H.S. Roundup: South Hadley girls basketball opens season with dominant 64-30 win over Belchertown

AMHERST — The South Hadley girls basketball team opened its season with a 64-30 victory over Belchertown in the first game of the 2025 Pioneer Valley Tipoff at the Mullins Center on Friday night.

After getting out to an early lead, the Tigers never looked back, showcasing why they were a Division 4 State Tournament runner-up the last two seasons.

With under two weeks of preparation heading into the first game of the season, both teams had to get the rust off. Despite some sloppy plays, South Hadley played with confidence, helping pave way for the victory.

“I thought it was good for [being] out of the gates,” Tigers head coach Paul Dubuc said. “… I was happy. Great effort, they took care of each other, they played hard, [the] open person for the most part, got the ball.”

Open shots came frequently throughout the night for South Hadley, especially in the first half. The first 16 minutes ended with a sizable Tigers lead, up 41-16.

The scoring slowed down for South Hadley as time went on, but its early lead was large enough to survive some late offensive struggles.

“We knew [we needed] high energy, and if we gave up, [Belchertown] would easily come back into the game,” Olivia Athas said. “So starting off strong would keep us going throughout the game.”

The biggest key for the Tigers putting up a lot of points was how they generated extra possessions for themselves. Pressure on defense led to 29 Oriole turnovers, while South Hadley crashed the offensive glass hard, coming down with 20 offensive rebounds.

Kate Phillips was a big benefactor of the second chance opportunities, finishing her night 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Cara Dean led the way in scoring for the Tigers, tallying 18 points on an efficient 8-of-15 from the field. The junior consistently got to the rim on the fast break, making the most of her team’s generated turnovers.

Getting inside was a common theme for South Hadley, with Athas also finding her groove driving to the paint. She totaled 15 points, drawing contact and hitting five free throws in the process.

“Our energy was really up from the start,” Dean said. “Our bench was involved. Our coaches were encouraging. So I feel like that also just leads to happiness on the court.”

For Belchertown, the turnovers made it hard to string together successful offensive possessions. The defensive pressure the Orioles faced was constant, keping ball handlers uncomfortable all night.

Kina Roy was a huge bright spot for Belchertown on Friday, scoring 11 points and coming down with nine rebounds. With one game under their belt, the Orioles will look to bounce back moving forward.

After a tough loss to begin the year, Belchertown’s first chance at redemption comes at home against Chicopee Comp on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m.

The Tigers’ victory gets them off on the right track, with plenty to learn from in their first game action. Their next game comes on Friday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m., on the road against Pittsfield.

“This win just really showed that we really want it this year, and we have a good chance to go all the way, and we’re hoping that we got it,” Dean said. “And as a captain, I feel like we’ve just got to keep everyone up and be together. It’s a team sport, so everyone goes together.”

Shepherd Hill 50, Holyoke 33 — After a close, 10-9 first quarter, the Purple Knights fell behind and couldn’t surmount a comeback.

Julianna Pirela started off her freshman year with an impressive performance in the loss, tallying 12 points while getting to the charity stripe five different times.

Holyoke is back in action on Friday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m., hosting Renaissance.

Boys basketball

Smith Academy 44, Granby 41 — The Falcons exploded for an 18-point third quarter that was enough to hold on for a victory in the season opener.

Cajun Benson led his squad in scoring, going 5-of-12 from the floor for 14 points. The senior caused havoc on defense too, walking away with four steals on the night.

Rowan Jeffress was the only other player in double figures for Smith Academy, finishing his game with 12 points and six rebounds.

Up next for the Falcons is their home opener against Mahar on Monday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m.

Hopkins 76, St. Mary’s 23 — Chace Earle’s 19-point night led to a dominant win for the Golden Hawks on Friday night.

With the score 36-3 after the first quarter, Hopkins coasted through the final three quarters to a season opening win.

Matt Vassallo scored 12 points of his own in the victory, even with the team’s scoring falling off as time went on, with five points in the final frame as a team.

Hopkins hits the road to take on Pioneer Valley Regional on Monday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m.