By SPENCER BATES
SALAMANCA — Despite a late charge from Olean, the Salamanca girls basketball team was able to hold on for a win in its CCAA Div. I home-opener.
The Warriors entered their first league game of the season on the back of two consecutive losses in which the offense struggled to see the ball through the hoop, according to coach Joe Hinman. And while they were able to grab a 42-30 win, some of the same issues persisted.
A good deal of that can be attributed to the physicality and defense that the Huskies brought with them into the affair.
“We just got too comfortable,” Hinman said. “(Olean) slowly crawled their way back in it, but we stood our ground at the end. (It was) an overall physical game, they were coached well, and they had some big shots to get them back in it. We’re fortunate to come out on the winning end today.”
And where Salamanca’s coach saw a certain amount of frustration, Olean coach Chelsea Bowker found satisfaction.
“Our defense was awesome,” Bowker said. “My girls have a hard time playing a physical game. They don’t like to touch each other or run into other players. They did it tonight, and it showed. … They definitely did what I asked, and they went hard, and I’m leaving happy today. I think my girls are too.”
Olean’s Alaina Hirliman (4) brings the ball up the court. Hirliman scored a game-high 12 points for the Huskies in their 42-30 loss to the Warriors. (Salamanca Warrior Athletics)
Both offenses struggled to get going early on, but Salamanca managed to gain the upper hand and grabbed a 9-2 lead by the end of the opening quarter that just about doubled into a 17-4 lead going into the break.
It was after the intermission when the sides turned the intensity up a notch.
The Warriors’ lead ballooned to as large as 20 points in the second half after opening the third quarter with an 11-4 run. But the Huskies were able to respond with a 14-4 run of their own in the immediate aftermath to cut the deficit to just 10 points.
At the center of Olean’s late-game rally was Alaina Hirliman, who scored a game-high 12 points and hit some incredibly meaningful 3s despite not feeling all that confident in her shot at the half, according to Bowker.
“At the half, she told me she wasn’t shooting anymore,” Bowker said. “I said, ‘We’re not making shots anyway. You better keep shooting.’ We needed shots on the rim, she did just that and, as a shooter, everyone knows, once one falls, they all start falling, and she did a great job.”
What also played a big role in the Huskies’ ability to claw their way back was the hosts’ struggles at the rim.
Salamanca’s Leilene McComber (5) rises up for a mid-range jump shot while under heavy pressure from an Olean defender. (Salamanca Warrior Athletics)
Salamanca, after shifting its defensive tactics in the first half to more of a press, was able to force a number of turnovers and swipe a good amount of steals. However, in the fast-break they struggled and left a number of layups rolling off the rim — an area that Hinman noted they have worked on as of late.
“We work a lot on inside shots, working the finish,” Hinman said. “It’s finishing layups, finishing possessions, all that, finishing games. We finished this game today, but I think we can be better moving forward. But that was a good win. It was a gritty win to open up league play.”
“I think we got too complacent, too comfortable. We got to make sure we’re playing from horn to horn, whistle to whistle.”
While satisfied with another tally in the win column, Hinman is still looking for his team to establish a true identity on the offensive side of the floor. According to him, that all starts with finishing the easy ones they are presented with.
“We’re kind of finding our offensive identity, just as a group, (trying to stay) consistent,” Hinman said. “It starts down low, inside the paint, finishing those easy baskets, transition layups, we call them the easy shots, the fundamental baskets that we need. We’ll get there, we’re still going, but we’ll take the win.”
Olean is finding itself with a similar problem. Bowker noted it has been difficult at times to see those easy ones fall as well. But, she remains confident that once that gets cleaned up, there is a path to success.
“My team has shown tremendous growth,” Bowker said. “Our issue right now is we can’t put points on the board. We’re missing easy layups, we’re not making free throws. Once that clicks for us, we’ll be in business.”
Olean’s Hannah Marshall (44) looks for a pass while trapped by Salamanca’s Myla Galante (11). (Salamanca Warrior Athletics)
Next up for Salamanca is an away game at Fredonia on Jan. 10. Tip-off for that game is set for 7:30 p.m.
Olean will also hit the road for its next game, a Jan. 10 affair at Southwestern. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. as well.
AT SALAMANCA
Olean (30)
Hirliman 4 2-2 12, Bates 3 2-6 9, Battle 2 0-0 5, Finch 1 2-2 4. Totals: 10 6-10 30
Salamanca (42)
Crouse 4 4-4 12, Dowdy 3 2-2 10, McComber 3 4-6 10, Wass 2 0-2 4, Lafferty 2 0-0 4, Ross 1 0-0 2. Totals: 15 10-14 42
OL 2 4 15 30
Sala. 9 17 28 42Three-point goals: OL 4 (Hirliman 2, Bates, Battle), Sala. 2 (Dowdy 2); Total fouls: OL 10, Sala. 13; fouled out: None.
