Pirates use Williams’ best game to top Knight girls’ hoops
By: Bob Nuse
Beth Fitzpatrick has seen the improvement in her West Windsor-Plainsboro High South girls’ basketball team on a daily basis during her team’s practices. On Saturday, a near capacity crowd got a chance to see it for themselves.
The Pirates used a great first-half defensive effort and opened up a 20-point third quarter lead on their way to a 47-41 win over the Knights in front of a crowd worthy of a tournament final. It was the fourth straight win for a South team that is playing its best basketball.
"We’ve been trying to simulate game situations in practice and we’ve been getting better every day," said Fitzpatrick, whose team improved to 8-4 and sealed a Central Jersey Group III tournament berth. "I can’t say enough about the play of our forwards lately. Dana (Lachemayer), Lindsey (Williams), Kelly (Kasper) and Alex (Kushel) have been great.
"They work with each other and they are each other’s biggest advocate. They push each other and we’ve improved so much at the forward position. Coach (Dan) Finkle takes them every day and works with them."
The work has paid of in making the Pirates more than just the Edwards sisters. While Rashanna and Natasha Edwards are still the team’s top scorers, the team has developed an inside presence to go along with their strong guard play.
Against North, Williams had her best offensive game of the season, scoring 12 points. She also did her part on defense and while grabbing seven rebounds.
"This was probably the best game I’ve played all season," said Williams, whose previous season high was eight points. "I feel like I’ve gotten better since the beginning of the season."
Williams certainly had reasons to start the season slowly. She had missed most of the soccer season with injuries, first a broken nose and then an ankle injury. When she finally appeared healthy in basketball, the injury bug bit again.
"I started the basketball season and I landed on my elbow and had a big bruise," Williams said. "Every once in a while it still bothers me, but I’ve been able to play through it."
"Lindsey’s defense has been unbelievable," added Fitzpatrick, whose team will host Trenton tonight. "The first time North had the ball today it went into (Laura) Traszko and Lindsey didn’t back down. Brett (Charleston, the North coach) does a great job with the flex offense but I thought we did a nice job on defense."
South’s defense helped to build a 39-19 lead early in the third quarter. But by the end of the quarter the lead was down to 39-27 and the Knights got to within 43-36 with just over a minute left to play before the Pirates hit their foul shots.
"We knew there would be a lot of people here and it would be a great atmosphere to play in," Williams said. "It makes you want to play better knowing that all these people are here to support you. I think we were a little nervous when the game first started, but it got easier as the game went on.
"I don’t think we were worried when they were getting closer, just anxious because we wanted to get to the end of the game and have it be over and be able to say we won."
Rashanna Edwards finished with a team-high 13 points for the Pirates. North, which fell to 10-6 with the loss, was led by Claire Dysart’s 12 points. The Knights made a run in the second half after falling into a 20-point hole.
"We knew North was going to make a run at us," Fitzpatrick said. "They’re a good team and we knew it was going to be a tough game."
The Pirates have another tough game in store tonight when CVC leader Trenton visits.
With North and South both heading to the CJ III tournament, perhaps they’ll be another tight meeting down the road. And if there is, the atmosphere may be even better.

