COUDERSPORT — If Saturday’s non-league game is any indication of how the District 9 girls basketball playoffs might shake out, Coudersport and Moniteau figure to be major players.
The Falcons are a Class AA team and the Warriors AAA, and they won’t meet each other again this season or in the playoffs. But both regarded the other as a test.
Moniteau won the battle in a classic overtime decision, 58-50, with its two best senior players, Kristina DeMatteis and Alazia Greaves, scoring 21 points. Meanwhile, Coudersport’s Haley Keck scored 22 points in a losing effort, including a buzzer-beating trey to tie the game at 46 at the end of regulation.
Moniteau improved to 13-2, while Coudersport suffered its first loss, falling to 12-1.
Fouls and free-throw shooting determined the outcome. Coudersport shot 30 percent (6-of-20) from the line and Moniteau 64 percent (21-of-33). And in OT, the Warriors went 7-for-10 and the Falcons 1-for-6.
“That has been a problem all season,” remarked Falcons coach Chris Fink.
In overtime, Coudersport’s Macy Gleason committed her fifth foul and Greaves made both free throws to put Moniteau up 48-46. Greaves then buried a three off a Falcon turnover to put the Warriors up 51-46 with 3:39 left. Coudersport then saw Ally Easton foul out and Hull connected on 1-of-2 free throws to extend Moniteau’s lead to 52-46. Hull fouled out of the game on the ensuing play, but Coudersport missed its next four free throws. Greaves and DeMatteis combined for six points over the next 1:23 to put the game away.
“We got everything we wanted tonight except get the W,” Fink said. “I wanted to play this team because they play an excellent pressing defense and have two exceptional players in DeMatteis and Greaves, and I wanted the girls to experience that kind of game. I am proud of their play tonight. We didn’t panic and stayed with them until the overtime. Even though we didn’t have Easton and Gleason for most of the overtime, we didn’t quit and I like that. This is a game we can build on and grow from on the rest of the season.”
Warriors coach Dee Arblaster praised her team.
“We wanted to play this team, and we did a good job tonight on defense,” she said. “We knew thay can press well and we did a good job against that. We had 10 blocked shots tonight, and DeMatteis and Emma Bair pulled down 14 rebounds. This is the best team we have played so far, they are well-coached and execute plays as well as anyone. We got lucky at the free-throw line. I like the fact we play tough non-league games, and I look forward to playing them next year.”
AT COUDERSPORT
Moniteau (58)
Kristina DeMatteis 8 5-8 21, Alazia Greaves 6 6-9 21, Hull 1 6-8 8, King 0 2-2 2, E. Bair 2 2-6 6, Arblaster 0 0-0 0, I. Bair 0 0-0 0, Totals 17 21-33 58
Coudersport (50)
VanWagenen 2 1-2 6, Perkins 3 1-4 7, Gleason 1 0-2 3, A. Easton 1 4-6 6, Haley Keck 9 0-4 22, Wood 0 0-2 0, Black 2 0-0 4, E. Easton 1 0-0 2, Crosby 0 0-0 0, Totals 19 6-20 50
Moniteau 15 26 36 46 58
Coudersport 11 25 34 46 50
Three-point field goals: Moniteau 3 (Greaves 3); Coudersport 6 (Keck 4, VanWagenen, Gleason)
Total fouls: Moniteau 15, Coudersport 23. Fouled out: Moniteau – Hull; Coudersport – Gleason, A. Easton
JV Score: Coudersport 38-28
