TURNERS FALLS — After watching a double-digit lead dissipate, the Franklin Tech girls basketball team needed a bucket late in the fourth quarter against Mt. Everett on Thursday night.
Jocelyn Crowningshield obliged, calmly knocking down a short jumper to give Franklin Tech a two-point cushion.
The shot engaged the Eagles’ press, and ignited a run that finished off Mt. Everett in a 43-36 season-opening independent win at the Eagle Holiday Classic.
Franklin Tech will play Hopkins Academy in the championship game, tonight back at home at 6:30 p.m.
“We started communicating better,” Crowningshield said. “We started running our plays the proper way instead of throwing them together at the last second. We took a breath and realized we needed to calm down. We needed to find our rhythm. Without a rhythm we are just going to be all over the place.”
The Eagles (1-0) ended the game on a 9-2 run. Crowningshield was a steady presence running the point for Franklin Tech.
“You need someone to control the court and know where to go,” Crowningshield said. “You can’t force passes.”
The Eagles used their press early to create a 23-12 advantage at intermission. The press created turnovers that led to easy baskets.
“Overall I thought the girls made some great hustle plays,” Franklin Tech coach Joe Gamache said. “We were not always in the right spot on that press. But we got out of it what we were looking to get out of it. We got a lot of turnovers.”
After Crowningshield’s jumper, Jordan Hurlbert scored on a multiple effort play in the paint to give the Eagles a 38-34 lead.
“That was the shot that sparked us,” Gamache said of Crowningshield’s bucket. “It got us back into what we wanted to do.”
Hurlbert was a force in the paint for the Eagles, finishing with a double-double on 14 points and 16 rebounds.
Crowningshield (12 points) followed with a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 41-34. Crowningshield then forced a steal and fed Isabella Duga for a layup that closed the scoring for the Eagles.
A slow third quarter offensively allowed Mt. Everett to climb back into the game.
“We don’t have a lot of offensive sets yet,” Gamache said. “Just a couple basic ones. We are not executing those in the matter we should but it’s just going to be reps and getting used to a different style and getting used to each other.”
Mt. Everett outscored the Eagles 16-9 in the third quarter to get back within striking distance.
“Playing individually is not going to help us move forward,” Crowningshield said. “We needed to come together and slow it down. Today was our first game and we did not want to start off poorly.”
Gabby Castagna (eight points) and Duga (six points) both chipped in offensively.
The pressure defense of Desiree Doane, Duga and Crowningshield led to disruptions via the press. The Eagles got after the ball throughout, diving for loose balls and fighting aggressively for possession. That led to several jump balls.
“I love seeing them dive on the floor,” Gamache said. “That’s the kind of intensity we are going to need to be successful.”
FC Tech 43, Mt. Everett 36
Mt. Everett (36)
Von Ruden 4-2-10, Ullrich 3-3-10, Atwood 1-0-2, Goewey 6-2-14. Totals 14-7–36.
FC Tech (43)
Hurlbert 6-2-14, Cruz 0-0-0, Jobst 0-0-0, Doane 1-0-2, Duga 3-0-6, Ryan 0-1-1, Crowningshield 5-0-12, Castagna 4-0-8. Totals: 19-3–43.
3-Point Goals: (ME) Ullrich. (FT) Crowningshield 2.
Score by quarters:
|
Mt. Everett |
6 |
6 |
16 |
8 |
— |
36 |
|
FC Tech |
13 |
10 |
9 |
11 |
— |
43 |
