CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Hoosac Valley girls basketball team’s 3-point shooting Wednesday carried it past Wahconah in a thriller, 41-34.

 

Hoosac Valley (10-0) knocked down 10 3-pointers compared to just three baskets inside the arc. Ali Mendel Led all scores with 17, and Lexi Mercier added 15. 

 

It wasn’t a typical game for Hoosac Valley as they were matched throughout most of this game by Wahconah. It was one of those games where the ball just wasn’t finding the net and the ‘Canes struggled all game long offensively. Some of that could be credited to Wahconah's (6-2) 1-3-1 pressure. 

 

“Wahconah plays that 1-3-1 all season, and they play it well.” Hoosac Valley coach Ron Wojcik said. “They are long and cover a lot of ground, so for us without big people inside we kind of depend on the perimeter game, and we didn’t shoot the ball well tonight. But credit to Wahconah -- their defense made the difference”

 

Despite the lack of shooting, Hoosac held a 24-17 lead at the break.

 

After half-time, It was a completely different look offensively for Wahconah as it depended on good ball movement to try and get baskets inside around the hoop. The teams traded baskets in the third quarter.

 

Wahconah continued to chip away at the lead, and in the fourth quarter it actually got it to within four points with 4:29 to go and cut the lead cut to two later in the game, Alie Mendel hit a big 3-pointer to take the wind out of Wahconah’s sails.  

 

“We are trying to get better,” Wahconah coach Liz Kay said. “I think some of our younger kids played well. I’m impressed with out defensive effort. They had some kids make huge shots and that’s a credit to them.”

 

This was Hoosac’s first game all season long where they were held under 60 points and the only game to finish with a single-digit margin of victory. 

 

“We got to work on some things like our inbound plays at the end of the game, taking control of the ball and taking good shots, all little things you need to win games down the stretch,” Wojcik said. “And we still needed to make some big shots, we feel confident that we have a number of girls that can knock those shots down.”

 

Hoosac Valley will look to continue its perfect season against Marlboro Saturday at home, the last game of the six-game bill in the annual Coaches Vs. Cancer event in Cheshire. Wahconah will look to get back on their winning ways against Monument Mountain on the road Friday night.