South goes three crazy in road victory over rival
Boys basketball
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

The Williamsville South boys basketball team added a new weapon to its rivalry with Maryvale, the three-pointer.

South buried 14 of 30 threes, including eight in the first half, in a 78-68 non-league victory over its former ECIC Division III rival last Friday at Maryvale. The South school record for threes made in a game is 16.

"They were all good shots," said South coach Al Monaco.

Seven different Billies hit from behind the arc. Freshman Joe Licata hit 4 of 8 attempts, including two in the first quarter, to help South jump out to an 18-11 first quarter advantage. He added two more threes in the second quarter as South led, 36-30, at halftime.

Senior center Zach Murray made 3 of 5 three-point attempts as he scored all 13 of his points in the second half. He also grabbed seven rebounds and made three assists.

Junior guard Armaan Wood came off the bench to fire in a three in the first and second quarters. Wood finished the first half with eight points and was one of several reserves who keyed the team in the second quarter because senior guard Brian Webb and freshman Phil Stasiak were each sitting on the bench a minute in with three fouls each. Webb, Stasiak and Murray, all starters, were scoreless in the first half. Freshman guard Aaron Adams scored all seven of his points in the first half, but had four in the second quarter. He hit a three in the first quarter. Junior guard Tom LiSacchi scored five of his six points in the first half. One of his baskets was a three.

"That was the key part of the game," said Monaco. "If those guys don't come through and step up, we're probably going to be down at halftime and on the road it would have been hard to come back."

South's hot shooting continued in the second half. Ahead 41-32, South ran off nine straight points, on the three ball. Murray sank a three and sophomore point guard Mark Coppola hit back-to-back threes to put the Billies ahead, 50-42, three minutes into the third quarter for its biggest lead of the game.

South then went cold from the floor and Maryvale cut its deficit to 55-47 at the end of three.

The Flyers closed the gap to five but a three by Murray and threes on back-to-back possession by Stasiak and Coppola pushed South's lead up to 12.

Licata and Coppola each had 14 points to lead the Billies' offense. Coppola also dished out nine assists, five of which came in the fourth quarter as he was breaking Maryvale's press.

Stasiak scored all 11 of his points in the second half, including a three. Webb added five points, six rebounds and three assists.

South needed the three throughout the game as they were killed on the boards. In the first half, Monaco said his team was outrebounded 20-8 and went to the free throw line once to Maryvale's 17 attempts. South was outfreethrowed 10-1 in the third quarter. The Billies finished 6 of 10. Maryvale went 20 for 34.

South shot 58 percent (15 of 26) from two-point range.

Maryvale was led by Brooks Estarfaa (20 points) and Andre Davis (24 points, 15 rebounds).

The Billies (5-4, 2-2), winners of four of its last five games, host Clarence at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday before a showdown at Williamsville East at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.