South's defense has Jekyll and Hyde moments
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Playing good team defense is a huge reason why any basketball team sees success and Williamsville South boys hoops saw both sides of the spectrum last week.

The Billies (12-8, 7-5) held Depew scoreless over the last 1:58 for a 62-59 comeback win last Tuesday at South and lost, 71-61, last Thursday at Lake Shore.

"Whether or not we play defense determines how good of a team we are," said South coach Al Monaco. "Against Depew, we showed it. Against Lake Shore, we didn't."

The win over Depew snapped the Wildcats' 10-game win streak. Depew only has two losses all season and is the ECIC Division III champion.

Trailing Depew, 59-55, late in the fourth, South scored the final seven points to record a big non-league victory.

Mark Coppola only scored three points in the game but hit them when they counted, draining a two-pointer and hitting 1 of 2 free throws to cut South's deficit to 59-58.

Phil Stasiak followed with a 1 of 2 free throws to tie the game. With 10 seconds left, Coppola drove down the lane and kicked it out to Joe Licata, who made a three-pointer from the corner with seven seconds remaining.

Depew's Tyler Stevens, who already had hit three threes, got off an open look at a three but he missed it. Stevens finished with 18 points.

It was the third time this season South had shut out an opponent in the final two minutes of the game and won. They also accomplished the feat against Fredonia and Sweet Home.

Licata and Stasiak combined for 18 points in the first quarter to help the Billies build an 18-12 advantage. Licata hit two threes and 2 of 2 free throws; Stasiak hit a three and 5 of 6 free throws.

Stasiak nailed a three at the halftime buzzer to put South ahead, 33-31. Depew led, 49-47, after the third quarter.

Licata and Stasiak each finished with 19 points. Licata hit 5 of 7 threes. Stasiak went 2 for 4 from behind the arc. South made 8 of 13 three-point attempts.

Tim Krempa came off the bench and scored five points and brought down seven rebounds.

"He also played great defense and was really a key player in the middle for us in the second half," said Monaco.

Coppola, who had the flu, had eight assists.

South made 13 of 26 two-pointers and 12 of 18 from the foul line.

The loss to Lake Shore was huge. Along with losing to them for the second time this season, it cost the Billies a share of the division title and a first round bye in the Section VI Tournament.

South appeared to be in control, going into halftime with a 32-24 advantage.

But Lake Shore scored the first 10 points of the third quarter to lead 34-32.

"We were not attacking their 3-2 zone well at all so I put in Krempa and Zach Murray on the floor at the same time and both gave us good defense," said Monaco. "By the end of the third quarter, we were up 48-40."

In the fourth quarter, South's defense completely broke down, allowing seven different Lake Shore players to score 31 points.

"We broke down on defense badly," said Monaco. "With four minutes to go, we were up by five and Kyle DeNisco hit three straight threes over a stretch of 45 seconds to put them up four. We never recovered."

DeNisco scored 11 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter. Center Sean Bellomo scored 18.

South shot 20 of 62 (13 of 28 twos, 7 of 24 threes) from the floor.

"I thought our shot selection was poor and we got killed on the boards," said Monaco.

South did make 14 of 18 free throws.

Murray led with 19 points and nine rebounds. Stasiak added 17, Licata had 12 and Coppola chipped in seven points and seven assists.

Coppola has 409 career points and 308 assists. Licata has 71 threes this season, which is second all-time in a season for South.