Wahconah Girls Punch Tourney Ticket with Win at Pittsfield

PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The Wahconah girls basketball team Monday avenged one of its two losses and posted its best offensive performance of the season in a 59-45 win over Pittsfield.

 

Jilly Cote, Noelle Furlong and Maria Gamberoni each scored 15 points, and Morgan Marauszwski scored in double figures with 11 as Wahconah improved to 10-2 and qualified for the Western Massachusetts Division 3 tournament.

 

It evened the score against the Generals after Pittsfield won in Dalton back on Dec. 14 in Wachconah’s season opener.

 

“The first game has not been my forte,” Wahconah coach Liz Kay said. “I’ve lost the first game the last five years in a row. So it certainly feels good to come in here and beat them. And we won in a different way, 59-45 is on the higher end of the scoring for us.”

 

Furlong caught fire in the second quarter, scoring seven points to help Wahconah win the period, 19-13, and take a 30-25 lead into the locker room.

 

In the third quarter, Wahconah scored on seven of its first nine possessions, and one of the empty trips included a pair of missed free throws.

 

“It was efficient,” Kay said of her offense. “And it was at a time when [Pittsfield] did a great job. They made a ton of shots.

 

“We had to adjust on the fly, and that’s really the first time in a long time we had to adjust on the fly. So I thought our kids did a great job.”

 

Alexi Sondrini (11 points) started the second half for the Generals with a 3-pointer that made it a two-point game.

 

But Cote scored in the post, and Gamberoni made a steal that set up Furlong for a transition bucket to get the lead right back to 34-28.

 

A few trips later, Furlong set up Marauszwski for a triple to make it 38-30, and with 2 minutes, 33 seconds left in the quarter, Gamberoni drove the lane and finished to give Wahconah its first double-digit lead of the night, 45-34.

 

It was a 10-point spread going to the fourth, and Pittsfield got no closer than seven, when Randi Duquette started the quarter with a 3-pointer.

 

Jordyn Lummus had a strong night for PIttsfield, leading the way in scoring (12), rebounding (seven) and assists (six). Emery Sime matched Sondrini with 11 points.

 

For Wahconah, Cote and Furlong each had a double-double with 10 rebounds apiece to go her 15 points. Gamberoni had six assists.

 

“I thought we had different kids step up,” Kay said. “I thought Jilly Cote was really, really good on the boards today and offensively and created a big problem for them. And that just gives opportunities for other kids. And Morgan [Marauszwski] shot the ball. Obviously, Maria [Gamberoni] and Noelle [Furlong] do what they do.

 

“And then Emma Belcher came in and hit a big 3.”

 

Wahconah goes to Taconic on Thursday.

 

Pittsfield (8-6) hosts Monument Mountain on Feb. 5.

 

Photos from this game here.