By JIM PIGNATIELLO
Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON — Alannah Driscoll-Sbar is still one month from starting her senior year at Northampton High School, but she already knows where she’s going to college.
The Blue Devils girls basketball standout, who helped Northampton to its first state Division 1 title in March, verbally committed to Fairleigh Dickinson in Teaneck, N.J., last weekend.
“I’m very happy,” Driscoll-Sbar said Thursday. “I’ve always wanted to play (Division I). A lot of people told me that I couldn’t do it, so it makes me really proud to accomplish that goal.”
Driscoll-Sbar will play for coach Pete Cinella, who just finished his first year with the Knights. Cinella previously coached Division II American International College in Springfield. His AIC teams reached the NCAA Tournament nine times in 14 years, including the national championship game in 2006.
“I really liked” Cinella, Driscoll-Sbar said. “I had a chance to take an unofficial visit and I liked the campus. I think it’s a good school for me academically.”
Fairleigh-Dickinson went 13-17 last year and 9-9 in the Northeast Conference. Former Central standout center Esther Wallace will play for the Knights as a freshman this year.
“It’s a nice feeling (to have the decision made) because I can talk to the coach about what I have to work on,” Driscoll-Sbar said. “I want to be ready when I get there as a freshman and this gives me more time to prepare.”
Driscoll-Sbar averaged a team-high 14 points during the regular season as a junior for Northampton and increased her production to 16.2 points per game in the postseason. She scored 20 points against Andover in the 50-37 state championship win.
“I’m looking forward to” the high school basketball season, said Driscoll-Sbar, who enters her senior year with 754 career points. “Hopefully we’ll get back to the point where we can repeat” as state champions.
Jim Pignatiello can be reached at jpignatiello@gazettenet.com.