Hamilton edges Nottingham for first win of season

HAMILTON >> The Hamilton High girls basketball team was happy that its first win came sooner rather than later.

The Hornets were even happier when it came Saturday against crosstown rival and Colonial Valley Conference Valley Division foe Nottingham.

Even though the Northstars took a one-point lead with four minutes to play, Hamilton hung on for its first victory of the 2018-19 season, defeating Nottingham, 36-31.

“This will definitely help us,” Hornets 5-foot-2 freshman guard Cierra Acevedo said. “We’ll think more positively, and we’ll go out stronger.”

Hamilton (1-9) came out strong to start Saturday, then, after a tough second quarter, came back with an even more impressive second half in which it rallied from a four-point deficit and two second-half ties.

“We played harder this game, and we played really good defense,” said Acevedo, who scored eight points, one day after posting a career-best 10 points vs. Allentown. “I was a little worried heading into the fourth quarter, but we kept playing hard.”

Things got tenser when Ivonne Vasquez stole the ball and scored 54 seconds into the fourth quarter to trim the Hornets’ lead to 24-22. But Lizzie Kelly hit a tough shot at the other end, then Arianna Venceller came up with a steal, which she sent ahead to Acevedo for a breakaway layup to give the home team a 28-22 edge.

Nottingham (2-7) was not done as Sara Haas hit consecutive buckets, then Ashanti Myles blocked a shot at the other end and led Vasquez for a breakaway layup to knot the game at 28 with 5:08 to play.

A minute later, Myles was fouled and hit 1 of 2 free throws to give the visitors a 29-28 lead. But Hamilton limited the Northstars to one basket the rest of the way.

“We’re our own worst enemy,” Nottingham firstyear head coach Matt Paglione said. “We shoot the ball well in practice and at halftime, but we can’t make shots when we need them.”

Instead, Acevedo scored in the paint with 3:32 left, then hit 1 of 2 foul shots before Gabbie Fonollosa converted a three-point play to give second-year head coach Joe Radice’s team a 34-29 lead.

Haas scored again on the next possession to tie Fonollosa with a gamehigh 13 points, but after the Northstars’ defensive leader Patricia Penix fouled out and Fonollosa canned two free throws with 31.1 seconds left, it secured the Hornets’ first victory with the help of a game-ending steal by Venceller just before time ran out.

NOTTINGHAM (31)

Haas 5-2-13, Penix 0-0-0, Liles 2-0-6, Vasquez 3-1-7, Dezarne 0-0-0, Myles 2-1-5, Girman 0-0-0.

Totals — 12-4-31.

HAMILTON (36)

Adigun 1-0-2, Obiukwu 0-0-0, Fonollosa 5-3-13, Venceller 3-0-7, LKelly 2-0-4, Acevedo 3-2-8, Fedor 0-0-0, MHall 1-0-2. Totals — 15-5-36. Nottingham(2-7) 6 10 4 11 — 31 Hamilton (1-9) 1021212—36 3-point goals: Hass, Liles 2 (N), Venceller (H).