Housy basketball playing hard, winning games

FALLS VILLAGE — Both the Housatonic Valley Regional High School boys and girls varsity basketball teams are having a strong season, with the girls team winning nine games out of 11 as of Sunday and the boys team winning five out of nine games.

On Tuesday, Jan. 13, the girls won their away game against Shepaug Valley by a decisive score, 40-26. Coach Kevin Riley credits Paxton Thornton with leading the way for the win by scoring 23 points.  Sarah Godburn and Danielle Kearns scored four points each.

However, on Friday, Jan. 16, the team came within two points of losing their home game against Lewis Mills.

“It was just such a tight game,� Riley said. “We started the game 15-4, but by halftime we led by 24-21. In the second quarter we had a six-point lead, but toward the end, with only 40 seconds to play, the game was tied 50-50. Then with only 38 seconds left, Paxton hit a bank shot. The last few seconds there was no action and we won.�

Thornton led the team, scoring 20 points, with Emily Cadman scoring 13. Jackie Underwood tallied eight points and eight rebounds.

“I think we’re doing great because we have a great core of kids from last season who are all starting to believe in what they are capable of doing,� Riley said. “We have a hard-working team, but we need more consistency, especially on how we play throughout the game and on working the ball. I do think we show that we are a good team.�

Meanwhile, the boys basketball team has a 5-4 record so far this year, winning their Tuesday, Jan. 13, home game against Shepaug Valley, 72-62. However, the team lost an away game at Lewis Mills on Friday, Jan. 16, 68-56.

“I think we’ve played hard and I hope to win enough games to get into the state tournament,� coach Dave Battistoni said. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us to do and that is not automatic. It may be an old cliche, but you win games one at a time. We are capable of beating anybody, but at the same time we are capable of being beat by anybody.�

Battistoni said that he hopes to make the team better basketball players over the course of the next games.

“The Northwest Corner of Connecticut is not a hotbed of basketball,� he said. “We work on what we do instead of worrying about what other teams are doing.�

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