McCann Bounced from Playoff Hunt with Loss
SOUTHWICK, Mass — The McCann Tech girls' basketball team deserves credit for fighting back all season long.The Hornets, who lost their first six games of the year, put themselves in position to clinch a playoff berth by winning seven out of their next 11 games. McCann needed just one more win at Southwick on Friday night to finish in second place in the Bi-County West League and earn a spot in the Division 3 Western Mass. tournament. The Rams weren't very hospitable, however, using a 14-8 run in the fourth quarter to pull away with a 40-34 win at home.
The loss leaves the Hornets with a 7-11 record and out of the playoff picture. If McCann wants to find a reason why they came up short, it can look back to a poor second quarter in which Southwick held them to just four points on the offensive end. Led by Melissa O'Neil's game-high 19 points, the Rams went into halftime with an 18-13 lead. The Hornets rallied back in the third quarter to tie the game at 26 all heading into the fourth, but Southwick made more plays down the stretch to pull out the win.
Mariah Collins also added 10 points for the Rams, who finished with a 6-2 record in league play. McCann, which fell one game short with a 5-3 league mark, was led by junior guard Mary Nguyen, who posted a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Senior forward Cassie Field added eight points and nine rebounds for the Hornets, who are back in action again on Saturday with a game against Saint Joseph's in the Coaches vs. Cancer Showcase at Pittsfield High School.