Irish top Thunder in rematch
The opposing coaches took different views of Tuesday’s Niagara Catholic Athletic Association senior girls AAA basketball championship game rematch.
Notre Dame captured the NCAA championship last November with a 59-53 win over the Blessed Trinity Thunder and emerged victorious again Tuesday with a 54-48 victory over the visiting Thunder.
Notre Dame coach Loris Lucchetta admitted last year’s final was on his mind.
“I am friends with the coach from BT so there were flashbacks of the game getting pretty close at the end. I knew he had something up his sleeve to give us a hard time.”
Blessed Trinity head coach Gabe Diadamo downplayed the idea of a championship rematch.
“I just wanted this to be us getting our feet wet and stepping into the season. We knew it was going to be a hard game and I wanted to work on our offence and moving the ball, and getting used to playing together.”
Diadamo has lofty hopes for his squad again this season.
“I have high expectations. I expect to play these guys in the finals,” he said. “We have a nice group of players and once they jell and start playing together, I think we can be really, really good.”
Lucchetta was happy with his team’s play in the NCAA season opener.
“I liked the effort that they put into their game and the hustle. They play really well together. Some of the girls play together in other sports and they just have that unselfish attitude,” he said. “They know that they have to move the ball when needed and they are not afraid to do that.”
Notre Dame fell 76-45 to eventual champion Westdale in the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools A semifinals last season but the Irish aren’t getting too ahead of themselves.
“We are taking it one day at a time and emphasizing that the girls keep having fun and keep developing their games,” Lucchetta said.
Key to the success of the Irish this season will be the play of point guard Nicole Dixon.
“Nicole is a real good leader on the court, she puts in 100 per cent every game and is really passionate about the sport and her game,” he said.
Dixon is the perfect floor general for Notre Dame.
“She has that presence on the court where we feel comfortable as a team having her bring up the ball.”
Dixon, a Grade 12 student, is in her final season with the Fighting Irish.
“I have played here since Grade 9 and have high and lows here with coaches and girls but I love the girls that I am playing with right now,” the 17-year-old said. “I want to finish off my career with a fun basketball season and advance.”
She is excited about the season.
“We had a younger team last season and we also have a 12B back this year. Now that I am one of the oldest it feels so weird. I normally looked up to the other girls when I started in Grade 9. Finally I am in my last year and I am one of them now. It feels different now that I am a leader,” the team captain said.
She would love to make her last season a memorable one.
“I am hoping we go to SOSSA again this year, do well and maybe even make it to OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations).”
The pass-first point guard knows her role on the team.
“I like getting all those assists and I think I am pretty strong on defence. My main goal is to protect our net. Even if it is a low-scoring game, I want to protect our house first.”
STATS PACK
Irish 54 Thunder 48
Cat’s Caboose Player of the Game: Notre Dame’s Nicole Dixon with eight points and a strong game at point guard.
For the Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Lisa DiPietro 12; Ava DeChellis 10; Dixon 8; Kyra Digaetano 8; Camilla Moscato 7; Ava Briggs 5; Tiny Muzak 2.
For the Blessed Trinity Thunder: Brooklyn Turner 15; Jaylen Stienstra 11; Maria DiFlavio 5; Alana Meester 5; Danika Zawrowny 5; Avery Whaling 4; Lita Sutor 3.
