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Stamford High's girls basketball team faced an important contest Friday at Brien McMahon High just four games into the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference season. Led by freshman Kelsey Santagata, the Black Knights' passed their first exam.
Santagata scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as Stamford (2-2) held off McMahon, 50-39. The Black Knights lost Kelsey Cognetta, a first-team All-FCIAC pick last year, for the season in the season's second game. A loss to the Senators would have left the Black Knights with an uphill climb. Difficult games against Trumbull, Danbury and New Canaan loom on the horizon.
"Every time we win without Kelsey is a confidence builder,'' coach Curtis Tinnin said. "We knew McMahon was a good team. We had to handle their quickness."
Stamford countered with its height advantage. Santagata was a handful all game for the Senators, scoring 11 points in the first half when Stamford built a 22-14 lead. She also scored one of the game's most critical baskets. With McMahon clawing its way back while down just 47-39 with 33 seconds left, she grabbed an offensive rebound of a missed free throw and scored on a putback to keep McMahon at bay.
"She was a horse out there,'' Tinnin said. "You have to remember she's just a freshman, and she's also coming off an ankle injury. She made some mistakes, but she played well."
Dani Jordine (10 points) and Lauren Schapiro also helped Stamford control the backboards. Guards Ebonzy Razor and Deven Cobbs (10 points) handled McMahon's full-court pressure.
Stamford's other key was its defense. It did not allow McMahon a field goal for 12:41 to start the game and forced the Senators into 15 percent shooting (4-for-26) in the first half and 2 percent for the game.
"We're going to struggle all season on offense,'' Tinnin said. "We're going to have to rely on our defense."
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