Published in the Daily Hampshire Gazette on Feb. 4, 2015
SOUTH HADLEY — Granby sophomore Kate Sarnacki broke the 20-point mark for the third consecutive game as her career-high 29 points led the Rams to a 59-54 win over South Hadley Wednesday night.
“It’s always hard to play here. It’s always good when we get the win here,” she said. “They have good fans. It’s always packed and it echoes a lot, so it’s very exciting.”
A missed practice due to an illness seemed to have lit a spark for the wing, who came into the game off back-to-back 22-point performances, including in a double-overtime win at home against Chicopee Comp.
“I just came back and I was ready to go after that little day off,” Sarnacki said. “I think I am more confident driving to the hoop than I was earlier (this season). I’d wait for someone else to do it and now I do it myself.”
In the Rams’ win over their Central League rivals, her versatility was on display. If she was open, she’d take a shot, rarely missing.
“She’s a great shooter. We’re kind of a free shooting team. You’re open, shoot it,” Burke said. “I want them to get some confidence. Confidence is a big thing in shooting and Kate’s not lacking in confidence. Not at all.”
Sarnacki finished with two 3-pointers, including one from two steps beyond the arc, and was 3 for 4 from the foul line.
Senior Meghan Sullivan assisted Sarnacki’s effort with 17 points. Sophie Gatzounas led South Hadley (10-5, 2-2 Central) with 22 points and Sam Gawron had 17, including five 3-pointers.
The win not only kept Granby (15-0, 4-0) unbeaten with five games left, but offered a piece of redemption from a defeat in South Hadley to close the 2013-14 season that sent the Rams into the tournament on a sour note.
“That was a tough one last year,” Burke said. “We didn’t want to do that. We didn’t play well that game, that was because of them and their pressure.”
This time around the Rams withstood the Tigers’ pressure and limited turnovers. South Hadley coach Paul Dubuc said he thought it was one of the better games the two schools have played recently and is already looked forward to the Feb. 12 rematch in Granby.
“I loved our effort. I just think that turnovers, foul shots and too much Kate Sarnacki got us,” Dubuc said. “The are undefeated for a reason. … We know we can play with them.”
A close first quarter spilled over into the second. The two sides totaled five first-half ties, the last at 19-19 with 3:51 left in the second, but the Rams maintained a slim lead until halftime.
Out of the break, Gatzounas drove to the basket for a layup to cut the score to 28-26, but the Tigers struggled to reach another tie.
Sarnacki hit an inside jumper and a 3 to push Granby’s led to seven, but Gawron drained a 3 from the top of the key to make it 35-31 with 2:47 left in third. Granby closed the quarter on a 9-4 run for its largest lead at 44-32.
Sarnacki hit a floater in the paint to keep the Rams’ lead at 12 points with 7:21 to go, but was then held scoreless over the next five minutes.
“They were definitely trying to put somebody on me, but I figured them out and got away from it,” Sarnacki said.
After a 3 by Marley Medina (13 points) from the right corner cut South Hadley’s deficit to 51-48 with 3:45 to go, Burke called timeout. Sarnacki then had a solo 5-0 run for some breathing room as the two sides traded shots down the stretch.
“I told them it was going to be a test,” Burke said. “It’s not hard for them to get up for South Hadley, they love playing South Hadley. The girls know one another, but you can tell, it’s no holds barred on the floor. They get after it.”