JORDAN Coach Keith Simonelli has a simple philosophy: the most important parts of the game are the first and final five minutes.
The Jordan-Elbridge girls basketball team took its coachs wisdom to heart on Thursday, jumping out to a seven-point lead in the opening minutes en route to a 45-33 victory over neighboring Weedsport in a non-league matchup.
I think we were a little quicker across the board, Simonelli said, and I think we handled the ball a little better.
The Eagles outscored the Warriors 14-5 in the first quarter and never looked back. Weedsport simply couldnt find its mark, going 2-9 from the field in the opening period.
We cant put it in the hoop, Weedsport coach Joan Montgomery said candidly. We havent really scored over 30 yet.
Montgomery is also concerned that her squad is getting into a bad habit in the first and third quarters.
Their lead probably didnt help us either, she said. We come out slow and thats another thing Im trying to work on.
In the third quarter, down 36-23, Weedsport missed a crucial opportunity to put some points on the board when Simonelli was teed up for an unsportsmanlike conduct technical foul. Jessica Hart was unable to sink either free throw, and the ball went out of bounds on the ensuing possession.
That never hurts, Simonelli said of the event.
Things started to turn around for the Warriors a few minutes later, when Jenna Lipiska and Sherry Seamans made two from the charity stripe. The Eagles were unable to capitalize on two one-and-one situations on back-to-back possessions, giving the Warriors a few more opportunities.
Lipiska hit two shots, one at the buzzer, to get Weedsport back within single digits (38-29) going into the fourth quarter.
Hart hit the second of two free throws to start the last period, but followed up by fouling Jessica Snyder.
Snyder went to the line and sunk one. The Warriors were unable to convert on their ensuing possession, and Eagle Rachel Graf was held on the way up by Lipiska.
Graf completed the three-point play, giving J-E a 42-30 advantage and effectively shutting down Weedsports rally.
With the game firmly in hand, Simonelli encouraged his players to slow down the pace.
I tried to tell them to slow down, because they kept wanting to run up and down the court, he said. We were 12 points ahead. We didnt need to score; they did.
Graf led the Eagles with 15 points, followed by Snyder with 12. Julie Bush had eight rebounds and Snyder chipped in with seven. Graf and Jill Donofrio had three steals apiece.
The Warriors were led by Lipiska (17 points) and Hart (11), whom Simonelli thought would be his main obstacles for a victory.
If I could keep those two at 30, I wasnt sure anyone else was going to score, he said.
Montgomery thought that the difference in school size might have factored into the loss.
It intimidates the girls knowing that theyre playing a bigger (Class B) school, she said. Sometimes it takes them out of it mentally.
J-E (2-3) makes the trip to Red Creek for its Christmas tournament next Friday, while Weedsport (2-6) faces Southern Cayuga in the Cayuga County Holiday Tournament next Saturday.
I think we were a little quicker across the board, Simonelli said, and I think we handled the ball a little better.
The Eagles outscored the Warriors 14-5 in the first quarter and never looked back. Weedsport simply couldnt find its mark, going 2-9 from the field in the opening period.
We cant put it in the hoop, Weedsport coach Joan Montgomery said candidly. We havent really scored over 30 yet.
Montgomery is also concerned that her squad is getting into a bad habit in the first and third quarters.
Their lead probably didnt help us either, she said. We come out slow and thats another thing Im trying to work on.
In the third quarter, down 36-23, Weedsport missed a crucial opportunity to put some points on the board when Simonelli was teed up for an unsportsmanlike conduct technical foul. Jessica Hart was unable to sink either free throw, and the ball went out of bounds on the ensuing possession.
That never hurts, Simonelli said of the event.
Things started to turn around for the Warriors a few minutes later, when Jenna Lipiska and Sherry Seamans made two from the charity stripe. The Eagles were unable to capitalize on two one-and-one situations on back-to-back possessions, giving the Warriors a few more opportunities.
Lipiska hit two shots, one at the buzzer, to get Weedsport back within single digits (38-29) going into the fourth quarter.
Hart hit the second of two free throws to start the last period, but followed up by fouling Jessica Snyder.
Snyder went to the line and sunk one. The Warriors were unable to convert on their ensuing possession, and Eagle Rachel Graf was held on the way up by Lipiska.
Graf completed the three-point play, giving J-E a 42-30 advantage and effectively shutting down Weedsports rally.
With the game firmly in hand, Simonelli encouraged his players to slow down the pace.
I tried to tell them to slow down, because they kept wanting to run up and down the court, he said. We were 12 points ahead. We didnt need to score; they did.
Graf led the Eagles with 15 points, followed by Snyder with 12. Julie Bush had eight rebounds and Snyder chipped in with seven. Graf and Jill Donofrio had three steals apiece.
The Warriors were led by Lipiska (17 points) and Hart (11), whom Simonelli thought would be his main obstacles for a victory.
If I could keep those two at 30, I wasnt sure anyone else was going to score, he said.
Montgomery thought that the difference in school size might have factored into the loss.
It intimidates the girls knowing that theyre playing a bigger (Class B) school, she said. Sometimes it takes them out of it mentally.
J-E (2-3) makes the trip to Red Creek for its Christmas tournament next Friday, while Weedsport (2-6) faces Southern Cayuga in the Cayuga County Holiday Tournament next Saturday.
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