Hornets Win Battle for League Surpemacy
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The McCann Tech girls basketball team won the rubber match against St. Mary’s, Monday, earning a 47-34 victory at home a leg up in the race for the Tri-County South Division title.
The two teams were very familiar with one another, meeting for the third time this season. The first two games were split, with each team successfully defending home court. That trend continued Monday night as McCann (12-1) gradually wore down St. Mary’s over the course of the game.
Madison Rougeau led the Hornets with 14 points, while Aiden Champney added 13. Faith Brazeau chipped in with 10 points, including a key scoring burst in the third quarter.
McCann came out with a new defensive look in an effort to slow down Audrey Amaral, who had caused problems in the first two meetings. The Hornets’ box-and-one defense did exactly what it was designed to do, forcing the ball out of Amaral’s hands and holding her to just five points in the first half.
“We played our box-and-one pretty well. It was a good change of pace for us,” McCann head coach Justin Kratz said. “Our plan in the second half was to use it again in spots, but with the run we went on in the third quarter, we didn’t really need to go back to it, so I stayed with the 2-3 zone.”
McCann led, 12-10, after the first quarter and looked comfortable offensively, moving the ball well both inside and out against the zone. St. Mary’s applied some pressure in the second quarter, but McCann handled it with ease, creating quality scoring chances at the other end. The Hornets closed the half on a strong run to take a seven-point lead into the break.
The third quarter proved to be the turning point. McCann opened the half with a 16-3 run fueled by transition baskets and crisp ball movement, resulting in a string of easy layups. The Hornets’ pace became difficult for St. Mary’s to match, especially with a shorter bench.
“One of our points of emphasis before the game was to push the tempo,” Kratz said. “They aren’t incredibly deep, so I told the girls to stay patient. It might not work in the first or second quarter, but in the second half we should be able to put some distance between us, and that’s exactly what happened.”
McCann outscored St. Mary’s 18-5 in the third quarter, allowing just one field goal. The lead grew to 20 points, and the Hornets were firmly in control from there. McCann was able to empty the bench late, and while the final score tightened slightly, the outcome was never in doubt.
The win marked McCann’s second six-game winning streak of the season, with their only loss coming on the road against St. Mary’s earlier in the year. That game, like Monday’s count in the division standings; the teams’ other meeting, Hornets’ win, was an independent game.
With Monday’s win, McCann Tech is 12-1 overall and 11-1 in the Tri-County South, a game and a half ahead of the Saints. The Hornets have two games left in the league: Thursday at Gateway (3-7) and next week at Springfield Commerce (6-8).
It’s a busy week for the Hornets, who also have a pair of independent games, starting Tuesday at home against Mohawk Trail for four games in five days.