RallyNorth.net

Morissette's buzzer-beater lifts Londonderry

Friday, January, 04 By Alan Siegel
Staff writer

SALEM | As the ball bounced around the rim, Courtney Morissette held her breath.

"I was begging it would go in," she said. "I prayed." Her shot, a soft jumper from the elbow of the lane, dropped in at the buzzer, giving Londonderry a 59-58 win over Salem last night.

Hallelujah.

"If I didn't make it," said Morissette, who finished with six points, "(my teammates) were going to kill me."

After a held ball gave the Lancers possession with 5.8 seconds remaining, the sophomore forward caught a pass from junior guard Lindsay Willis, turned, and lofted the ball skyward.

"It was really hard watching," said junior forward Hanna Collins, who led the Lancers with 20 points, but fouled out before the final play. "But after, I was excited."

The Davis Gym crowd, which increased steadily as the girls game progressed, witnessed a dramatic comeback. The Lancers overcame a 14-point second-half deficit, outscoring the Blue Devils 21-12 in the fourth quarter.

In the end, after his semi-startled players hugged on the court, Londonderry coach John Fagula smiled. He figured the game, which changed rapidly after halftime, would contain at least a few positives.

"It was a bonus to win it," he said.

Minutes the final shot dropped, Salem coach Liz Briggs complimented Londonderry but was disappointed in her team's effort down the stretch.

"We gave it away," she said. "We were sloppy."

Michaela Galvin's layup gave the Blue Devils a 58-55 lead with about a minute to go, but Collins scored to cut the lead to one and set the stage for Morissette.

"It was a great, great win," Morisette said. "We really pulled together."

Junior forward Amanda Saab led Salem with 19 points.