good game. When the game is over, everyone is friends again."

But it's not the last time coach McGuire will be coaching against one of his daughters. Freshman Casey McGuire plays on the Amherst JV.

Timlin scored nine points against South. Jenny Newhouse had five of her nine points in the third quarter. She also blocked a couple shots.

South (6-9) played at Lake Shore on Tuesday, but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. They host Lancaster on Wednesday and West Seneca East on Friday. Both are 7:30 p.m. starts.

Williamsville North

It wasn't meant to be for the Lady Spartans at West Seneca West last Thursday.

North saw a 17-6 first quarter and 26-17 halftime lead shrink to 31-29 after three, and West's Jesssica Cristiano launched a three-pointer with a defender on her from just inside half court to send the game into overtime tied at 51-51. West added seven free throws and a field goal in the extra session to win, 60-54.

A big reason West was able to climb back into the game was because North's top two rebounders, Megan Klansky and Katie Kubala, both 5-foot-11, had fouled out by the fourth. By overtime, Allie Ahern had also fouled out.

Corrin Genovese led all scorers with a game-high 24 points, including a career-high 6-of-9 three pointers. She had four three's by halftime and also blocked four shots.

Klansky and Kubala (seven points each), Jill Piaggione (six points) and Ahern (five points) also contributed.

North didn't need a miracle to lose against Jamestown on Jan. 29. Instead they ran into a faster, bigger and more experienced Red Raider team and lost, 63-31.

The Lady Spartans hung with the No. 1 Western New York large school for a quarter, trailing 14-11, but Jamestown poured it on the rest of the way, leading 33-18 at halftime and 47-24 after three quarters.

Genovese led North with 14 points and hit two three's. Klansky added eight points.

Jamestown's Diane DePane hit six three's for 18 points.

North (5-13, 3-8) played its final home game of the regular season on Tuesday against Sweet Home. Results were unavailable before The Bee went to press.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com