By Ted Waddell
GRAHAMSVILLE — February 27, 2001 – With a hardscrabble 47-38 win over the Chester Lady Hambletonians during Thursday night’s Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division IV game, the Lady Bears of Tri-Valley qualified for the sectionals for the first time in five years.
It was the home team’s last game of the regular season, so for the Lady Bears, it was a case or “do or die.”
Both teams saw a lot of time at the free throw line, as the refs called fouls left and right in a game that at times was a bit sloppy on the floor and under the boards.
Tri-Valley’s freshman shooter Amanda Krom burned out the basket as she had one of her best games of the season on the way to recording a career-high 20 points. She racked up five steals and six assists.
“Amanda has some good moves to the basket,” said Lady Bears coach Karen Furman.
Heather Bachmann also reached double digits for the home team with 12 points. In addition, she was credited with six rebounds and four blocked shots.
For the Lady Hambletonians, it was Jamie More with 16 points.
Stats from the free throw line: TV 9/19 (47 percent); Chester 6/14 (43 percent).
“Defensively, I thought we played well,” said Sal Patane, coach of the Lady Hambletonians. “But unfortunately, our problem has been firepower. We don’t have enough offense. When we fall behind, it’s tough to come back.
“We’re a young team with a lot of injuries this year,” he added. “We’ll be back next season, and we’ll do all right.”
Furman said it felt good to make it to the sectionals for the first time in half a decade.
“It feels good,” she said moments after being embraced by her team after the win that put them into the running for a sectional title.