By Adam Aucoin
RUTLAND HERALD
POULTNEY, Vt. — A stellar offensive effort often grabs your attention, but there’s something to be said about gritty defense instead leading the charge.
The Poultney girls basketball team was as gritty as they come on Saturday against Division III Bellows Falls and it resulted in a 39-35 win at Capman Court.
It was the Blue Devils’ defense that gave the Terriers fits all game long, so it was fitting that defense helped close out Poultney’s win.
The Blue Devils had opened up a six-point lead in the fourth quarter, but Bellows Falls trimmed it to one when Poultney was beat deep on an inbound pass to Terriers post star Laura Kamel.
With 28.8 seconds left, the Blue Devils had to protect their slowly-deteriorating lead. To accomplish it, Poultney did what it had been doing all game long, getting in passing lanes and causing turnovers.
With the Blue Devils in their press defense, Kait DeBonis came up with the biggest steal of the game and Bellows Falls wouldn’t score the rest of the way.
DeBonis had a team-high five steals in the game, but she was joined in the multiple steals category by Kayden L’Esperance, Molly Hier, Kenzie Ezzo, Emily Handley and Hailey Hayes.
Poultney was in a press defense for nearly all of Saturday’s contest and the Terriers struggled to adjust at times.
“When we lose games, we haven’t been 100% percent in those passing lanes,” said Blue Devils coach Todd Hayes. “That’s how we’re going to win games, with defense. We’re not offensively-gifted. This is as hard as we’ve played all year.”
Despite Poultney’s defensive presence, it was Bellows Falls that led for most of the first half.
After the Blue Devils scored the game’s first basket, the Terriers went on a 9-0 run. That run was fueled by Kamel’s play in the post.
Kamel, a freshman, has quickly established herself as one of the premier post players in the area and that was on full display in the early stages of Saturday’s contest.
Kamel got to the hoop at will and Poultney didn’t have much of an answer for her.
“We were just letting her dictate everything,” coach Hayes said. “All we had to do was take the middle away. Once we settled down, we were a lot better at that.”
Kamel had 12 of her game-high 19 points in the first half. She also had 13 rebounds and four blocks.
After the break, the Blue Devils did a much better job of keeping Kamel, and the rest of her Terrier teammates, in check.
Bellows Falls was held without a field goal for all of the third quarter and into the opening minute of the fourth.
Transition offense fed off steals keyed the Blue Devils in the second half, allowing them to lead for much of the late stages of play.
Behind Kamel’s 19, sophomore Tela Harty added nine for Bellows Falls.
DeBonis led Poultney’s offense with 11 points. Hier and L’Esperance both had six and Hailey Hayes had five.
The win pushed Poultney to 5-9. The Blue Devils host Mill River on Tuesday.
Bellows Falls (3-11) hosts Leland & Gray on Wednesday.
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