LADY BILLIES WIN BACK AND FORTH BATTLE, TAKE A1 TITLE

The Williamsville South Lady Billies are champions of Section VI’s Class A1 following their 71-67 win over the Amherst Lady Tigers at Buffalo State University on Sunday evening.

It was a matchup that was very back-and-forth, with each school taking turns as the scoreboard leader until the final buzzer sounded and coach Brooke Clark’s bunch emerged the victors.

“I think our girls came into tonight locked in, and their will to overcome adversity all season has, I think, gotten us to this point,” Clark said. “They just battled back and worked right until the end, until the last second.”

Kimora Berry, who shot 12 of 20 from the field and six of 10 from the free-throw line to compile a team-best 30 points and 16 rebounds, was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

“It was a good win tonight and I’m very happy with the outcome,” Berry said. “I just wanted to get every board and finish inside and help my team win, and that's what I’m best at doing.

For Amherst, it was one that got away but also a moment that could serve a young roster well for the future.

“I think we battled and competed against a very skilled team,” coach Grace Licata said. “We lacked some discipline in boxing out and taking care of the ball, which we're kind of bummed about right now because you don't get those moments back. It’s tough but it’s a good lesson, so we'll learn from this and come back hungrier next year – especially with a younger team who wants to get back in this position.

“At the end of the day, whoever wanted it more would win it. It just didn't go our way.” 

The beginning of the first and second quarters each featured a run – the first by Amherst, in which a 10-0 start to the game propelled them to a 17-9 lead and putting Will South in a hole. But the Lady Billies were able to climb out of that hole with a nine-point run of their own, which helped them take a 26-24 lead into halftime.

Again, Amherst emerged from the third quarter out in front – this time 45-42. With the outcome hanging in the balance and the momentum going up and down like a roller coaster, how did Will South plan on handling it?

“We just needed to keep our composure and stay cool throughout it,” Clark said. “In a basketball game there's going to be ups and downs, but we just needed to ride the wave, stay consistent, no fouls and just play smart defense. And we have a team full of phenomenal defenders.”

Not only did the team play solid defense down the stretch, but they were able to score when needed late in the fourth quarter. With 41.3 seconds remaining and both schools deadlocked at 65 points apiece, the Lady Billies were able to convert six of eight free throws while holding Amherst to just a layup to eke out the win.

Additionally, while Berry was the team’s best player on Sunday evening she wasn’t alone, according to Clark.

“Kimora was unbelievable for us tonight,” Clark said. “She came in with a ‘refuse to lose’ mentality. She's a beast on the boards. Her size, athleticism and her strength inside is just awesome, and it adds so much to our team.

“Jayla Young coming off the bench gave us such a spark that we needed defensively, but she alsokind of helped pick our tempo up to the tempo we had the other night. We're a fast-paced team, and she kind of helped bring us to that next level.”

Berry said that her team’s win – which served as revenge for falling to Amherst in the postseason a year ago – was a result of improved team cohesiveness.

“Last year when we lost in the first round to Amherst, that one we were supposed to lose and we did, and the chemistry this year is way stronger than it was last year,” Berry said.

“Tonight we all had each other's back, and that's what a team really needs – to trust each other.”

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