South boys hoops finally beats Maryvale
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Maryvale has had Williamsville South's number in boys basketball for years. Not anymore.

South, who had lost to the Flyers the last three years for the top spot in ECIC Division III and were beaten 63-60 in triple overtime in the consolation game of this season's Lake Shore Lions Club Tournament, finally avenged all of their defeats with a 58-55 non-league home win on Feb. 12.

In the team's earlier meeting this season, Maryvale's Matt Mohr sank a 65-foot shot to win the game. This time, South's Pat Pidgeon drained a three from his favorite corner of the South gym with 11 seconds remaining to clinch the Billie victory. The play was set up after Maryvale's zone defense collapsed on Scott Steimer, who kicked it back to Pidgeon.

Pidgeon was playing in place of Frank Pieri (10 points, nine rebounds), who fouled out. He hit two other threes in the game but his shot at the end counted the most.

"I called a timeout with 30 seconds left and he asked me 'does it matter which corner I can set?' said South coach Al Monaco. "At the time, I thought that was a little odd, but after the game, he told me he wanted to go to that corner. In practice, he shoots three after three from that corner."

Besides a 11-0 South run to open the game, it was the usual competitive contest out of each team. South led, 16-9, at the end of the first quarter. Maryvale tied it up at 16-16 in the middle of the second quarter but the Billies answered with a 7-0 run. South was ahead, 32-29, at halftime, and, 50-41, after the third quarter.

The Flyers were up, 55-54, with 1:05 remaining in regulation before Steimer was fouled and made one of two free throws to tie it up. With 43 seconds to play, South forced a Maryvale inbounds pass out of pass. Pidgeon scored on the next possession. Maryvale got off a contest three at the buzzer.

"Beating a quality opponent like Maryvale and making plays at the end was a big confidence booster for us going into the playoffs," said Monaco.

Mark Coppola led South with 13 points and dished eight assists. Adrian Wood added 12 points.

South closed out the regular season second place in ECIC II with a 68-58 home win on Friday over Iroquois. The game was supposed to be played on Feb. 13 but was postponed because of wintry weather.

The Billies were in control the entire way, leading, 41-24, at halftime and, 60-36, after the third quarter.

P.J. Coppola, starting for Spencer McIntyre who was at a scheduled volleyball tournament, scored 10 of his career-high 15 points in the first quarter. Pieri added 14 points. Wood had eight points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Junior Brian Webb scored 10 points.

South (11-9, 9-3) is seeded second in the Section VI Class A-1 quarterfinals and will host either seventh-seed Grand Island or tenth-seed Hutch-Tech on Friday.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com