By PAUL GOTHAM
BRIGHTON, N.Y. — Sadie Scott scored 19 of her game-high 26 points in the second half as the Brighton girls’ basketball team rallied from a double-digit deficit to beat visiting Gates Chili, 46-42 on Wednesday night.
Scott’s 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter highlighted a 9-0 run and gave the Bruins a lead they did not surrender.
“We know she’s going to get her points, but tonight it was how and when she got her points that was the difference,” Brighton head coach Max Krieger said. “She made big plays. She got to the right spots.”
Trailing 31-24, teammate Nora Smith started the decisive run with a bucket in the lane. Scott followed with a pull-up jumper and a pair of free throws to make it a one-point game before the end of the third quarter. The junior connected on her third of four triples on the night for a 33-31 Brighton advantage.
Sadie Scott buries a 3 to give @brightonbruins a 33-31 lead early in the fourth. pic.twitter.com/tNdjhCyQJs
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 16, 2023
“She’s tremendous,” Krieger said of his player. “She’s one of the top players in the area, and she’s continuing to get better.”
Smith scored all six of her points in the third quarter to spark the Bruins.
“You can’t find a player anywhere that works as hard as that girl,” Krieger said of Smith. “She goes after every ball like her life depends on it. If you could have 10 Nora Smiths on your team, the coach would be happy. She’s a warrior. She will get every rebound she can. It’s fun to have her on our team.”
Katie Hardie added a basket then set up Scott in transition for two more. Scott connected on a triple for Brighton’s largest lead of the night at 40-34.
Katie Hardie gets in the lane for 2 and a 35-31 Brighton lead. pic.twitter.com/JI4fqvwlBs
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 16, 2023
“We just wanted to get the ball inside and work our way inside-out. Our players did a great job following that game plan. Shots started falling and then we hit big free throws down the stretch.”
The Bruins were also able to contain Gates Chili’s India Williams in the second half. The 6-foot junior forward accounted for nine points in the first quarter and eight more in the second as the Spartans took a 24-17 lead at the break.
India Williams has her back-to-the-basket game working. @LSpartanshoops 20-15 pic.twitter.com/wpIDAFP8KM
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 16, 2023
“We talked about beating her to the spot, trying to be physical with her and trying to front her, Krieger said of his squad’s effort to keep Williams to eight points over the final 16 minutes of play. “We wanted to make the entry passes to her tough. Our defense buckled down. We started scoring more, so we could set our defense a little bit which helped.”
With the win, Brighton improved its record to 9 wins and 11 losses to close the regular season.
“That was a great win,” Krieger said. “For our seniors, we know we’re on the road for sectionals, so this is our last game at home in their career.
“It’s all on the players stepping up and willing themselves to victory. Coaches can only do so much. Players do 99 percent of it, and they did what they needed to do tonight.”
Hardie finished with eight points in the win. Avery Hopkin, Kaiya Larkins and Ireland Mistretta added two apiece.
Emily McManus and Melice Gaye scored six and five points respectively for Gates (11-9). Dior Powell (2) and Mysha Moses (1) also scored for the Spartans.
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