East Hampton Holds Off Valley Regional

The East Hampton girls’ basketball team took a 36-20 lead into the fourth quarter, then held off Valley Regional for a 43-35 victory at home on Monday afternoon.

In the last four games, the Bellringers have been in each one, winning two and not allowing more than 40 points. The improvement isn’t reflected just by the numbers, however. East Hampton is looking more like a team, playing together and competing because of it.

“I’m very happy,” East Hampton coach Shaun Russell said. “What you’re seeing now is a team that is intelligently competing, giving itself a chance to be in games, and starting to find an identity that we can count on, that we can trust, that we can fall back on. We’re playing 11 kids tonight and the only way we were able to do that is because everyone knows their role.”

Valley Regional (2-9) took a 12-8 lead early in the second quarter on consecutive three-pointers by Mallory Rioux and Lauren Budney but the Bellringers  quickly responded. Klaudia Komarnicka got an offensive rebound then hit Ashley Chasse cutting toward the rim for a layup and a foul. Chasse hit the free throw to get East Hampton (4-8) within a point. Chasse then assisted on a basket by Leah Coughlin to put the Bellringers up 13-12, a lead they would not give up.

Sarah Denihan’s drive to the basket as time expired gave East Hampton a 22-16 advantage heading into the second half, where it took control of the game.

A terrific lob pass off the inbound to start the half by Chasse to Komarnicka underneath the basket for a layin made the score 24-16. Adrianna Zawodniak, Coughlin, Denihan and two free throws by Chasse put the Bellringers up 32-16. It wasn’t until 2:15 was left in the third quarter that Valley scored on a basket by Kiernan Decker. A basket by Megan Close off a nice assist by Becca Gustine and two free throws by Denihan sent East Hampton into the fourth quarter with a 36-20 lead.

Valley didn’t quit, however. The Warriors picked it up on the defensive end, pressuring the ball more. Slowly the Warriors chipped away at the lead, getting within 37-31.

“There were a couple of possessions that they sped us up and in those possessions we not only took a quick shot, not necessarily a bad shot, but we were taking shots without rebounding balance, which for us, that’s when we’re good,” Russell said. “When we take shots and we have the ability to rebound, we do a pretty good job of getting second shots or at least putting pressure on the defensive rebounders. A couple of those possessions, we didn’t give ourselves a chance to do that. That’s not the way we can be successful.”

On Friday night, Russell singled out free-throw shooting as one of the key factors in the Bellringers’ two-point loss at Haddam-Killingworth. Against Valley, his team went 7 of 9 from the line in the fourth quarter, 6 of 6 in the final minute (four by Chasse and two by Komarnicka).

“I think the kids were more locked in,” Russell said. “I’m happy with the job they did getting the ball to the right kids who should have been fouled and we had the right kids going to the line. I was happy we stayed aggressive throughout the end of the fourth quarter and yeah, we made the free throws.”

Chasse led East Hampton in scoring for the second straight game with 15 points, Denihan had nine and Komarnicka and Coughlin five each.

Budney led Valley Regional with 10 points, all in the first half.

“In the fourth quarter, we needed some team basketball to be played to win that game and it happened,” Russell said.

East Hampton will next play on Thursday against Hale-Ray at home.

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