York steps up to beat Wheaton North

At this point of the girls basketball season, it's all about learning. York learned a little faster than Wheaton North on Friday night.

For instance, the Dukes learned that good free-throw shooting can improve your chances to win, taking a 72-58 victory at the York Thanksgiving Tournament.

"It was a very nice win," York coach John Constable. "It kind of tells us where we're at right now, which is good to know. Some players stepped up big-time."

Megan Backman came off the bench to hit four 3-pointers and total 22 points for the Dukes (2-1). Jessica Bianchi added 20 points, and Sarah Milkowski had 19.

"When you get that off your bench, you're feeling pretty good about that coming off your bench," Constable said of Backman and also lauding Bianchi and Milkowski. "And then Kelly Polte, we put her in in the fourth quarter, and she did everything we needed her to do at both ends of the floor. She rebounded really well. She had finishes for us when we needed some big-time finishes."

Milkowski made 13 of 14 free throws, and Backman was 6 of 6 at the line to help the Dukes finish 23 of 31 at the line as a team.

"I'll take it," Constable said. "I knew Wheaton North was going to mix up their defenses. I knew they were going to be aggressive, and our girls stepped up and knocked down big free throws tonight. Ultimately, I think that's what was the difference."

Meanwhile, the Falcons (1-2) learned they still have some learning to do.

"We're running a new defensive system a little bit, still trying to get into the system, and we're just not quite there," Falcons coach Dave Eaton said. "As a coaching staff we just gotta do a better job of getting our kids ready to play. We just came out not ready to go tonight."

Emmy Gryna led the Falcons with 23 points, sinking three 3-pointers. Kelly Thornton and Maggie Will each hit a pair of 3s to finish with 10 points.

"We got down there in first (quarter) and needed somebody to step up, and we've seen Emmy play like that at certain times, and that's what she's going to have to do for the rest of the year," Eaton said. "There's lots of offensive players on our team that are good, and she's got to find a way to assert herself. We've had big nights one night from Kelly and now one night from (Gryna). Now we've got to try to put it together and play together as a team. We're just not quite there yet offensively either."

The Falcons trailed most of the game, but they took their first lead with 2:02 left in the second quarter when Thornton's two free throws made the score 23-22. The teams were tied at 29 when they went to their locker rooms at halftime.

York reasserted itself in the third quarter, ending the period leading 50-45, then pulled away in the fourth with its free-throw shooting and good work rebounding.

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