BY: Liam Hoffmann
BROCKPORT, N.Y.—The Canandaigua Grey Wolves girls basketball team had lost two of three before beating the Brockport Blue Devils 52-42 on the road. After amassing a 24-20 halftime lead, the Grey Wolves outscored Brockport 22-11 in the third quarter. Leading 46-31 with a quarter left, Canandaigua never relinquished the lead.
“Our assistant coach always says ‘be a dog out there,’” Canandaigua senior Ava Read said. “Intensity is one of our major things we focus on in practice…I think coming off of a loss from Pal-Mac, we definitely wanted to step up.”
Canandaigua senior Julia Geitner ended the first half with one 3-pointer. In the third quarter, she drilled three to spearhead the Grey Wolves’ strong start to the half.
“Coming out of halftime, we really focused on being patient with the ball and slowing down our offense,” Geitner said.
Grey Wolves’ senior Eily Hubler connected on two threes, and junior Leah Sheridan hit one in the frame to build Canandaigua’s lead.
“We made some perimeter shots, though their zone defense is very effective, we were able to bring them out of it at the end of the third because of it,” Canandaigua head coach Mike Brennan said.
Brockport sophomore Janelle Laureano scored two third-quarter threes, but the Blue Devils’ offense found only five other points. Brockport was effective on the offensive glass but failed to convert on second-chance baskets.
“We just wanted to end the game early…in the third quarter, fourth quarter,” Read said. “Keep pushing it, not turning the ball over as much, we just wanted to end the game.”
Hubler finished with three 3-pointers and seven free throws for a game-high 16 points (tied with Brockport junior Alexis Hassall). Geitner posted 12 points.
Turnovers plagued both sides. However, Canandaigua better capitalized on stolen possessions.
“You want to put yourself in a position to get those shots from turnovers, and then we made shots,” Brennan said. “Sometimes, it really is that simple."
“They always play great defense, they’re well-coached, but we didn’t execute well offensively,” Brockport head coach Thomas Velletri said.
The first half was a different story from the second. With that, from the start, Canandaigua’s offense found open threes. Geitner, Hubler and Read each recorded one in the first quarter.
Read’s eight points led the game through eight minutes. She forced three turnovers, turned them into baskets and helped the Grey Wolves end the quarter on a 10-3 run.
Three minutes into the second, Canandaigua hadn’t yet found the basket in the quarter, and Brennan called his first timeout. Out of the break, the Grey Wolves scored two quick baskets and extended their lead to 22-14. That prompted Velletri to call a timeout of his own.
Then, the Blue Devils’ offense put together several positive possessions. They ended the first half on a 6-2 run and tightened the gap headed to the locker room. However, Canandaigua’s third quarter would put the game out of reach.
The Grey Wolves moved to 11-4 with the win. They’ll visit Pittsford Sutherland next Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7:00 p.m.
Brockport fell to 9-6 after the loss. Its bounce-back effort will be the same night at Eastridge. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.
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