North overcomes nerves, defeats Lancaster
Girls basketball
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville North's Corrin Genovese splits Lancaster defenders Courtney Manhard and Kristen Sullivan for a shot. North beat Lancaster, 42-28, last Friday at North. Genovese led North with 10 points. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Williamsville North girls basketball coach Mike Del Valle could sense the tension from his team in the locker room prior to its home game last Friday night against Lancaster.

"You could cut it with a knife," said Del Valle. "They were nervous."

North overcame its nerves to beat Lancaster, 42-28, in the first game of a doubleheader with the North and Lancaster boys. Prior to the boys game, North inducted seven alum into its Athletic Wall of Honor.

North looked bad in the first quarter but Lancaster wasn't great either.

Neither team scored until Lady Spartan freshman Allie Ahern hit one of two free throws with 4:08 left in the quarter. Lancaster's Maria Kotas hit a two-point basket at the first quarter buzzer to put the Lady Redskins ahead, 9-6.

In the second quarter, North held Lancaster to one field goal, a basket by Courtney Manhard (eight points), and the Lady Spartans scored 10 points, to head into halftime ahead, 16-11.

The game stayed close after three with North ahead, 27-23.

In the fourth, North outscored Lancaster, 15-5. The Lady Spartans got good balanced scoring. Allie Ahern scored five points, Katie Kubala had four, Corrin Genovese hit a three, Katherine Klein had two, and Leslie Ahern hit a free throw.

Del Valle said his team alternated defenses throughout the game between man-to-man, 2-3 trap and 2-3 match-up which threw Lancaster off balance.

Corrin Genovese led North with 10 points, five steals and four assists.

"She was so upset after the game," said Del Valle. "She said 'I really stunk' and I said, 'you know you're not going to play a great game every game but you did other things well like playing good defense and moving and protecting the ball. What is important is that the team wins.' She said 'yeah, but I really shot bad.'"

Allie Ahern tacked on nine points and Kubala and Leslie Ahern each had eight points. Kubala also blocked six shots and made three steals. Leslie Ahern grabbed five rebounds.

Junior Maddie Genovese banked in a three as the shot clock was winding down in the third quarter. She also had four steals and three assists. Megan Klansky and Emily Helwig each scored a two-point basket. Eighth grader Nikki Attea grabbed five rebounds.

North shot 6 for 27 from twos and threes in the first half. They finished 15 for 53. They committed only 12 turnovers.

The Lady Spartans opened the week with a 50-16 thumping over West Seneca West last Thursday at home.

North led, 8-3, after the first quarter, 26-11, at halftime, and 32-12, after the third quarter.

The Lady Spartans shot 18 for 63 from the floor and 11 of 23 from the foul line.

Attea recorded her first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Six of the 11 rebounds came on the offensive glass. She also blocked three shots.

"She's been playing well over the last five or six games," said Del Valle. "The more experience she gets, the more confidence she has."

Maddie Genovese had nine points and six rebounds. Corrin Genovese tossed in seven points, five steals and two assists.

Klansky and Kubala each scored five. Helwig, Allie Ahern and Leslie Ahern each scored four points. Leslie Ahern grabbed eight rebounds. Kat Klein scored two points.

The two wins evened North's record to 5-5 in ECIC Division I and 8-8 overall but the Lady Spartans closed out its week with a 55-39 loss against Holy Angels at Timon. The game was originally supposed to be played on Jan. 26.

"We ran out of steam," said Del Valle. "They outplayed us and we did not perform to our level."

North led, 10-8, after the first quarter, but Angels took a 25-19 advantage into halftime. Angels was ahead, 37-25, after the third quarter.

Del Valle said his team had cut its deficit to five with about four minutes remaining but fouled to stop the clock. Angels hit 10 of 16 from the foul line in the fourth. They shot 20 of 32 in the game.

North shot 5 of 7 from the free throw line in the fourth and 8 of 16 in the game.

Corrin Genovese led North with 10 points followed by nine points from Allie Ahern.

Guard Marissa Pullo led Angels with 16 points and had double digit steals, said Del Valle.

"She was a thorn in our side," said Del Valle. "We kept forcing passes in areas that she was in."

Del Valle said his team had over 30 turnovers.

"It's impossible to win when you turn the ball over that many times," said Del Valle.

Corrin Genovese led North with 10 points followed by nine from Allie Ahern. Klein (five points), Kubala (four points), Helwig, Leslie Ahern and Klansky (three points each) and Maddie Genovese (two points) also scored for the Lady Spartans.

North (8-9) plays at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at Clarence.