Windsor Locks Girls Basketball Advances in State Tournament

A belated off-the-court friendship has helped produce big things for the Windsor Locks girl’s basketball team.

Juniors Mariah Brown and Nikki LaPierre helped the Raiders hold off Hale-Ray 42-27 in the opening game of the Class S State Tournament Monday night at Windsor Locks High School.

But while the two are friends now, that wasn’t the case a few short years ago.

“Nikki and I actually weren’t friends at all until freshman year when our coach got us together and we clicked,” Brown said. “We play together every day and when we don’t have practice we’re at the gym playing together and working out.”

Brown’s driving layups (15 points) and pesky hands on the perimeter (five steals) couple with LaPierre’s work in the post (11 points and 24 rebounds) proved  enough to put away the Little Noises, who hung in the game through the fourth quarter.

“We were keeping them around,” Brown said. “But at the same time, were handling what we needed to handle but just needed that extra push to put them away.”

The Raiders’ pressure on defense thanks to Brown and Jenna Wojtas (nine rebounds, six steals, five blocks) helped eliminate Hale-Ray’s lead in the opening minutes.

“I’m good at reading their eyes,” Brown said of her steals. “You have to read someone’s eyes to know when and where they’re going to pass it and then just step to it.”

Emily Burke’s arcing three-point shot from the left wing at 2:25 in the second quarter stopped a Hale- Ray rally and the Raiders went into halftime up 24-16.

“Emily Burke has been known as one the best defensive players in the NCCC, but all year long she’s been making big shots like that for us,” Windsor Locks head coach Doug Knowe said.

Burke came through again at 5:29 in the fourth quarter when her layup extended Windsor Locks’ lead to eleven, and the Raiders finally put it away on Jessica Kuzmickas’ three-pointer from the right wing made it 38-27 with 2:42 left. The Little Noises scored three points in the fourth quarter.

“All year long, we’ve been working to get better on defense,” Knowe said. “Last year, defense was our strength and we’re working to get back to that as we get into the tournament.”

Hale-Ray struggled with turnovers and at the free-throw line, shooting just 48 percent on the game.

 “We got into some foul trouble Hale-Ray head coach Andy Riccio said. “When you get into foul trouble early against a tough point guard, it makes it difficult…We just couldn’t get that extra basket to go over the top. If you can’t make your foul shots, you’re not going to win ball games.”

While Brown and LaPierre are in the midst of excellent seasons as junior, Knowe was quick to acknowledge the leadership his seniors bring to the team.

“The seniors take the [team] and allow them to play together,” he said of Burke Wojtas, Ellary Douglas, and Ashley Novakowski, who missed the game with an injury but should be back for the second round.

Kristen Wicander led 19th seeded Hale-Ray (10-11) with ten points, while Missy Martin added eight.

 Fourteenth seeded Windsor Locks (13-8) will travel to third-seeded Coginchaug 7 p.m. Thursday.