WHITNEY POINT –– The Dryden girls basketball team never found its footing Monday night, as it fell 58-34 to Whitney Point at Whitney Point High School. The Lions were on the wrong end of a 36-17 second half from the Eagles after trailing by five at the break.
Kylan Smith started the second half avalanche for Whitney Point with a 3-pointer, followed by a pair of Maggie Burlison layups to push the lead to 12. Dryden never recovered, finishing the third quarter with four turnovers to three made field goals.
Dryden was forced to settle for contested jump shots most of the night offensively. Whitney Point used that to its advantage, pushing the tempo to get easy looks at the rim most of the night. Dryden head coach John Pascarella felt his team was just too slow to react in all areas.
“We just didn’t adjust quick to them getting back quicker than us on the press break and just not hustling,” Pascarella said.
“I think the big thing would be recognizing and dribbling with your head up, seeing your player that was completely wide open and moving the ball a little bit more crisp,” Pascarella added. “That way you can go ahead and if you’re contested on the three, you have a dribble drive to get to the paint and drop in a 2-point bucket.”
Whitney Point raced out of the gates to a 12-2 start before the Lions came alive to get back in it. They closed the quarter on a 6-1 run and eventually tied the game at 17 on a Maysie Davis 3-pointer. Pascarella liked what he saw in the second quarter.
“We were moving the ball well in the second quarter, but we just couldn’t find it again the rest of the game,” Pascarella said.
The tie score was as close as Dryden would get, as the Eagles closed the half 5-0 before opening the third quarter 15-6.
Guiliana Pascarella led Dryden with 13 points, Davis added nine points, Abby Smith tallied eight and Alyson Smith and Lily Turco scored two points apiece.
John Pascarella put a simple formula forth for how his team can get back on track.
“The team has to win as team,” John Pascarella said.
Dryden will look to get back on track at 7:30 p.m. today, when it visits Watkins Glen.
