ROCHESTER, N.Y — Pittsford Sutherland girls’ basketball used an 11-0 run to pull away from a tie game and went on to defeat crosstown rival Pittsford Mendon, 56-50 in the first game of the Rainbow Classic doubleheader at the University of Rochester Palestra, Friday night.
With the game deadlocked at 12, Leora Cook used the backboard to give Sutherland a lead it did not surrender. Teammate Eden Lewis finished inside then Cook banked home a 3-pointer for a 19-12 advantage.
The Knights scored on five of their first six possessions of the quarter.
“The press was really good and it really turned them over,” said Sutherland head coach Dan Judd. “It got us going a little bit, got out in transition and scored some easy ones. That was a great quarter for us.”
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JENNIFER LAEMLEIN.
Cook connected on a pull-up jumper to push the lead to double digits at 23-12.
“That run was so important because we knew they would come back,” Judd said. “It was good to get out and get that spread.”
Ninth-graders Lucy Bush and Petra Hunt made their presence felt. Bush pushed the pace off the dribble, and Hunt scored eight of her game-high 23 points heading into halftime.
“The team has shared the ball well all year. Leora has led us. Her leadership has been great. Petra and Lucy both responded to the atmosphere. They were both assertive and controlled the game a little bit.”
Hunt turned a five-point game into a 12-point Sutherland advantage when she scored on three of the final four possessions heading into the locker room. The 5-foot-10 guard nailed 3-pointer that beat the halftime horn for a 30-18 Sutherland lead.
Petra Hunt beats the halftime horn. @SutherlandBball 27-18 pic.twitter.com/kCdE45jd6K
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 22, 2023
Lewis converted a pair of free throws with 4:00 remaining in the third quarter to give Sutherland its largest lead of the night at 39-21.
Bush had a steal and layup early in the fourth for a 50-33 advantage.
Lewis was whistled for her fourth foul.
Mendon took advantage of the 6-foot forward going to the bench.
Natalie Mai scored six of her team-high 13 points in the fourth quarter when Mendon (6-1) used a 13-0 streak to pull within four at 50-46 with 1:41 remaining in the game.
“I knew they would tighten it up. That’s the way it goes in this game.”
Gabriela Esposito converts a rebound and putback. pic.twitter.com/kAUuyz1KGh
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 23, 2023
“Foul trouble hurt us. Once Eden got in foul trouble, we struggled on the boards. We got to get better there. We’re going to give games up like that because of rebounding.”
Sutherland (5-1) has held five of six opponents to 50 or fewer points.
Friday’s doubleheader was the 22nd Annual Rainbow Classic with all proceeds from the game going to the Golisano Children’s Hospital.
PITTSFORD SUTHERLAND
Lucy Bush 3 4-8 10, Leora Cook 3 2-4 9, Maddie Littlefield 0 1-4 1, Petra Hunt 8 4-4 23, Eden Lewis 4 5-6 13, Payton Hamilton 0 0-0 0 Taylor Hamilton 0 0-0 0 Sadie Bush 0 0-0 0 TOTALS 18 16-26 56
PITTSFORD MENDON
Danielle Mooney 5 0-2 11, Sarah Hanfland 4 2-2 10, Cate Rathnam 0 1-2 1, Tamia McCadney 1 0-0 3, Natalie Mai 4 5-6 13, Gabriela Esposito 4 0-0 8, Kate Crowley 2 0-0 4 TOTALS 20 8-12 50
PITTSFORD SUTHERLAND 18 16-26 — 56
PITTSFORD MENDON 10 8 13 19 — 50
2-point goals — Sutherland 4 (Cook 1, Hunt 3); Mendon 2 (Mooney 1, McCadney 1)
Leave a Reply