The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Poland outlasts Hamilton
HAMILTON, N.Y. » The 8-9 seed matchup in the girls Section III Class D basketball postseason featured two familiar foes in Hamilton and Poland.
Twice during the regular season, Poland was able to top its CSC-IV adversary, though both Tornadowins came by a combined seven points.
Friday night, the Emerald Knights were in position to avenge their regular season losses, carrying a 16-13 lead into the halftime break; however, Poland outscored the hosts 27-18 in the second half en route to a 40-34 win.
Carliza Roark paved the way for the Tornadoes with a 13 points, followed by Heather Artz with 11.
Emma Basher netted 12 to pace Hamilton. Beth Belanger added nine and Lauren LaRuffa chipped in six.
“Unfortunately, we came across a team that had beaten twice already this year. Two tight games. I knew this was going to be another tight one. Give them credit. Their pressure was just enough to get them over the hump. Give Poland credit,” Gary Weeks said. “We knew it was going to come down to whether we could handle their pressure, convert, and get them out of their pressure. We just weren’t able to do it enough. On the other side, our defense was strong, and they had to work to score and anything theywanted to do. They were simply six points better tonight.”
A pair of 3-pointers, one from Belanger and one from LaRuffa, helped Hamilton out toa7-5 lead to open the contest.
Belanger added three more points in the open- ing moments of the second quarter, drawing a foul on a shot attempt from behind the arc to earn a trip to the charity stripe where she knocked down all three tries. Beth Dawkins followed with a an offensive rebound and put-back on Hamilton’s next score to give the hosts a 12-7 edge. Basher split a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 13-7 before Poland tied the game on a six point run, capped by a Jennifer Sergot free throw. Hamilton came right back with a Basher layup and a Belanger free throw for a 1613 halftime lead.
Roark helped Poland take the lead early in the third, scoring six points during a 10-0 Tornado run. Basher broke up the Poland run with a fastbreak layup and scored again moments later on an Lauren LaRuffa assist to pull Hamilton within three at 23-20. Basher returned the favor on Hamilton’s next score setting up Ashley LaRuffa for the bucket to pull within one. After Amanda Sweet hit one of two from the foul line, Lauren LaRuffa netted a runner to tie the contest at 24-24.
Poland began to extend its lead in the final quarter of play. An Artz bucket put Poland up 33-24 with six minutes to go, but Basher kept the hosts close with an and-1 play to close within six points. Poland went back up eight points on a Roark hoop, but again, Hamilton closed to keep the tilt a twopossession ball game, 37-31, on a pair of successful free throws by Belanger with 3:39 remaining.
With both teams struggling to score down the stretch, Roark drove through a congested lane for a lay-in to give Poland a 39-31 with 1:34 remaining in the fourth. Hamilton was unable to close the gap in the last minute of action, falling 40-34.
The win sends Poland to a quarterfinal contest against No. 1 Brookfield.
For Hamilton, the loss closes a bittersweet 201718. After beginning the season 0-7, Weeks’ young Emerald Knights - one senior, two sophomores, and six freshman - closed on a hot streak, going 9-4 down the stretch to qualify for postseason play.
“I’m just so proud of this team that we made the comeback we did this year to turn our season around and host a sectional game. At 0-7, I don’t think we were thinking along those lines, but they really finished strong and earned that opportunity,” Weeks said, before addressing his departing senior, Lauren LaRuffa. “She has been a true leader for us all season long. She has always been the most positive player we have, the hardest worker in practice, and she has always taken on the responsibility of trying to lead this young team. She’s taken them under her wing and just been the kind of leader you expect as a coach from a senior captain. I love her to death, and I wish her well.”