By Michael Letendre
AVON – The Bristol Eastern girls basketball team needed to show a little composure at the end of its showdown against a more experienced Avon program on Friday night.
And the Lancers did exactly that, sinking a few clutch free throws and staving off the Falcons’ offense – posting a 41-39 victory in a CCC interdivisional tilt from Avon High School.
Avon (1-1) led early but after the Falcons made five of their first seven field goals, Eastern’s defense came alive as the home team shot just 27-percent the rest of the way, keeping the final score under forty points.
“I thought defensively, we didn’t do badly,” said Eastern coach Tony Floyd. “We kept them to forty and that’s what we were trying to do. If we kept them to forty, we had a chance to win the game.”
The undefeated Lancers didn’t shoot very well either (27.5-percent) but made enough to create a 10 point cushion early in the fourth period and held on for dear life in the end.
Late turnovers and missed shots didn’t help the Kingstreeters but clutch charity tosses from Amanda Noel (seven points, career-high 13 rebounds and four steals) and a critical foul shot by Autumn Udoh (game-high 24 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks, six steals) help stave off any late heroics by Avon.
“My thing, I just thought at times, that’s youth, not understanding what to look for and execute at the end of the game,” said Floyd. “We turned the ball over, we gave [Avon] opportunities to get back into the game. Hopefully, they learn from this.”
Lauren Ayotte scooped up a single-double, not scoring but collecting a career-best 11 rebounds, Vanessa Drury hung in there with six points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals while Cassie Sward – earning her first ever varsity start – dished out two assists.
Savannah Drury and Alaina Joy came off the bench to help the Kingstreeters win in the end.
Avon used a bunch of pick and roll action early and off a hoop by Adi Sandish (10 points), the home team led 8-3 just over two minutes into the game.
The Falcons later constructed a 12-7 push but Eastern ended the first frame with a hoop from Udoh, a free throw by Vanessa Drury and when Savannah Drury netted a hoop off a steal, it was a 12-12 game through eight minutes of play.
Avon was limited to just seven second quarter points as the easy offense dried up due to Eastern’s outstanding defense.
“Amanda did a good job on” Lila Aguilar said Floyd of Noel. “The guards settled down and did a good job on pick and roll and stuff like that and adjusting to their offense.”
The Falcons led by four late in the second before Eastern surged in front, just in time for intermisson.
On a 7-2 half-ending run, Udoh cashed in on a miss, Sward made a steal and put in a hoop and when Udoh drained a three to end the scoring, Eastern took a 20-19 lead at the half.
After a quick hoop from Avon’s Mya Hall (seven points) to open the third tilt, it was all Eastern- going on a 13-4 run to capture a 33-25 edge by completion of the period.
Udoh notched nine points in the quarter, scored on a slick coast to coast lay-up with 2:28 left in the third and when Ayotte found the sophomore sensation for one final hoop, Avon was trailing by eight going into the fourth quarter.
“They adjusted very well at stuff Avon threw at us,” said Floyd of his squad. “I was happy about that.”
Sward made a sweet pass to Udoh for a hoop to start the fourth as Eastern nabbed a 35-25 cushion with 6:52 to go.
However, Eastern only hit one additional field goal to end the game as the Falcons made its comeback bid.
“We didn’t shoot real well tonight,” said Floyd. “We shot real well [against Manchester]. We’re going to have some ups and downs with this young group. But they found a way to win and that’s the thing. If they can do that, they are going to be fine this season.”
Avon trimmed the deficit to four before a blistering 3 from Udoh pushed the Kingstreeters edge out to 38-31with 4:58 to play.
As Eastern’s offense went silent, Avon notched five quick points as Godbout hit a huge 3 – the first of the game for the program – and with 2:05 left in regulation, it was a two-point game (38-36).
With time becoming a factor, Avon was forced to foul, getting Eastern to the free throw line, and Noel coolly canned two in a row to push the lead out to 40-36 with 70 seconds to go.
After another Avon miss, Udon was fouled, went 1-of-2 at the line, and with 25.4 seconds left, Eastern’s edge was 41-36.
One last 3 from the Falcons made it a 41-39 game with 17 seconds to play.
After a couple timeouts and a little keep away, the Lancers had possession of the ball with less than ten seconds left.
Udoh ended up shooting a jumper with eight seconds to play – looking to make things academic – but she missed the shot.
The Falcons ended up with the ball but were out of timeouts with just over four seconds showing on the clock, having to travel the length of the court.
“We gave them 4.1 seconds” to get a tying shot off said Floyd. “We put some pressure on them, making them run the ball [down court]. They gave the ball up to the big kid (right away but) she was outside, away from the basket.”
The ball was eventually advanced up the court but Sandish was too far away from the hoop, stuck on the baseline and could not get a shot off as the final horn sounded – propelling the Lancers to a huge 41-39 victory on the road.
“They did show some composure” at the end said Floyd. “I’m pleased about that.”
Bristol Eastern Girls Basketball – CCC Interdivisional Play
BRISTOL EASTERN 41, AVON 39
from Avon High School
Bristol Eastern (2-0) 12 8 13 8 – 41
Avon (1-1) 12 7 6 14 – 39
BRISTOL EASTERN (41): Lauren Ayotte 0 0 0, Vanessa Drury 2 2 6, Cassie Sward 1 0 2, Amanda Noel 1 5 7, Savannah Drury 1 0 2, Autumn Udoh 9 4 24, Alaina Joy 0 0 0. Totals: 14 11 41.
AVON (39): Lila Aguilar 4 0 9, Adi Sandish 5 0 10, Sophia DiBella 1 0 2, Gianna Godbout 3 4 11, Mya Hall 3 1 7. Totals: 16 5 39.
Three-point goals: Autumn Udoh (BE) 2, Lila Aguilar (A), Gianna Godbout (A).
Records: Bristol Eastern 2-0 overall; Avon 1-1
