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After a convincing season-opening win, the Putnam Science Academy girls’ prep basketball team dropped two of three game in a challenging three-day showcase in Montreal.
Nass William and Lani Cornfield had 21 points apiece in the Mustangs’ 88-60 win over TPLS on Oct. 29 to get PSA’s season off on the right foot. Sabou Gueye added 15 points and Niya Fields had 10 in the win.
Coach Amanda Morales was pleased with the win, but she rued the lack of offensive rebounding and poor free throw shooting.
“There’s always got to be something coaches see to work on,” she said with a smile. “But we will take the win.”
PSA then hit the road early on Halloween morning and played its first of three games in three days that night, against Canada’s top-ranked prep team, Crestwood Prep.
The teams played to a 47-47 tie through three quarters, before Crestwood’s size (they have one player 6-foot, 6-inch and another 6-4) became too much for the Mustangs to overcome. PSA was outscored 26-2 in the fourth quarter and lost 73-49.
“They started to utilize their bigs and we were just too small,” Morales said. “That’s probably the best big-man tandem we will see all year.”
Cornfield had 18 points and Fields finished with 12 in the loss. Aaliyah Edwards, a recent commit to UConn, had 30 points for Crestwood.
PSA lost its second game as well, this time 48-44 to host school St. Laurent, despite 18 points from Gueye.
The Mustangs salvaged the final game Nov. 2, topping Lincoln Prep 55-47, to make the bus ride back a little more palpable.
Cornfield had 20 points and William 19 to lead the way.
“Our girls played with a toughness and true grit I’ve never seen,” Morales said. “We were so proud of them for playing together as a unit. The communication amongst our players was the best I’ve seen.
We couldn’t be happier for a grinded-out victory like that one.” PSA returns to action Nov. 16 in a showcase in Maryland.
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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