Vintage makes clutch plays down the stretch to beat Napa and get Big Game split
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
In high emotion rivalry games, every detail is crucial.
But with that, these games can be a point where a team comes of age and matures.
That’s what happened in Thursday night’s second Big Game girls basketball of the year that saw Vintage edge Napa 45-42. After dropping the first Big Game on January 16th, this means the two teams will split this year’s games.
“Well, we got a couple (of) key rebounds and a big steal at the end and we just played hard to the buzzer,” Vintage coach Joe Donohoe said. “They were calm when it mattered and we’ve been in a lot of close games this year. Eventually, you learn from it. Eventually, you start getting more comfortable in those situations.”
“I think it’s fatigue, I think it’s a culmination of being undisciplined and not going hard enough in practice and I think it just comes back to bite you,” Napa coach Taylor Willis explained.
The win is especially rewarding for Vintage senior Mo Groves. After missing the first Big Game, this now means she’ll end her basketball career on a high note as far as Big Game is concerned.
“It’s amazing,” she explained of winning her final Big Game. “I walked into the locker room and we were so hyped and then I just burst into tears of joy. It was just an amazing feeling.”
This was a battle throughout where neither team could put together a run to gain the edge. But one of the keys for Vintage (9-15 overall, 4-7 Vine Valley Athletic League) was that they outrebounded their rivals 36-34.
“Every game we go into it needing to win the rebounds,” Donohoe continued. “ We’re never going to be the biggest team, so rebounding is important.”
“The offensive boards really killed us,” Willis admitted. “I don’t know how many times I need to ask for them to box out and want it. It just didn’t happen and I feel like Vintage wanted it more than we did. I think they control the tempo of the game and we just weren’t ever able to stay composed.”
The Crushers were led by Groves who had a nice double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.
“We’d be talking a different scenario all season, to be honest, if she would’ve been able to play all season,” Donohoe explained. “But, I’m sure happy for our four seniors to get a Big Game win in their final game against Napa.”
Rachel Galvin added nine points and a rebound as well.
Lizzie Qui and Kate Kerr both scored seven points and brought in five rebounds to help the winning effort.
Ellie Savage was the team’s second-highest rebounder on the night by bringing down nine boards and scoring five points.
As for Napa (12-13, 6-5 VVAL), they were led by Sofia Tinnon. She scored 11 points on the night and had four rebounds.
“I love Tinnon,” Willis said of the sophomore. “When I tell her to do something she does it. She does want it, she goes really hard, and I think there’s just a couple of things we need to work on with her game. And I think she’s going to be an incredible athlete.”
Anna Ghisletta and Maizy Armstrong-Brown both scored nine points and brought in six rebounds as well.
Both teams will have their regular-season finales next week. On Tuesday night at 7 p.m., Napa will host Petaluma before their league bye on Thursday. As for Vintage, they’ll have their final league bye on Tuesday before visiting American Canyon on Thursday night at 7 p.m.
In the previous meetings, Petaluma beat Napa 48-44 and Vintage beat American Canyon 57-46.
In other VVAL action on Thursday night, Petaluma beat American Canyon 60-42 and Sonoma Valley beat Justin-Siena 36-19. The up-to-date league standings can be viewed here.
