Pittsfield Girls Use Rebounding Edge to Top Taconic
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The Pittsfield girls basketball team Monday had three players finish in double figures -- in rebounding -- as the Generals pulled away late to take a 65-48 win over Taconic.
Bella Aitken scored a game-high 27 points and grabbed a game-high 15 boards as Pittsfield amassed a 61-32 advantage on the glass in winning the City Championship.
“You’ve got to hit the the floor,” Pittsfield coach Joe Racicot said. “This is a crosstown rival. Anything can happen.
“We talked about it from the last game we played them: You’ve got to get the loose balls. The 50/50 balls have to be on your side.”
Kendra Castagna and Taea Bramer each had 10 rebounds, and Alexis Garvey grabbed eight to go along with her 11 points. Jordyn Lummus had seven rebounds and 10 points.
But despite Pittsfield’s big numbers, Taconic was in the game right up until about halfway through the fourth quarter.
Taconic took its last lead of the night with 2 minutes, 25 seconds left in the third quarter when Addi Lyon took a feed from Tamia Patrick and hit a 3-pointer to give their team a 39-37 lead.
That bucket capped a 15-3 run for Taconic that erased a 10-point half-time deficit and then some.
“I love our team to be honest with you,” Taconic coach Matt Mickle said. “The effort our team gave is amazing. It takes a lot of energy to make a comeback when you’re down, especially in a hot gym like that. I think we were out of gas.”
Aitken tied the game when she converted a baseline inbounds pass from Lummus to make it 39-39 and start an 11-0 Pittsfield run to end the third quarter. Kendra Buda capped the run when she put back a rebound just before the end of the quarter to make it 48-39.
Taconic opened the fourth quarter strong by getting to within six, but Pittsfield used a 10-0 spurt to build its lead to 16 with about three minutes left.
Aitken got things started when she put back a rebound -- a sight that was all too familiar for Taconic on this night.
“They’re a little bigger, a little stronger and a little deeper,” Mickle said. “They had some fresh kids they were running in and out of there. I don’t think [the rebounding disparity] was a lack of effort on our part.
“I’d bet they have six kids who are bigger than half our team.”
Ashley Rufo and Patrick led Taconic’s offense with 12 points apiece. Riana Gittens scored 10, and Lyon finished with nine -- all on 3-pointers.
Taconic (5-11) hosts Monument Mountain on Thursday.
Pittsfield (12-5) goes to Wahconah on Thursday.