Patience pays off for Coatesville, as 322 traffic delays start off tip off classic
By Dave Conard, Sports Editor CoatesvilleTimes.com
COATESVILLE–Red Raiders head coach Fred Ellzy felt pretty confident going into Friday nights season opener against Academy Park.
Martianna Wilson, who had a game high 23 points, battles under the boards.
The excitement leading into Coatesville High School’s annual tip off classic and that confidence was quickly transformed into apprehension as he watched his squad fail to take advantage of ample opportunities in the first half.
After having to endure an hour and ten minute delay at the outset of the contest, thanks to traffic that snarled the Council Rock North squad, who defeated Phoenixville in the opening game, the Red Raiders had just enough idle time for their excitement to morph into nervous energy.
“I think we came out to pumped up,” said Ellzy. “We looked tentative and almost nervous to start the game, we made so many mistakes on both sides of the court. At halftime we just talked about taking a breath and getting into our game.”
After trailing for virtually the entire opening half, Coatesville (1-0) found itself trailing 18-17 as the headed into the locker room at the intermission, after committing nine turnovers.
“We were too ready to play,” said sophomore Martianna Wilson, who was in a class of her own posting a game high 23 points to compliment her 12 boards. “We warmed up while we waited, then cooled down, then warmed up again, we just talked at halftime that the first half was over and we had to move on and play our game in the second half.”
True to their halftime convo, the Red Raiders owned the third quarter out scoring the Knights 21-11 in the pivotal frame to take command of the tilt, led by outstanding play on the glass by Wilson and senior Samira Strand, who claimed 8 rebounds.
“Martianna is a beast,” added Ellzy. “She is one of those special players that requires very little coaching, she just really wants to succeed and has an incredible work ethic, which shows up on game time. If she keeps her focus and takes it one game at a time, the shy is the limit for what she can do.”
Junior Autumn Smith skies it for two of her 13 points in a Coatesville win over the Knights.
The Red Raiders inside-outside combination of Wilson, who scored nine points in the decisive third period, and junior Autumn Smith, who connected on six field goals and 13 points over all, was too much for Academy Park to overcome even with an outstanding effort from Brianna MaCauley (12, 1-4, 13 points) and Jordan Mathews (11, 3-4, 14 points) as Coatesville got its first win of the season by a final count of 43-35 and will face Council Rock North today at 2:30 for the tourney crown.
“The first win is always the toughest,” added Ellzy. “I think we saw a little bit of what we are capable of good and bad today. If we play our game, we can hang with any one, but if we make mistakes and beat ourselves it makes it tough. I am very excited for the tart of our league schedule which start out with two tough opponents right out of the gate.”
“It was great to get it going tonight,” added Wilson. “We have a lot goals to tart the season and one of them is to beat team like Downingtown East and West, to do that we have to bring our best game to the floor, the second half showed us what we need to do to be successful, we can’t give the teams in our league extra chances.”
Academy Park 10 8 11 6 -35
Coatesville 10 7 21 5 -43
Academy Park (35)
Donegan –4, 0-2, 4; MaCauley-12, 1-4, 13; Bennett 0, 2-2, 2; Mathews- 11, 3-4, 14; Smith 2, 0-0, 2. 29, 6-12, 35.
Coatesville (43)
Kirby- 2, 0-0, 2; Wilson 18, 5-8, 23; Wilkerson 3, 0-0, 3; Smith 12, 1-2, 13; Strand 0, 0-1, 0; Donovan 0, 2-2, 2 – 35, 8-13, 43.
Coatesville senior Samira Strand battled all night claiming eight boards.
