WMass basketball: Granby girls topple PVCA, grab first sectional title since 2007

CHICOPEE — For the Granby girls basketball team to win its first sectional title since 2007, Brenna Moreno needed to be a shooting assassin.

Moreno accepted the challenge and poured in a career high 30 points for the top-seeded Rams in a 64-56 comeback win over No. 3 Pioneer Valley Christian Academy in the Western Mass. Class D championship game on Tuesday night at Herbert Curry Gymnasium.

With a lot of defensive attention going to the paint for Kalli White, the outside opportunities were there for Moreno. The clutch shooting handed Granby a Western Mass. championship at Chicopee Comp High School.

“It’s incredible,” Moreno said. “If you told me before the game that I was going to have 30 points, I would tell you that you are crazy. They weren’t expecting me to shoot like that. I am just grateful that I was able to do that.”

Dave Padavano took over the Granby program last season. In his second season, Padavano brought a sectional title back to the Granby basketball program for the first time in 19 years.

“It’s a long time to hold your breath,” Padavano said. “We started last year and I started four sophomores and a senior. Now started three juniors, a freshman and a senior. They are like my basketball babies. I brought them up. I wanted this for them so badly. I am glad they got it. I’m glad they won.”

Even with all the defensive attention, White fought and clawed her way to 25 points for the Rams. PVCA’s defense held for most of the game, but the Moreno and White duo broke through the gates in the fourth quarter.

“If there’s multiple people on me, I can trust my teammates,” White said. “Me and Brenna have a really good thing going. It’s just like give and go, give and go. It’s really good.”

The Granby team has a lot of chemistry going back years to youth sports.

“I think our bond is just so good,” White said. ” We do so many things as a team together. We play amazing together. We grew up together. “

A seemingly innocuous sequence at the end of the third quarter sparked the fourth quarter comeback for the Rams. Trailing 46-33, Moreno hit a 3-pointer before a White basket in transition. The Rams went into the fourth quarter trailing 46-39. The play reinvigorated the Granby fans who then got loud as the comeback continued into the fourth quarter.

“The fans started to get loud,” Moreno said. “It was the adrenaline. I trusted my teammates and they trusted me with the ball. That helped me to shoot. I play with most of these girls in soccer. We just came off a really great season. We got Western Mass. there, made it to the final four. We have so much chemistry. Our bond is unmatched. When we are in the huddle, we say family every time. Because we are a family. They are like my sisters.”

With the game tied 54-54 in the fourth quarter, Moreno hit a 3-pointer and got fouled. She missed the free throw, but White was there for the putback. Rowan Cook knocked down a clutch shot of her own to give Granby a 62-56 lead. White then went 2-for-2 at the line to close out the Eagles. Moreno had five field goals in the fourth quarter, all from the outside.

Sadie Keegan was a beast on both ends of the floor for the Eagles. Keegan dropped 27 points and guarded the paint ferociously for PVCA. Ella Knox added nine points for the Eagles. After a White basket tied the game, 34-34, the Eagles went on a 12-0 run to gain a 46-34 lead.