Pickin' Splinters

Rochester's Independent Sports Source

Late third-quarter surge carries Waterloo

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BY PAUL GOTHAM

LIVONIA, N.Y. — Less than two minutes remained in the third quarter of Thursday’s state-ranked matchup in the Great Livonia Shootout with the visiting Waterloo girls holding a three-point edge over host Livonia.

Six possessions later, Mike Bree’s Waterloo Indians had a double-digit lead they did not surrender.

“Defensively, I always think we’re pretty good, and I think that’s what you saw in that span,” Bree said.

And if one minute and 47 seconds can be used to represent a team, then opponents need to be ready for a balanced offensive effort from Waterloo.

Junior guard Morgan Caraballo scored eight of her 18 points, and Giovanna White-Principio put bookends on an 11-3 run as Waterloo (No. 2 NYSSWA Class B) stayed undefeated at 7-0 with a 67-50 victory.

“All game I thought we struggled,” Bree added. “Livonia had a lot to do with that in terms of how they were hitting shots. First half, I just thought we didn’t play as aggressive as we normally do. I think we showed our defense in that span and going into the fourth quarter which allowed us to build on the lead.”

Leading 39-36, White-Principio converted one of two free throws. Caraballo, who came into the game averaging 13.5 points per contest, scored the next eight points.

“She’s just now starting to figure out where she’s at,” Bree said of Caraballo. “She’s a great athlete.”

Caraballo intercepted a pass and finished a layup for an and-one. She followed with a 3-pointer and then used a euro-step in transition two more points. When she was done, Waterloo led 48-39.

“We put her on the top of our press. She gets her hands on so many basketballs. That makes it tough for other teams. She finally got herself going with that. That’s what gets her going is getting some steals and getting some scores that way.”

White-Principio closed the quarter with two of her game-high 21.

In a game, where seven different Indians scored, the third-quarter surge showed Waterloo’s offensive balance. Caraballo, a 5-foot-6 guard, turning defense into offense and then finding the range from long distance. White-Principio, a 6-foot-1 center, finishing inside.

“We want to share the basketball,” Bree stated. “We want to move the basketball. That’s when we play our best. There were times when you saw it out there where we moved the ball and we got whatever we wanted. And there were times when we didn’t move the ball, and it was a struggle for us.”

Macy Carr added 10 points while Jazzmyn Lewis had seven and Addison Bree six for Waterloo which has won each of its games by double-digits this season. Natalie DiSanto (3) and Logan Amidon (2) also scored in the contest.

Livonia (No. 21 NYSSWA Class B) came into the game winners of four straight, and the score seemed favorable for the Bulldogs when they entered halftime trailing by one. This after leading scorer Kylie Buckley spent the second quarter on the bench with two fouls.

Buckley converted an and-one to open the scoring in the second half and give Livonia a 29-27 edge. It was the Bulldogs last lead of the game.

White-Principio scored on a putback, and Carr found Lewis cutting in the lane for a 29-27 Waterloo lead. Buckley tied the game with an assist from Libby Kwak.

Waterloo scored the next five points.

Kwak hit four 3-pointers and led Livonia (6-2) with 18 points. Buckley had 14. Kelsey Stewart hit three 3-pointers to finish with nine points. Emma King connected twice from long range for six points. Mary Kwak scored four points.

Waterloo currently holds the top spot in the Class B1 standings. Livonia is at the top of the B2 standings.

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