Start fuels Guilderland
Lady Dutch build 16-point edge in first quarter of victory
Even as his squad began to pull away Saturday afternoon, Guilderland girls’ basketball coach Chuck Mack found plenty of teaching opportunities. Whether it was a failed defensive rotation, a quick shot or a pass that did not get made, Mack made sure his players understood what needed to be done.
The Lady Dutch established control from the outset, using a pressing style on defense to create havoc to go along with solid ball movement that formulated open looks from the perimeter. Guilderland never trailed Colonie and cruised to a 64-38 victory in its Suburban Council opener.
Guilderland (2-0 overall, 1-0 Suburban Council) knocked down 13 3-pointers, including five in the opening quarter when the Lady Dutch opened up a 22-6 advantage. The visitors scored 19 of the game’s first 21 points, culminated by one of five 3-pointers on the game from senior star Valencia Fontenelleposson.
“We definitely wanted to come out very hard and very fast,” Guilderland senior Grace Mcferran said. “Establishing that in the first quarter was super important . ... Coach Mack is always going to push us to be our best.”
“It was very important to have a fast pace,” said Fontenelleposson, a Siena-bound guard
who led all scorers with 27 points.
Colonie (0-2, 0-2) played without its most experienced player, guard Macie Trimarchi, who still does not have enough practices as she had to quarantine because of coming into contact with someone who contracted COVID -19.
“We knew the style we were up against as they have played that way the last few years,” Colonie coach Heather Dibiase said. “This is a young, inexperienced team after losing what we lost from last year. We pretty much lost all of our scoring and not having Macie on the court makes it tough having only seven practices.”
The Garnet Raiders fell behind Shaker 16-0 in their first outing before making a remarkable comeback to take a lead into the fourth quarter of a game they lost 51-36. Saturday, Colonie never found its offensive footing as Fontenelle-posson and senior Alexis Martin took turns firing away from the perimeter. Guilderland also used its press to help create 18 turnovers.
“We played a 3-2 zone to get out on their shooters, but they shot lights out. There is not much you can do,” Dibiase said. “We had a hand up, but they were still making them and we turned the ball over a lot and that gave them more offensive opportunities.”
Martin, who just committed to play at Wheaton College, drained five 3pointers and finished with 17 points.
“She was wonderful. She did what she needed to do and got the job done,” Fontenelle-posson said.
“When everyone is hitting 3s and playing well, it makes my job easier,” said Mcferran, a 5-foot-2 point guard who contributed six assists. “They shoot, they score and it is
get back on defense. It is really nice.”
Dibiase, an accomplished point guard during her playing career at Queensbury and Canisius College (2007 Hall of Fame honoree), was impressed by the diminutive Mcferran.
“She is extremely athletic and tough,” Dibiase said. “Just watching her, she is everywhere. She
does it on both ends of the floor.”
“I have always been short. I didn’t get the tall genes,” Mcferran said. “People sometimes underestimate me a little bit, but I have shown that I can play with anyone — even if they are 6-2.”
Fontenelle-posson, a Times Union Large School first-team all-star as a junior, upped her career
point total to 1,585. She knocked down 5-of-10 attempts from 3-point range.
“I actually went to the gym before the game to make sure my shot was looking right,” Fontenelleposson said. “I am very happy they fell.”