By Ryan O’connor
 

WEARE – Two minutes into the second half, host John Stark was in control, pulling away from Bow. Suddenly, the visitors grabbed the wheel, turned around and drove the Generals to distraction.

But Stark, fueled by fine free throw shooting, pumped up its Class I girls basketball postseason hopes and left Bow a bit flat, winning 46-41 on Saturday, Feb. 2.

This game was especially important, said Bow head coach Corey Boilard and his John Stark counterpart, Wayne Thomson, since both teams entered with identical 10-5 marks.

Thomson’s crew moved into a tie for fifth place in the standings. Boilard’s group dropped out of the top eight, which points to a road trip for the first round of the playoffs. Each team has two games remaining in the regular season.

“When you’re fighting with another 10-5 team … you expect to win. So I don’t consider (our second-half comeback) a moral victory,” said Boilard.

Thomson said he saw his Stark girls play a solid game, force Bow into mistakes and execute on offense when necessary.

“We preach defense, turnovers and foul shooting,” said the Stark mentor. “Come tournament time, that’s what’s most important.”

Thomson has a familiar name wearing a familiar number at his disposal, one whom Bow must face for three more years.

JS freshman Katie Cullerot, wearing the same No. 30 as her since-graduated sister, Libby, sank six straight shots from the charity stripe – each a pressure-packed 1-and-1 chance – to offset a key three-pointer from Bow’s Kaitlyn Hinck.

“I wanted the ball in her hands,” said Thomson. Cullerot finished with 11 points.

Hinck, despite missing a good portion of the middle of the game with a bloody nose, poured in 16 points. Her last three-pointer pulled Bow within a deuce.

However, she passed up an opportunity to shoot a trey that could have tied the score.

Boilard said he addressed the entire team about being aware of game situations. On the other hand, he was pleased the team worked its way into having a chance at all.

“We give ourselves opportunities,” said Bow’s coach. “I’d like to see us playing that way – with that sense of urgency – for 32 minutes.”

Instead, Stark controlled play most of the night, led by Erin Clarke.

The senior center fouled out, but not before leaving her mark. Clarke netted 11 points in the first half as the hosts built a 28-19 edge at the break, and she passed the ball effectively from her low-post position.

“That’s having trust in your teammates and playing smart,” said Thomson.

She also broke the Lady Generals’ scoring drought – due largely to Bow’s spirited defense – with 5:37 remaining in the fourth quarter. That bucket, more than eight minutes after the previous JS score, gave the Lady Generals a three-point edge. Clarke netted 15 points.

“It was a tournament atmosphere against a team that’s going to do well in the tournament,” said Bow’s Boilard. “We’ve been in a lot of (close) games late in the fourth.”

Game notes

Many in attendance were wondering about Boilard’s last-minute strategy. Here’s what happened. John Stark, ahead 44-41 with 25.3 seconds left, inbounded the ball facing a full-court press. However, Bow allowed 13.5 seconds to pass before fouling a Stark player.

“My take is you play tough defense, hope to get a turnover, then once they get over half court, foul,” said Boilard.

The plan worked.

With someone other than Cullerot shooting free throws, JS missed both, giving Bow a chance with less than 10 seconds to shoot a game-tying three. But no one took that shot.

For the victors, Brittany Purington scored 10 points. Julie Feliciano added six points, including a pair of free throws with 1.1 seconds left to account for the final score. Olivia Cray and Elyssa Feliciano both hit for two.

Kelly Chergey added seven points to Bow’s line. Maggie Crisman and Molly Crisman scored six each.

Meghan Faretra netted four, and Jackie Laboe nailed two free throws.