Sweet Home doesn't step up defensively in league games

Sweet Home's girls basketball team didn't make the plays when needed on defense in both of its league games last week and it resulted in two losses.

Sweet Home fell, 49-33, at Lancaster on Jan. 30 and, 43-32, at home to Orchard Park on Friday.

Sweet Home coach Matt LaRoach felt his team did not put together a consistent four quarters of basketball against Lancaster, especially defensively.

"The story was consistency," said LaRoach. "We just did not put four full quarters of basketball together. At the half we were only down two (20-18) but after the third quarter we found ourselves down 15 (43-28). This was the difference in the game. We just had too many defensive breakdowns when we needed stops. I was a little surprised because we are better than that defensively."

"I am disappointed because we just didn't step up in the second half when we needed to," LaRoach added. "Lancaster just simply wanted the game more and that is very frustrating. This game was not about X's and O's but heart."

Kiaya Burks led Sweet Home with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Coretta Davis added 11 points and 14 rebounds.

"I liked the play of Kiaya Burks," said LaRoach. "She is playing more consistent basketball and is doing a nice job inside for us. In addition to Kiaya, I liked the play again of Coretta Davis. Coretta does such a nice job of finding the basketball and has such a knack for rebounding."

Lancaster was led by Barb Kiliszek's 16 points.

LaRoach said the OP game mirrored Lancaster.

"We needed to get defensive stops and we didn't and we needed to step up and make plays and we struggled to do so," he added.

Tied at 24-24 after the third quarter, OP outscored Sweet Home, 19-8.

"This was about who would play down the stretch," said LaRoach. "We didn't help our cause as we just turned the ball over too much and did not get the defensive stops when we needed them."

Sweet Home was led by Ellie Allen's 12 points and five assists and Burks' 10 points and 10 rebounds. OP was led by Mary Ellen Elie's 20 points.

Sweet Home (6-11, 5-7) played at Williamsville North on Tuesday but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press.

"Its simple right now," said LaRoach. "It's February and we have to realize there are two weeks left in the regular season play and then sectionals so it is time for us to answer the bell towards sectionals. We need to get back into practice and focus on defense, push one another in practice, and carry it over to game night."