Field's 26 Lead Hoosac Valley Past Mount Greylock

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- If you are on the South Hadley girls basketball team, don't expect any Christmas cards from the Mount Greylock team.

 

The Tigers certainly did not do the Mounties any favors this week.

 

Three days after South Hadley handed Hoosac Valley a loss in the Hurricanes' gym, the 'Canes jumped out to a 25-6 first quarter lead en route to a 71-38 win over Mount Greylock on Tuesday in the Mountie Dome.

 

"We had a 'zero-tolerance practice' we call it," Hoosac coach Ron Wojcik said. "Every mistake, they run for it. They kind of expected it.

 

"I thought it was productive because it refocused us, and I thought that first quarter we shot the ball really well. ... But I was really pleased more than anything with our defense and the way we played."

 

Fallon Field scored nine of her game-high 26 points and had four steals in the first quarter. The 'Canes as a team forced 10 turnovers in Mount Greylock's first 14 possessions.

 

"I thought we handled the press well early -- early in the press, not early in the game -- but then we turned it over near the basket," Mount Greylock coach John Jacobbe said. "And they're just as good running out from the that turnover as they are anywhere else.

 

"I thought we handled the press in the backcourt well, but, in the first quarter, once we broke the press, we let them hustle back and read passing lanes.

 

"And they shot lights out. Part of that was us, and part of that was great shooting on their part."

 

Alie Mendel hit three first-quarter 3-pointers on her way to a 16-point night. Field also hit a 3 in the first eight minutes.

 

After that first quarter, Mount Greylock played the 'Canes even over the next 16 minutes, actually shaving three points off the 16-point deficit going into the fourth.

 

But Hoosac opened the final quarter with a 12-3 run to push the lead back to 22 with 4 minutes, 37 seconds on the clock.

 

Fallon Field and Ellie Field each had a steal during that stretch, which was capped by a Madi Ryan 3-pointer to make it 60-38.

 

"We played them tough in spurts," Jacobbe said. "We've got to learn how to play hard-nosed basketball for 32 minutes."

 

Lauren Howard scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Mounties, who got 11 boards from Jenna Benzinger.

 

Mount Greylock (2-2) travels to Monument Mountain on Monday.

 

Hoosac 3-1 travels to face Bridgewater-Raynam on Monday.