WESTHAMPTON — Hampshire Regional’s final home game of the season was one to remember for Katy O’Connor.
The senior scored 33 points, including 26 in the first half, and grabbed 22 rebounds to lead the No. 3-seeded Raiders to a 71-52 Western Massachusetts Division 3 Tournament quarterfinal win over No. 6 Sabis on Friday.
Hampshire (18-4) will face No. 2 South Hadley (21-0) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the semifinals at UMass’ Curry Hicks Cage.
“I think we played really well together, and we were able to play fast,” said O’Connor. “That’s something we’ve really been working on. We’ve been running a lot to get in shape for the tournament, so that’s definitely something we have over other teams. We can run faster and longer than they can.”
After a convincing 29-point win over No. 11 Southwick in the first round, the Bulldogs looked outmatched by the height and skill of Hampshire’s forwards.
“When we got to the playoffs, we were playing as well as we could possibly play,” said Sabis coach Rick Kapinos. “I thought the way we hung in there tonight was great. We got down early but we fought back a couple of times. We continued to fight against some tough odds, and I thought we played really well.”
The teams traded baskets to start and Sabis led 8-7 after three minutes. But helped by 17 first-quarter points from O’Connor, Hampshire closed out the frame on a 16-2 run that the Bulldogs could not recover from.
The second quarter picked up where the first left off. Hampshire junior Katelyn Pickunka (16 points) extended the Raider lead with a spinning layup that turned into a three-point play just seconds in.
As the game began to slip away from Sabis, the Bulldogs were constantly revived by the hustle of junior point guard A.J. Washington. She led the team with 25 points, and was disruptive on defense until she fouled out late in the fourth quarter. Her relentlessness kept the Bulldogs alive as the deficit slowly increased.
The physicality ramped up early in the third quarter. Sabis recorded six fouls in the first 2:39, while Hampshire had three. Bulldog players became frustrated as the whistles continued to stop play, and as Hampshire continued to hit free throws.
The Bulldogs’ offense suffered. Their shots weren’t falling, and they continuously turned the ball over with traveling violations and sloppy passes.
Hampshire led by double-digits for the entire second half.
“We’ve been working on finishing games out, so it was important to get the lead and keep the lead confidently throughout the game,” said Hampshire coach Amy Cyr. “We battle hard at practice, and that’s what team is. You make each other stronger, you make each other better, and you depend on each other.”
Added O’Connor, “Rarely have we lost a game where shots just weren’t falling for us. Mostly it’s boxing out, and not letting on person on the other team like A.J. (Washington) win the game for them. But at the end of the day we won, so it’s OK.”
Hampshire 71, Sabis 52
Sabis (6-16)
Washington 8-9-25, Diaz 1-1-3, Palaia-Ryan 0-0-0, Cooper 2-0-4, Padilla 0-0-0, A. Williams 2-0-4, P. Lizana 4-0-10, Barklow 0-2-2, Townsend 1-0-2, R. Lizana 0-2-2, V. Williams 0-0-0, Bryant 0-0-0, Totals 18-14-52
Hampshire (18-4)
L. Labrie 0-0-0, Turgeon 0-0-0, S. Labrie 0-2-2, Pickunka 5-6-16, Babyak 0-0-0, Abel 0-2-2, Labrecque 1-0-2, Pond 2-0-4, O. Aldrich 3-1-7, Dearborn 0-0-0, C. O’Connor 1-3-5, K. O’Connor 9-15-33, S. Aldrich 0-0-0, Totals 21-29-71
|
Sabis |
10 |
15 |
13 |
14 |
–52 |
|
Hampshire |
23 |
13 |
19 |
16 |
—71 |
3-Pointers—Sabis 2 (P. Lizana 2), Hampshire 0