South's defense doesn't show, Billies lose in first round
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

A lack of total team defense led the Williamsville South boys basketball team to an early exit from the Section VI playoffs.

The fifth-seeded Billies allowed 76 points to 12th-seed Hutch-Tech in a 76-71 Class A-1 prequarterfinal loss last Wednesday at South.

"We played with no emotion and no defensive intensity at all," said Billies coach Al Monaco.

The loss was an upset but South wasn't playing great heading into the playoffs. After starting 11-6, the Billies had lost four out of their last five and in its four losses, allowed more than 70 points.

Hutch-Tech was 5-15 and on a six-game losing streak coming into the game but looked good early on, building an 8-0 advantage in the first 1:30.

South settled down and courtesy of a 40-foot three-pointer by Mark Coppola, went into the second quarter tied at 17-17.

The Billies carried the momentum into the second quarter as with 2:45 remaining in the first half, South was ahead, 30-21. But Hutch-Tech outscored South, 15-2, over the remainder of the quarter to go into halftime up, 36-32.

"We had the game in control and let it get away," said Monaco. "At halftime, I was literally begging them to play defense and with some emotion (in the second half). It's almost a helpless feeling."

Hutch-Tech increased its lead to 42-34 but again, the Billies' offense came to the rescue. A three by Joe Licata put South down only by three, 53-50, at the end of the third.

In the fourth quarter, a layup by Phil Stasiak gave South a 68-67 lead with two minutes remaining but three seconds later, Hutch-Tech beat the Billies down the court and scored on an uncontested layup.

South had chances late to either win the game or force overtime. With 50 seconds left, Licata nailed a three to cut South's deficit to 72-71 but on Hutch-Tech's next possession, forward Justin Hawkins (game-high and career high 28 points) drove past South's Zach Murray uncontested to push Hutch-Tech's lead to 74-71.

South's Tom LiSacchi missed a three with 7.6 seconds left and Hawkins grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Hawkins missed the one-and-one attempt but Hutch-Tech's Wayne Williams, who played for South's JV program last year, outhustled Billie players for the rebound. A Hutch-Tech player hit two free throws to seal the win.

"We had plenty of time to get off a last shot and send it to overtime if we had boxed out on defense," said Monaco.

Tihry Ward scored a career-high 24 for Hutch-Tech, who went on to upset fourth-seed Lake Shore, 52-51, on Friday in the A-1 quarterfinals.

South's offense was good. They made 18 of 34 two-point baskets, seven of 20 threes and 14 of 19 free throws.

"It wasn't our offense that was faltering, but a total breakdown on defense," said Monaco. "We tried a man-to-man defense. We packed all five guys in. We even went to a zone for the first time in five years and it didn't matter. We put up no resistance at all. It was layup after layup."

Hutch-Tech did not score a three-point basket.

South finished the game with 21 rebounds. Monaco said Hutch-Tech probably had at least double the amount of rebounds as his team.

"They had to have scored at least a dozen points on offensive rebounds," said Monaco.

South also committed 18 turnovers.

Stasiak scored 22 points to give him 314 for the season, a new freshman school record. Murray added 16. Licata and Coppola each tallied 12.

Licata made three threes and finished with 74, second all-time in a season and seventh all-time career at South. He hit a three in every game and leads Western New York in the category this season.

South made a school record 175 threes for the season. The old record was 149 set in 1997-98.

Coppola dished out 13 assists, giving him 178 for the season (second all-time at South) and 321 for his career (fourth all-time at South).

South finishes 12-9.

"If you had told me we would win 12 games at the beginning of the season, I would have thought we greatly overachieved," said Monaco. "But there was a span in January where we beat Sweet Home, Hamburg and Williamsville East when they all were ranked in the top 10. I don't know what happened in February and why we didn't have the same enthusiasm and attitude we were playing with but it was gone by the end of the year. So in a way, we badly underachieved."

The good news is South only loses two seniors, Brian Webb and Tin Krempa, and returns most of the nucleus back for next year.