Catt./Little Valley Downs North Collins, 43-22

NORTH COLLINS — Cattaraugus/Little Valley girls basketball coach Matt Minnekine was happy to see his team do one thing Friday night: score.

For the second time in the season, the Lady Timberwolves (6-4 overall, 2-1 league) surpassed 40 points by defeating the North Collins Lady Eagles by the score of 43-22 in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Athletic Association East 2 play.

The Lady Timberwolves started off slow with a six-point first quarter, but still led by four. Cattaraugus/Little Valley held the lead throughout the game with even team scoring.

Four players had eight points for the Lady Timberwolves: Lauren Eaton, Maddie Jones, Emma Rupp and Mackenzie Ryan.

“We had some lower scoring games recently,” Eaton said. “We had a 19- and a 21-(point) game, so it’s good to be back in the 40s. … We felt like we were hustling more and getting in a groove.”

As the Lady Timberwolves turn to the second half of the season, coach Minnekine hopes his girls could keep getting the basketball through the hoop to get more wins in their league.

“We have to light it up (from) here offensively because we have some teams that score points.,” Minnekine said.

For North Collins (3-7, 1-3), Makenna Williams led the way by netting 16 of the team’s 22 points. Coach Vince Fininzio attributed the loss to execution but stayed positive by noting some of his players received valuable playing time.

“I was hoping we would come out and play a better game after playing a pretty good game (against Pine Valley, where we won by one),” Fininizio said. “We were struggling to score the basketball and two people (Michaela and Makenna Rice) fouled out in the third quarter.”

Fininzio added that Michaela Rice was the team’s top scorer so far this season, while Makenna Rice has been the top rebounder.

“You got to take the loss and move on for the next game,” Fininzio said. “Short memory, so to speak, is what you need.”

The Lady Eagles will work on the basics and make every possession a competitive one, despite whatever the score may be. Fininzio said the team will begin to play some teams they have faced earlier on and will get a second chance to get the win. The Lady Eagles are also in CCAA East 2 and are getting into the midst of league play.

“Go out there and hustle and give me 100 percent,” said Fininzio about what he wants to see from his team. “(If you) give 100 percent, you don’t know what will happen. If you give 10 percent, you know what will happen.”

The team will get four-year varsity athlete Baylee Romano for its next game.

Cattaraugus/Little Valley will travel to Ellicottville (5-5, 3-1) on Monday. The tip will be at 7:30 p.m. North Collins will host Franklinville (6-4, 3-0) on Tuesday and the Buffalo Seminary Red Hawks (3-1) on Wednesday. Both games begin at 6 p.m.