Maturing Billies upset Flames
Boys basketball
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville South's Mark Coppola, far left, and Zach Murray, far right, tries to stop Williamsville East's Adam Burtch. Coppola and Murray each had career-days to help South beat East, 70-65, last Friday at East to improve its record to 7-4 overall and 3-2 in ECIC Division II. Coppola scored a career-high 24 points. Murray added a career-high 22 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

The Williamsville South boys basketball team is growing up in a hurry.

The Billies, who opened the season 1-3, improved to 7-4 overall and 3-2 in ECIC Division II with a stunning 70-65 upset last Friday over its biggest rival, Williamsville East, at East. The loss dropped East to 7-4, 3-2.

South has one senior on its roster and starts a sophomore and several freshmen.

"I don't think a lot of people thought we could pull this off," said South coach Al Monaco after the game. "The only thing I can say is these kids are special."

"It was huge because everyone didn't think we were going to win but we believed we were going to and pulled it out," added sophomore point guard Mark Coppola, who scored a career-high 24 points and five rebounds to lead the Billies.

South used its trademark hot shooting (16 of 35 two-pointers, 9 of 27 three-pointers) and quickness to stymie the Flames.

After East ran off the first six points of the game, South tied the game at 10-10 after three-pointers by freshman Joe Licata and speedy sophomore guard Mark Coppola. South took its first lead at 14-12 after a bucket by junior Zach Murray and never lost it the rest of the game, extending it to 23-14 at the end of the first quarter and 40-26 at halftime.

East cut South's advantage to 46-45 in the third quarter but South held its composure and did not let them take the lead.

The Billies took a 53-48 advantage into the final stanza and extended it to 64-57 thanks to back-to-back threes by Murray and another three by Coppola. (Each hit three threes in the game.)

Coppola hit 3 of 4 free throws, including two with 5.3 seconds remaining to seal the Billies' win. East had missed several open shots late before Kevin Castine fouled Coppola.

"During practice, we go hard and never get down," said Murray, who scored a career-high 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and had three steals. "Even when we lost that big lead, we kept our heads up."

"You can't play afraid," added Coppola. "We played with composure."

South freshman Phil Stasiak added 20 points, four rebounds and three assists and took a charge late in the fourth from East's 6-foot-6 senior center Brian Wallden.

Wallden almost single-handedly brought the Flames back into the game. The 6-foot-6 senior center scored 24 of his 32 points in the second half. He hit two threes and grabbed 20 rebounds.

"We relied too much on Wallden," said East coach Dennis Belote. "As far as I'm concerned, we have to play a better first half and finish a game."

Aaron Tichenor added nine points, six assists and eight rebounds and Peter Heim scored eight for East. Castine had five points and six assists. Adam Burtch came off the bench with five points and five assists. Mark Guenther added two points. Dave Mernan added a point.

Brian Webb had a point, four rebounds and three assists for South. Joe Licata added three points.

South committed only five turnovers.

South used a 22-8 run in the fourth quarter to put away Clarence, 78-57, in a non-league game on Wednesday at South.

The Billies led, 26-18, after the first quarter, 42-38, at halftime, and 56-49, after the third quarter, before South's speed wore down the Red Devils.

Monaco said a key spark came with three minutes remaining in the third from junior Tom LiSacchi. LiSacchi scored seven points and grabbed four rebounds.

"He provided an intangible," said Monaco.

Murray led South with 18 points, five rebounds and four steals. Coppola added 17 points and 14 assists. The 14 assists gave him 226 for his career, moving him into fifth place all-time at the school. Including the East game, Coppola has 229 career assists. Stasiak chipped in 16 points, five rebounds and five steals. Licata poured in 11.

South hit eight of 20 threes (Licata, three; Coppola, two; Webb, Stasiak and Aaron Adams, one). The Billies were 18 of 35 from two-point range.

East lost to South much like it did at St. Joe's, 56-54, last Tuesday.

The Flames fell behind, 31-17, at halftime and, 41-31, after three quarters. East got within four with 1:30 remaining but Belote said his team made some turnovers.

With the game tied at 54-54, St. Joe's inbounded the ball and with six seconds to play, Phil Scaffidi (19 points) hit a jumper to put the Marauders ahead.

Belote instructed his team to find the open player on the wing for a shot but his team took too much time and Heim through up a 30-footer that hit the rim. Heim led East with 15 points.

Wallden scored only 10 points but shot 2 of 11 from the field. He did grab 16 rebounds and block two shots.

Guenther tossed in six points and six rebounds. Tichenor scored all eight of his points in the fourth quarter. Six came from the foul line. He also had seven rebounds.

Mike Silvestri came off the bench and scored six points and held Matt Spitler to eight points.

"I was really proud of the kids," said Belote. "They didn't want to lose. We really took it to them in the fourth quarter. Our defense was forcing them to turn the ball over. Castine was also giving their point guard, Phil Maiarana (nine points), all kinds of fits."

South hosted Lake Shore on Tuesday but the result was unavailable before The Bee went to press. They host Hamburg at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.

East hosted Iroquois on Tuesday but the result was unavailable before The Bee went to press. The Flames play at West Seneca East at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and host Lancaster at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.