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Sports
Wolves earn a homecoming victory : Sports : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisWolves earn a homecoming victory
| Oswego East girls' basketball team wins tournament opener against Addison Trail
| by Laura M. Medina
| 12/29/2011
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Having spent almost the first half of its season on the road, perhaps the one thing the Oswego East girls' basketball team was most looking forward to in hosting its annual tournament was returning to its home court.
Of course, it also helps to earn a win on that homecoming night.
After playing 11 games away from the comforts of home, the Wolves returned to their stomping grounds and defeated Addison Trail 53-41 on Tuesday night in its opening matchup at the Winter Classic Basketball Tournament. It was the eighth and final game on the first day of the tournament, which runs through Friday night.
A victory on Tuesday set up a Wednesday evening meeting with Aurora Central Catholic, which defeated Joliet Central - the team slated to face Addison Trail in the second day of the competition - earlier.
Results for both games, however, were unavailable at press time, but the Wolves headed into the day seeking their fourth straight win, while the Blazers hoped to end their three-game slide.
Oswego East (8-4) may have been playing away from home for the last month, but that aspect didn't keep the team from enjoying success, as it won seven of 11 games heading into the first game of the tournament.
Additionally, four straight, including its remaining three games of the tournament, and five of its next six games overall will be played at Oswego East's confines.
"It was a long first part of the season, and now, we'll be here a lot," Oswego East first-year head coach Abe Carretto said. "It'll be nice play on our home court."
If Tuesday's contest was any indication, the Wolves have every intention of remaining on that positive track, especially in their own building.
The teams played it close in the first quarter, with Oswego East taking a slight 11-9 edge over Addison Trail (5-7) after the opening eight minutes. Senior guard Arneasa Blair's six points led all scorers in that span.
Blair (team-high 15 points, three steals) and the Wolves, though, pulled away significantly in the second. Senior forward Kylee Jackson and guard Claudia Denigris (seven points) exchanged baskets, and then the hosts reeled off seven straight points to extend the lead to 20-11.
Sophomore guard Venita Parsons had five points in that stretch for Oswego East, which did not concede another basket in that quarter until a jumper from guard Joann Dinatale (nine points, nine rebounds).
After that, however, the Wolves scored eight unanswered points, led by four from sophomore guard Aysia Bugg, to take a 28-13 lead at halftime.
"I don't think they were ready for our pressure," Carretto said. "It's hard that first game of a tournament where maybe you don't get to see a team play, especially when you're not in conference, and if nobody tells you anything, you're not ready for that speed.
Each team totaled 10 points in the third, but it could have been a much more lopsided offensive number for Oswego East, which seemingly owned the time of possession battle in that quarter, thanks in part to the six steals it nabbed along the way.
"Any time that you can make a team turn the ball over...and if we get a make off of that, then they know our defense is coming again," Carretto said. "It just kinda creates a little bit of havoc for us...but we get the ball, and we can slow things down if we have to. Turnover-wise, that helps us, and that makes the other team work harder and that's the main thing."
We have to work hard in order to make sure that we're in these games, whether we're close or we have a lead, but defensive pressure allows us to get some leads and keep building on them."
In all, the Wolves forced 31 turnovers, including 18 steals, behind the fast-paced defensive set-up that has worked for them all season. Bugg (12 points, two assists) and junior forward Brittany McWaine (two points, four rebounds) led the way with four steals each.
"Our coach wants us to keep a fast game, so it's natural for us to play so fast-paced," said Jackson, who had three steals to go along with four points and a team-best 11 rebounds. "Personally, when it goes fast like that, I feel more comfortable."
Addison Trail came out more aggressive in the fourth, as it slightly out-scored Oswego East 12-10 in the first five minutes of play to make it a 48-35 deficit. Post player Marissa Pezzopane led the way for the Blazers with nine points - after being held scoreless in the first three quarters - before fouling out, while Blair had four for the Wolves.
But Oswego East responded with a 5-0 swing to make it 53-35 with about two minutes left.
Addison Trail, though, refused to leave quietly, as it closed out the game with six unanswered points - guided by reserve guard Vilda Konopulli's two layups - of its own to seal the contest.
Oswego East is on the right track for continued success in 2011-2012, but in order to continue doing so, it must capitalize on the things that have worked for it thus far, like aggressive defense and a speedy offense. Luckily, it has a few more opportunities in this tournament - and at home - to do just that.
"We want to protect our home court, starting with the first game here," Jackson said. "We have to keep it simple out there, keep playing hard and hopefully, that can take us through."
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