NORTHAMPTON — Malicious intentions gave the Northampton girls basketball team all the breathing room it needed.
The Blue Devils scored the game’s first 19 points, held Agawam scoreless for 5 minutes, 32 seconds and won 50-31 on Friday at home.
“We came on first quarter strong with the intent of making a mark. That’s what set the tone,” Northampton junior Ava Azzaro said. “We just came out with the intention of having a really strong first quarter.”
Agawam (2-3) didn’t score until Ava Catelotti dropped in a layup with 2:28 left in the first quarter to make it 19-2. The Brownies ended the quarter on a 4-0 run.
Northampton’s lead ebbed for the final three quarters, but its defense held Agawam at arm’s length while it’s offense – without starting point guard Bri Heafey – subsisted on fast break opportunities and extra passes.
“That’s the best basketball you can play,” Azzaro said. “That’s what we all enjoy so much, it’s getting the better shot, that’s the most important thing to all of us.”
Azzaro led Northampton with 13 points, while Jordan Hutchins scored 10. Chloe Derby added nine and Chloe Denhart seven. The Blue Devils only hit one 3 and made 11-of-18 free throws. They generated their best offense on the break off turnovers.
“We’re at our best when we play full court, whether it’s man or our zone press,” Northampton coach Perry Messer said. “Our guys will work, and they’re not afraid.”
It was the third time this season Northampton (3-3) held an opponent under 40 points. Agawam only scored six points in the first half. The Brownies fared better in the second half buoyed by their performance at the free throw line.
“Our defense is what’s going to do the job for us,” Messer said. “They’re young in the sense that we have to teach them they don’t have to get a steal. It’s our basketball IQ that’s got to improve. When our basketball IQ improves, we’ll be fine because we’re as athletic as most teams.”
The Blue Devils will need all aspects clicking to survive in the always arduous Valley League. They’ll have 10 days off until they open league play hosting Central on Jan. 10 followed by a visit from Holyoke two days later. The stretch also features Enfield, the No. 7 ranked team in Connecticut by MaxPreps, at Western New England on Jan. 14 and Longmeadow at home.
“We’re disappointed, I’m disappointed where our record is right now. There’s no gimmes in our league,” Messer said. “You’ve got to make sunshine and hay when you have your independent games. We’ve got to dig in.”
Only seven varsity players have been healthy over the past few games for Northampton. Heafey sat out as a precaution to make sure her surgically repaired ACL is OK after hearing a pop against Chicopee. There’s no swelling, and she doesn’t feel any pain, so Messer is hoping the next fortnight can help her regain confidence in the knee moving and curing. Northampton is also without Eloise Ruberti after she suffered a concussion in the opener against Amherst, but she could be cleared over the next week or so.
The Blue Devils that remained have embraced the challenge and supported each other knowing they’re all they have.
“We have to think about how can we get energy going for all of us because we have such a small bench,” Hutchins said.
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter
@kylegrbwsk.