O’Hagan’s 3-pointer at buzzer lifts Novans past West Warwick
WEST WARWICK — There has been little to cheer about for the Woonsocket girls basketball team this year, with the Villa Novans having lost ten of their eleven games coming into Thursday night. Unfortunately for West Warwick, they would be the second team this year to fall victim to Woonsocket, as a 3-pointer at the buzzer by sophomore Alyissia O’Hagan gave the visitors a 53-52 win.
“I was expecting it. I knew I was going to get it,” she said shortly after the game, as her teammates and coaches were still celebrating.
For the Wizards the loss was a difficult one to swallow, especially given that a controversial call on the officials’ behalf led to Woonsocket get- ting the ball one last time. As Brooke Young passed the ball to teammate Mackenzie Derderian near the sideline, Mike Francois elected to call timeout. He chose to do so right at the same moment the Woonsocket bench made the claim that Derderian had stepped out of bounds, something the officials agreed she did, and Francois fervently that she did not. The turnover allowed the Villa Novans to get the ball back with 8.7 seconds to go, where upon they were able to find O’Hagan who hit the three at the buzzer.
For such as dramatic finish, there was little to cheer about to begin play, proving that basketball is a game that can change course in a heartbeat.
West Warwick began the night 0 for 3 from the field, but was not hindered by a Woonsocket offense that was unable to take advantage of it, as the two teams found themselves locked in a scoreless battle.
Taylor Enright finally broke the scoreless tie when she drained a threepointer 3:27 into play, part of a 15 point night for the forward.
The slow start by both teams would prove to be just a farce, as each found their offensive stride shortly after Wizards’ head coach Mike Francois called a timeout following Enright’s bucket.
The Villa Novas were suddenly able to catch fire, led by O”Hagan, who finished the night with 23 points, including the game-winner, as they amassed a total of 13 points in a four minute span.
That lead would be short lived, as West Warwick responded with an 110 run of their own to claim a 20-13 lead.
The resilient Villa Novans would not be turned away so easily, as they were the ones to finish the half with the momentum. Trailing 22-29, O’Hagan hit a tear drop jumper inside the final minute to cut the lead to one, but Woonsocket was not done yet. After Brooke Young missed a pair of free throws for the Wizards, it was the visitors holding the ball for the final shot of the half. That shot would come from O’Hagan once again, as she drained a three-pointer to give her team the 24-22 edge headed into the break.
As it would turn out, the action at the end of the first half would serve to be a prelude for what was to come in the second half, one that saw both sides compete until the very end.
Woonsocket went through a stretch of 7:00 without a point, yet they were able to stage one final run when it mattered most, as West Warwick struggled to hold onto the ball down the stretch.
For head coach Shawn Harris, the win has made a significant impact on a year filled with struggles.
“I told the girls that this is the most I’ve ever felt confident going into a game. Those last seconds, they did exactly what I drew up. I told O’Hagan, if we have the three, I want to win it, if not, let’s drive. Hell of a job from my team. I tip my hat off to the other team because they played well as well.”
For Francois, the loss was a disappointment, but not the end all. “We’ll learn from it,” he said. “I thought down the stretch the last few minutes, we had too many turnovers and we hurried. We’re young. As long as we learn from it, I can be ok with it “.