Team play leads Monessen Florist to first win

By DEAN DELLAMALVA JR.

MVI Sports

Typically the phrase “someone’s 0 has to go” is used when two unbeaten teams play each other. In Friday night’s game between Lee Supply and Monessen Florist it meant the opposite.

The two winless teams in the girls division of the Mon Valley Independent Summer Basketball League went head to head in the final game of the night and played arguably their best games of the season.

In the end, it was Monessen Florist coming out on top with a 74-61 decision.

Monessen Florist (1-4) had three players in double figures and all nine players scored in the game. Hannah Pugliese led the way with a game-high 23 points, Bella Carroto scored 12 and Essence Davis chipped in 11 for the winners.

It was a total-team and much-needed effort from Monessen Florist heading into the second half of the season.

“This win was much needed. We played as a team tonight,” MoFlo assistant coach Jeremy Sellew said. “Nine different players scored, we had three in double figures but they shared the ball. Hannah (Pugliese) did what Hannah does with 23 points, but everybody contributed tonight.”

It was a five-point game with just over five minutes to go when Lee Supply’s London Creach fouled out. Foul trouble hampered Lee Supply all night and hurt the team’s ability to play together.

“(Creach) has only played in one game other than tonight, we definitely talked about how we are not meshing really well right now and it’s hard to just walk in this gym and play,” Lee Supply coach Kaitlyn Slagus said. “I definitely think we learned a lot tonight about being able to play together.”

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