Monday, March 8, 2010
AMHERST - Lindsay Gondek could hardly believe her ears at the first practice of the 2008-09 season.
First-year coach Ted Wilcox had taken over the Smith Academy girls basketball program that year and the Falcons were coming off a 1-19 season.
Monday, March 8, 2010
AMHERST - A dream season for the Amherst Regional girls basketball team ended with a nightmare shooting performance.
After 21 straight wins, the Hurricanes suffered their worst offensive night, and their first loss, of the season 45-39 to East Longmeadow in the Western Massachusetts Division 1 Tournament championship game on Saturday at Curry Hicks Cage.
Monday, March 8, 2010
AMHERST - The Smith Academy girls basketball team was 1.3 seconds and one rebound away from one of the biggest upsets in championship Saturday history.
Instead, perennial superpower Lee got the rebound and the game-tying basket as regulation ended, and went on to earn a 60-56 overtime victory in the Western Massachusetts Division 3 Tournament title game at the Curry Hicks Cage.
Monday, March 8, 2010
AMHERST - When tournament director Lou Conte called the Amherst Regional seniors to midcourt to accept the Western Massachusetts Division 1 Tournament runner-up trophy, it was only fitting that the duo already was wrapped in a tight hug, trying to overcome the realization that their nine years as teammates had ended.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
AMHERST - A dream season for the Amherst Regional girls basketball team ended with a nightmare shooting performance.
After 21 straight wins, the Hurricanes suffered their worst offensive night, and their first loss, of the season 45-39 to East Longmeadow in the Western Massachusetts Division 1 Tournament championship game on Saturday at Curry Hicks Cage.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
AMHERST - The Smith Academy girls basketball team was 1.3 seconds and one rebound away from one of the biggest upsets in championship Saturday history.
Instead, perennial superpower Lee got the rebound and the game-tying basket as regulation ended, and went on to earn a 60-56 overtime victory in the Western Massachusetts Division 3 Tournament title game at the Curry Hicks Cage.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Mariah Lesure has lived her entire life in Amherst.
But it wasn't until last year that the Amherst Regional junior center, who will turn 17 next month, truly grasped the meaning of getting to the Curry Hicks Cage.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
SPRINGFIELD - Seniors Alyssa Leonard and Jenna Klaes vaguely remember attending Amherst Regional girls basketball games as 8th graders.
The Hurricanes, who went 1-19 that year, didn't leave much of an impression on the youngsters. But since reaching high school Klaes and Leonard have certainly left their impression on Amherst.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
AMHERST - Lindsay Gondek had always dreamed about making a game-winning 3-pointer.
On Tuesday night, the Smith Academy senior guard had to settle for a game-winning layup.
With 8.6 seconds remaining in a tied game, Alyssa Klepacki grabbed a defensive rebound and quickly found Gondek on the right sideline. Gondek raced down the court and beat the defense to the basket.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
AMHERST - Brianna Del Valle soared through the air, drew a foul and made the fast-break layup.
As she fell to the ground, all the momentum had swung to the Belchertown girls basketball team late in the third quarter of Tuesday's Western Massachusetts Division 2 Tournament semifinal at Curry Hicks Cage.
When she didn't get up, it all went away.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Undefeated Amherst Regional rolled through the regular season, entered the Western Massachusetts Division 1 Tournament at 20-0 and then lost in its first postseason game to underdog Pittsfield.
No, this isn't a prediction for the girls basketball team's semifinal matchup against the Generals at American International College on Wednesday night.
Friday, February 26, 2010
HADLEY - In the first eight minutes of Thursday night's game, Hopkins Academy's young players looked like seasoned veterans.
The fourth-seeded Golden Hawks controlled the tempo of the game, held an eight-point lead after the first quarter and looked like the better team. That was until Ware's Justine King took over.
Friday, February 26, 2010
SOUTH DEERFIELD - The Belchertown girls basketball team's mantra for this season actually began last year.
After knocking off Commerce in the 2009 quarterfinals of the Western Massachusetts Division 2 Tournament, the Orioles all sang together on the ride home, celebrating their upcoming trip to the Curry Hicks Cage for the semifinals.
Friday, February 26, 2010
PALMER - Hampshire Regional girls basketball coach Desi Vega said his team came into its western Massachusetts Division 2 quarterfinal against unbeaten Palmer with nothing to lose.
With just a few minutes remaining, the Red Raiders were in position to "shock the Pioneer Valley." as Vega told his players before the game.
Friday, February 26, 2010
LEE - The Lee girls basketball team has two standards - balanced scoring and a trademark full-court press defense.
Thursday night, the top-seeded Wildcats used both to beat No. 9 Holyoke Catholic 65-32 in a Western Massachusetts Division 3 quarterfinal game.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
BELCHERTOWN - The basket kept getting smaller and further away for Brianna Del Valle. It was a good thing the senior forward had halftime to regroup.
Del Valle struggled in the first half but broke open in the second to lead the Belchertown girls basketball team to a 51-35 first-round victory over Mount Greylock in the Western Massachusetts Division 2 Tournament.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
WESTHAMPTON - After picking up two fouls 2 minutes, 36 seconds into the game, Hampshire Regional freshman forward Sarah Kober was forced to the bench to watch most of the first half Monday night.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
HUNTINGTON - Good shooters have off nights.
The Holyoke Catholic girls basketball team was just happy to survive Monday when its top two scorers both had miserable nights on the offensive end.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
hadley - Hopkins Academy dominated on both ends of the floor, took a 22-point lead at halftime and extended it to a 30-point victory Monday night in the first round of the Western Massachusetts Division 3 Tournament.
A stingy defense and a well-balanced scoring attack gave No. 4 Hopkins the 64-34 win over No. 13 Dean Tech.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
DIVISION 1 Amherst Regional
Record: 20-0, 10-0 Suburban
Last tournament appearance: Lost to Minnechaug 58-43 in 2009 western Mass. Division 1 quarterfinals
Leaders: Alyssa Leonard (14.3 points per game), Mariah Lesure (11.1), Jenna Klaes (9.2), Brianna Leonard (7), Nicole DeMarchena (5.5)
