Drury Girls Pull Away Late to Top Lenox

By Rick DuteauiBerkshires.com Sports
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Haley Shook picked the perfect time to heat up. Drury’s senior guard caught a hot streak just as the action got the closest since the start, and the host Blue Devils raced away to a 53-30 victory over the Lenox Millionaires on Tuesday night at Bucky Bullett Gymnasium.
 
Moments after Lenox pulled within four points to bring the score as close as it had been since the opening minutes, Shook responded for eight straight points that tripled the lead. The Blue Devils (6-5) clicked on all cylinders the rest of the way, closing on a 12-0 run to secure their third consecutive victory.
 
“In our huddle, coach Ian [Downey] told us that we just had to go and do it, and just shoot,” Shook said. “So we knew we had to do this and just break down and shoot it. We just had to keep going, pass the ball and do what we normally do. Everyone just said that we had to do this, so we did. It’s three in-a-row in the Southern Division too, so that is 3-0 in the division. We are very proud of where we have come as a team from last year to this year, and this feels really nice.”
 
Lenox (2-9) played its best basketball in the second half, and the Millionaires clawed their way to within 31-27 when Anna Najimy drained a clean, open shot off a nice feed from Nicole Gamberoni near the end of the third. Drury cooled off considerably in the third, while Lenox found some rhythm and chipped away to make it a tight game again.
 
But that all changed quickly once Shook caught fire. Kayla McGrath stole the ball and fed Shook for a layup just before the end of the third, and Brooke DiGennaro capped great ball movement on the opening possession of the fourth by setting Shook up for an open three-pointer from the arch. The next possession Shook had another good look and she dropped in another triple, before then sharing a defensive rebound and dishing the ball to Tessa Zoito for an open shot from the free-throw line.
 
Gamberoni answered with a 3 to stop the run, but McGrath went right down the court and sunk a trey as well. The Blue Devils were feeling it, and they kept pouring it on and did not allow another score. After struggling to sink shots in the third, Drury executed perfectly down the stretch. DiGennaro drained a deep 3-pointer, and then she displayed excellent passing back-and-forth with Shook on a fast break, resulting in an open layup from Shook that closed out the scoring.
 
“You just have to get back into it. You have to get your mind set on one thing and take your time and shoot the ball,” Shook said. “I made two 3s and Brooke made a 3, and we were on fire from there. I feel like we did really good passing the ball and contributing and not being selfish with the ball. Everyone had their turn to shoot and I just feel everyone worked really hard in the fourth quarter.”
 
Shook led all scorers with 15 points and nine rebounds, and DiGennaro had 14 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists. McGrath had 10 points and Laura Thomas added seven points and three rebounds.
 
The victory had more rewards within, after the way the Blue Devils adjusted and executed in areas they have been focused on improving in. They passed the ball very well all night, and they dominated the glass, best exhibited by the 13 rebounds from junior guard Alison Felix. The team is good at hitting up players in the corners and crashing down the lane, but now the focus is on recognizing when open shots are not there and taking it out and running some offense.
 
“That is one of the things that we need to learn to do better,” Downey said. “We are really good at playing fast, and against certain teams that is good. But against other teams you have got to learn how to slow it down and play a possession. So we are trying to learn how to do that stuff where you can play fast to beat a press, but then slow down to run an offense.”
 
The Millionaires also set goals throughout the action and challenged a young squad to respond. Injuries have limited the team’s depth and veterans are playing lots of minutes, while younger players are also being asked to step in. Lenox had only ten players available on Tuesday, three of them ninth-graders and three were in seventh and eighth-grade.
 
“We’re missing two starters, and we just brought up little Grace Wigington. She’s a seventh-grader, but she’s showing that she can play varsity basketball,” coach Mike Nykorchuck said. “Drury is a really good team and we gave them more than they wanted for three quarters. But they exert so much energy hanging in games that when the fourth quarter comes around there is nothing lef tin the tank. So I’m not going to mark our success on wins and losses right now. It’s on how hard they prepare, and they are giving me that.”
 
Gamberoni led Lenox with 11 points, three rebounds and two steals. Najimy added seven points, while Mia Giordina and Julie Pehlert both had six rebounds each.
 
“We still have a really good chance to make the tournament,” Nykorchuck said. “Last year we had six wins and made a nice run into the tournament. So that is what we are keeping our eye on. If we make the tournament, games like this will make us better. I think we’ll be alright in the long run."
 
Coming off the toughest stretch in its schedule, Drury also focused on the long run after going 2-3 in those games. The team played well during that challenging stretch, and now the goal is to build some momentum and fuel it for a playoff push.
 
“We are on a nice little run right now,” Downey said. “We just want to get to those 10 wins, and if we take care of business and play Drury basketball I am confident we will get those ten wins. Berkshire County is not easy, and next we have a rematch with Monument Mountain. But that is the nice part about Berkshire County: If you get in you’ve played some really good teams, and it has prepared you for the tournament.”
 
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