Drury Comes Back on Hoosac Valley to Advance to State Semi-Finals

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Drury girls basketball team booked its ticket to the Final Four with a 47-41 win over rival Hoosac Valley on Friday night.

 

The old saying goes that it is hard to beat a team three times in a season, and for most of the first quarter it looked like Hoosac Valley was ready to play spoiler against the No. 1 seeded Blue Devils (19-5).

 

The intensity in the gym was clear as both teams struggled to find their footing early. The Hurricanes controlled much of the first quarter, speeding Drury up and forcing several unforced turnovers. Combined with good shooting from unlikely sources, Hoosac Valley jumped out to a 16-5 lead after one.

 

In the second quarter, the Blue Devils started to get things going when Ella Bond knocked down back-to-back three pointers, followed by another from Delaney Hayden to spark a quick 9-0 run in just about a minute. Drury began to piece together defensive stops with timely baskets, cutting the deficit to five midway through the quarter.

 

“Hoosac made shots in that first quarter. For the most part our game plan was executed, but some of their role players knocked down big shots,” Drury head coach Ian Downey said. “Our message all game was to keep fighting and rely on what we do and ultimately just play defense. After that first quarter our defense led to offense and it became a snowball effect.”

 

Drury’s defense flipped the script in the second quarter and held Hoosac Valley to just six points. The Blue Devils kept the Hurricanes in the half court and limited their quality looks.

 

Delaney Hayden led all scorers with 18 points. Megan McGrath added nine while Ella Bond chipped in seven.

 

Drury cut the deficit to just two points heading into halftime, trailing 22-20.

 

The Blue Devils took their first lead early in the third quarter after tying the game at 24. A few possessions later, an offensive rebound kicked the ball out to Hayden, who knocked down a three pointer to spark an 11-2 run. Hayden later added two more 3-pointers during the stretch, giving Drury its largest lead of the night at nine.

 

Offensive rebounding played a major role in the second half, giving Drury multiple second chance opportunities.

 

“Delaney hit some big 3s. Certain things in games provide momentum whether it is a charge call, a block, or a dunk,” Downey said. “We are not dunking it, but we can shoot the 3 and that is something we did well in the second half.”

 

Once Drury took control, they never gave the lead back despite a late push from Hoosac Valley in the fourth quarter. The Hurricanes cut the deficit to four, forcing Drury to call timeout to regroup.

 

After briefly leaving the game due to injury, Gianna Witek returned and knocked down a big 3-pointer to keep Hoosac within striking distance. But Drury responded when it mattered most.

 

After Hoosac trimmed the lead to three with under a minute remaining, senior Megan McGrath sealed the game at the free throw line, hitting three of four in the final 30 seconds.

 

“I think the story of our team all year has been that we wear teams down,” Downey said. “We go about 10 deep almost every game, and I think Hoosac got a little tired in the second quarter.”

 

After ending the Hurricanes’ two-year reign as D5 State Champions, the Blue Devils will look to reach their first state championship game when they play No. 4 St. John Paul II, a winner in the Elite Eight on Friday against Lenox. That state semi-final will be played at a location and on a date to be announced.