BY GENE DELORENZO
BRANDON – The Otter women welcomed the Wasps of Woodstock to Senior Night at the “House of Noise” on Friday, February 11 before a raucous crowd.
Four Otter Valley Union seniors started the game, along with junior Alice Lee. All contributed significantly to the eventual 55-37 win. Lee, the lone non-senior among the starters, had perhaps her finest shooting night of the season (12 points) in a preview for next year.
Overall, the Otters had nine players score points and had five different players hit three-pointers. It was a well-balanced team effort on both ends of the court. The outside three-pointers came on perimeter reversals as the Wasps sagged into the paint to protect against the inside prowess of Emily Peduto and the driving ability of Alice Keith. It was a good strategy – until the shots started falling for the Otters. Thanks to Lee and company for that.
The four seniors: Brittney Jackson, JoAnna Ray, Marissa Connors, and Alice Keith received loud cheers on every touch. Ray led the game off on the first possession with a three-pointer and the team balance theme was set for the night. Another big three from Emily Politano closed out the quarter with OV holding a 16-9 lead.
A key steal and layup by Keith gave Otter Valley a 24-11 lead with just over two minutes remaining in the half as OV went into the intermission with a 26-16 lead.
After Woodstock cut the lead to five late in the third quarter, another Politano hoop gave them a 34-27 lead after three. In the fourth quarter, despite 8 points by Woodstock senior standout Ellie Tarleton (23 points total) OV continued to build the lead.
Five three-pointers by OV highlighted the quarter as Matelin LaPorte, Raleigh LaPorte ( two of them), Brittney Jackson, and Anna Lee all hit from deep. The 55-37 win was a total team effort in the OV style they so enjoy.
Keith led the team with 15 points, Lee chimed in with 12, Ryleigh LaPorte with six, Jackson and Politano added five each, JoAnna Ray, Mateline LaPorte each scored three, and Alivia Shedrick added one hoop. Tarleton scored 23 for Woodstock in an impressive effort. Otter Valley’s win gave them a 10-7 record, while Woodstock fell to 5-12.
The halftime show, featuring area sixth grade girls from the greater Brandon area, was a big hit for the 10-minute scrimmage, following on the heels of the sixth-grade boys’ performance the night before.
