Davis, Drury's 'D' Keys Semi-Final Win, 10th Victory

PALMER, Mass. – Jacinta Felix scored 14 points to lead Drury’s offense, but it was the Blue Devils’ defense that made the difference Wednesday in a 34-23 win over Palmer in the semi-finals of the Western Massachusetts Class C tournament.

 

“I love when we play defense,” Drury coach Ian Downey said. “It gives me so much energy as their coach. Our 12th road game was our best defensive game of the year. Girls were locked into their assignments the whole game.”

 

Palmer’s Charlotte Theriault, who scored 20 points in the Panthers’ quarter-final win, scored just four on Wednesday night.

 

“We knew how good [Theriault] was,” Downey said. “We need to start with giving credit to my senior Lauren Davis who was assigned to guarding her. I’ve told her so many times that I don’t care how many points she scores. Her job is to lock down the other team’s best player. And that’s exactly what she did.”

 

Alyssa Russell scored 10 points, and Brooke Bishop added four in the win for Drury, which moves on to Saturday’s regional final against Springfield International Charter, a 62-25 winner over Taconic on Wednesday night.

 

“On to our familiar foe, Springfield International Charter,” Downey said. “It will be the sixth time we have played them the last two seasons. We’ve played them well, but haven’t gotten over the hump. I can promise you that we are up to the task though.”

 

Wednesday’s game marked the fourth straight win for Drury and officially punched its ticket for the state tournament with a record of 10-10.

 

The time and location of Saturday’s game is to be announced.