Knights Fall To Wildcats - Iona College - The Lady Knights had a chance to avenge an earlier loss to the Bucks County Wildcats but came up short from the free throw line. Sarah Fixler and Dianna Ravinsky combined for 15 points in the first half to lift the Lady Knights to an early lead. Christina Buso added a basket on a nice baseline move while Jenna Viani added 5 points to close the half at 23 - 20, Knights in front. The knights started the second half slow and went scoreless over the first 7 minutes. The Knights had a tough time against the Wildcat press and found themselves down by 9 points. Jenna Viani and Casey Krajeski combined for 12 points to keep the Hudson Valley team in striking distance. The Knights came as close as 3 points, but could not complete the comeback, falling by a score of 49 - 41. The Lady Knights appeared sluggish on defense and only converted 11 of 31 free throws. Jenna Viani ended the game with 13 points, while Dianna Ravinsky and Sarah Fixler each added 9. Casey Krajeski contributed 4 points, while Christina Buso and Lisa Pritzlaff rounded out the scoring with 3 points each.    Bucks County Wildcats 49 - HV Lady Knights 41

Knights Comeback Falls Short - Iona College - The Lady Knights once again played up an age group against the 15 year old Long Island Shooters. Both teams started cold as 5 minutes elapsed before the first field goal was made. Dianna Ravinsky connected on the first basket to tie the game at 3. Ravinsky led the offense in the first half as she scored 8 of the Lady Knights 16 points. Sarah Fixler hit a trey, Jenna Viani scored 3 points and Casey Krajeski added 2 free throws. The Knights trailed at the half 24-16. After falling behind by 11 points with 8 minutes to go, the Hudson Valley squad used a hustling defense to mount a comeback. Dianna Ravinsky (11 points) hit a trey with 1 minute remaining to pull the Knights within 6. Christina Buso (6 points) hit an inside shot cutting the lead to 4. After forcing a turnover, Sarah Fixler (11 points) hit a trey with seconds remaining to pull the Lady Knights within 1 point as time ran out. Jenna Viani ended the game with 10 points while Casey Krajeski scored 6 and Julianne Viani added 2 points. Once again the Hudson Valley team had difficulties at the free throw line making only 7 of 23 attempts.     Long Island Shooters 46 - HV Lady Knights 45
 

Knights Let One Slip Away, Fall In Double OT - Iona College - The Hudson Valley Knights had yet another rematch, this time against the Long Island Silver Bullets. The Knights opened in a full court press and it was effective. Jenna Viani (11 points) led the offense early with 7 first half points, shooting 5-8 from the free throw line. Jessica Pastre (6 points) also added 4 early to keep the Lady Knights in the lead. The Silver Bullets took their first lead (20-19) with 6 minutes remaining in the half. The Knights responded with a 12-4 run led by Christina Buso, Lisa Pritzlaff, and Emily Faulds, giving the Knights a 31-24 half time lead. The second half was low scoring as the Hudson Valley squad only managed 10 points. Lauren Licurse hit a jumper with 3:40 remaining to give the Knights a 41-37 lead. The score did not change over the next 2 minutes, then the Silver Bullets hit a trey, cutting the lead to 1 point. Dianna Ravinsky was fouled with 40 seconds remaining. She connected on the first attempt and when the second shot bounced off the rim, Emily Faulds (4 points) was there for an offensive put back keeping the Knights lead at 4 (44-40). The knights failed to hold the lead over the next 2 possessions as Long Island tied the game with seconds remaining. In overtime , Ryan Nastasi (8 points) scored 6 points off the press and Dianna Ravinsky hit some big free throws down the stretch. She converted both ends of a one and -one with 20 seconds remaining giving the Lady Knights a 3 point lead. With time running out, the Bullets found a shooter behind the arc and hit a trey to tie the game at 54. The Knights fell behind in the second OT and were unable to muster a comeback falling to the Silver bullets 62-58. Christina Buso led the scoring with 12 points and Lisa Pritzlaff contributed 6 points to the offense. Jenna Viani pulled in 10 rebounds while Emily Faulds and Lisa Pritzlaff combined for 14 boards. LI Silver Bullets 62 - HV Lady Knights 58   - 2OT

Hudson Valley Falls To New Jersey Monarchs - Iona College - The Hudson Valley squad faced off against the N.J. Monarchs, a team also headed to the nationals next week. Hudson Valley was out rebounded 43-26 and had a tough time making shots. They managed only 39 points and fell to the Monarchs 48-39. Jenna Viani led the offense with 14 points, as Dianna Ravinsky and Jessica Pastre each added 6. Christina Buso scored 5 points while 4 players added 2 points each (Ryan Nastasi, Emily Faulds, Tiffany Charles, Lisa Pritzlaff). NJ Monarchs 48 - HV Lady Knights 39

Wildcats Pressure Too Much For Lady Knights - Greenwich Academy - The Lady Knights scored 5 points early o a trey from Ryan Nastasi and a Jenna Viani field goal. The Knights then had difficulty with the Wildcat press and went scoreless for 5 minutes. The knights got back on the board when Lisa Pritzlaff found Jenna Viani on a fast break. The Lady Knights went scoreless from the floor the rest of the half and managed only 3 more free throws. They trailed at the half 24-10. The Hudson Valley squad opened the second half in a full court press and staged a strong comeback, closing the deficit to 5 points (25-30).  The Wildcats then went on a 12-0 run to put the game out if reach. Jenna Viani scored 20 points while Emily Faulds and Ryan Nastasi each added 5. Christina Buso scored 3 points for the Lady Knights. Bucks County Wildcats 50 - HV Lady Knights 33

Knights Edge Panthers In Over-Time - Hackley School - The Knights half court offense was sluggish and they fell behind early. Over the first 5 minutes the Lady Knights received a jumper from Jenna Viani,  a field goal by Christina Buso, and a trey from Ryan Nastasi. Half way through the period, Caitlin Hayes hit 2 field goals to close the deficit. The Knights went into a transition game to generate some offense. Lisa Pritzlaff picked up a loose ball and went in for a jumper, then Caitlin Hayes picked up 3 assists on fast break opportunities, 1 to Tiffany Charles and 2 to Christina Buso. The Hudson Valley team trailed at the break, 27-20. The Lady Knights opened the second half in a press and made a strong comeback. Jenna Viani and Emily Faulds each scored 4 points over the first 3 minutes. Tiffany Charles put back and offensive rebound and Ryan Nastasi converted 3 of 4 free throws to give the Knights a 35-32 lead. Caitlin Hayes (10 points) scored the next 6 points on inside feeds from Lisa Pritzlaff and Dianna Ravinsky. This 6-0 run gave the Knights a 41-33 lead with 7 minutes remaining. The offense went cold, as the Panthers went on a 10-0 run to take a 43-41 lead. Ryan Nastasi drove to the basket and was fouled with 29 seconds remaining. She hit both free throws to tie the game. As the Panthers came down court with a chance to win, Christina Buso blocked an inside shot with 6 seconds remaining to preserve the tie. The Panthers scored first in OT, but the Knights scored the next 6 points for a 49-45 victory. Jenna Viani (9 points) hit a free throw, Tiffany Charles (6 points) scored off an offensive rebound, and Dianna Ravinsky connected on 3 big free throws down the stretch. HV Lady Knights 49  - LI Panthers 45 

Lady Knights Open Shore Tourney With Victory - Tom’s River High School North - The Hudson Valley Lady Knights used a big second quarter to open a 9 point lead. With an aggressive press defense, they used steals and good passing to run the floor for fast break opportunities. During the run Jenna Viani (17 points) and Ryan Nastasi (9 points) each scored 5, while Denise Hunt (6 points) and Dianna Ravinsky (10 points) each added 4 points. Tiffany Charles contributed 5 points to the offense and pulled in 9 rebounds, while Christina Buso added 4 points with the inside game. Casey Krajeski, Jessica Pastre, and Emily Faulds each added 2 to round out the scoring. HV Lady Knights 57 - NJ Rising Stars 46
 

Viani, Buso Pace Lady Knights Over Shoreliners - Tom’s River High School North - The Hudson Valley Lady Knights started strong and generated fast break opportunities off an aggressive defense. Jenna Viani (22 points) had 13 points and 3 assists in the first half to lead the Lady Knights. Dianna Ravinsky ran the floor with Viani adding 4 points and 1 assist. As the game tightened up, Lisa Pritzlaff connected on 3 of 4 free throws to keep the Knights ahead, 20-19. Late in the half, Casey Krajeski (10 points) and Emily Faulds (2 points)  added 6 points, giving the Knights a 28-23 lead at the break. After scoring 7 points over the first 3 minutes of the second half, the Knights went cold. Hudson Valley was scoreless during the next 5 minutes as the Shoreliners took the lead. Dianna Ravinsky (6 points) broke the dry spell with a jumper, and then found Denise Hunt under the basket for an easy score. The Knights offense became more balanced as Jessica Pastre and Christina Buso scored to keep it close. The game was tied at 50 with 3:40 remaining when Lisa Pritzlaff (6 points) hit a trey, giving the Knights the lead for good. The Lady Knights worked the ball inside as Christina Buso scored 9 points and Tiffany Charles added a basket down the stretch. Ryan Nastasi added 2 points to round out the offense.  HV Lady Knights 63 - Shoreliners 54
 

Knights - Quest Play Down To The Wire - Toms River High School North - Having split the 2 previous meetings, the third game against the North Westchester Quest went down to the final seconds. As the game got underway, tough defense on both sides kept the score low. The Knights built a 18-9 lead with 9 points from Jenna Viani and a trey by Ryan Nastasi. The Hudson Valley offense stalled and the Quest went on a 9-0 run over the last 2:30 of the half to tie the game with a 3 pointer at the buzzer. The Quest opened the second half scoring another 11  unanswered points as the Lady Knights missed several good opportunities over these 4 minutes. Christina Buso broke the ice with a long jumper (counting as 2 as her toe was on the arc). The Knights reduced the deficit to 4 after consecutive 3 point plays from Viani and Casey Krajeski (7 points). A Viani field goal reclaimed the lead for Hudson Valley (37-36), but the Quest responded with a pair of treys on consecutive possessions. Tiffany Charles and Lauren Licurse combined to make 3 of 6 free throws and Viani (22 points) hit a trey, cutting the lead to 1 point with 30 seconds remaining. Hudson Valley held the Quest and regained possession with 15 seconds left in the game. The Knights worked the ball well, but  a tough Quest defense prevented a real good look at the basket, and the Hudson Valley come back fell short. Denise Hunt  scored 4 points to round out the Lady Knight’s offense. NW Quest 44 - HV Lady Knights 43

Faulds, Pritzlaff Boost Lady Knights Offense - Tom’s River High School North - The Lady Knights played South Jersey in the last game of the tournament. Jessica Pastre got things started for Hudson Valley with a trey. Emily Faulds (8 points) had a strong first half, scoring 6 points and helping the Lady Knights take an early lead. Jenna Viani (15 points) had a hot hand as she scored 13 in the opening half, helping the Lady Knights establish a 25-12 lead at the break. Hudson Valley had 7 players score in the second period as they used their speed and aggressive defense to cruise to a 46-23 victory. Lisa Pritzlaff led the scoring in the 2nd half with 6 points, while Casey Krajeski drove to the basket and converted a 3 point play. Tiffany Charles and Christina Buso each added a field goal. Dianna Ravinsky scored 6 points in the game and Ryan Nastasi added a free throw. Hudson Valley played strong on the boards, led by Christina Buso with 10 rebounds. Other top rebounders were Casey Krajeski with 8 and Lisa Pritzlaff with 7. HV Lady Knights 46 - South Jersey 23
 

Knights Fall In Rematch With DV Comets - School Of The Holy Child - The Lady Knights committed many turnovers and fell behind early. The Knights fought back,  closing the deficit to 5 points at the half. The Knights continued to struggle and found themselves down by 10 when Sarah Fixler (18 points) sparked a rally by hitting 3 treys. The comeback fell short as the Knights shooting was inconsistent. The hot gym and a depleted roster wore down the usually reliable Knights as they only converted 15 of 30 attempts from the free throw line. Jenna Viani scored 13 points, Casey Krajeski put in 8, and Christina Buso added 7 points and 8 rebounds. Jessica Pastre and Lisa Pritzlaff each added 2 points to round out the offense. DV Comets 57 - HV Lady Knights 54
 

Viani Scores 25 in Knights Victory -   School Of The Holy Child - The Lady Knights started the game in a press defense, forcing many turnovers. Jessica Pastre and Casey Krajeski each had 3 steals while Jenna Viani and Sarah Fixler combined for 17 points in the first half. Emily Faulds (4 points) and Christina Buso (8 points) were tough inside as they used offensive rebounds to score 10 points in helping the Lady Knights build a 28-20 half time lead. Viani and Pastre led the Knights to a 15 point lead, but the Renegades went into a press and the Knights had problems. Plagued by turnovers and sloppy passes, the Knights found themselves in a tied game at 41 with 8 minutes remaining. The Knights offense woke up and used good ball movement to regain the lead. Christina Buso found Lisa Pritzlaff for an easy basket and Casey Krajeski connected on 2 free throws. Jenna Viani (25 points) led the Knights down the stretch scoring 9 points to seal the victory. Casey Krajeski and Christina Buso combined for 20 rebounds in the game. HV Lady Knights 54 - Philadelphia Renegades 50

Albany Capitols Defeat Lady Knights - School Of The Holy Child - The Lady Knights started slow and only managed 20 points in the first half. Jenna Viani (14 points) scored 10 and Jessica Pastre (8 points) put in 6 to account for most of the scoring n the opening period. The Knights had good opportunities but missed numerous lay ups and never came out of their shooting slump, scoring only 37 points in the game. Sarah Fixler ended the game with 5 points, while Emily Faulds and Casey Krajeski each added 3. Lisa Pritzlaff scored one basket while Tiffany Charles and Christina Buso each contributed a free throw. The Knights were out rebounded, leading to many second chance opportunities for the Capitals.  Albany Capitols 48 - HV Lady Knights 37

Fixler Leads Knights To 20th Victory - Drexal Hill Middle School - In a complete turn around from the previous game, the Lady Knights started strong and never looked back. Sarah Fixler (21 points) ignited the offense as she hit 3 treys and had 3 assists early in the game. The offense showed good ball movement as Jenna Viani (19 points) scored 13 in the first half, and Jessica Pastre (11 points) added 6 to open a 36-20 half time lead. The Knights opened the second half with a devastating 14-0 run over 4 minutes to put the game out of reach. This run was highlighted by by 3 field goals from Viani and a pair of treys from Emily Faulds and Sarah Fixler. Casey Krajeski scored 8 points for the Lady Knights and grabbed 6 rebounds, while Tiffany Charles added 2 points and pulled down 8 rebounds. Lisa Pritzlaff scored 4 points on a drive to the basket and a baseline jumper to round out the scoring. After a couple tough shooting games the Lady Knight regained their touch nd shot 40% from the floor (20-50), 58% from the 3 point arc (7-12), and 75% from the free throw line (12-16). With solid defense and an outstanding shooting game the Lady Knights cruised to a 73-38 victory. HV Lady Knights 73  - DV Comets B 38

Knights Fall In Rematch With Quest - Ketcham High School - In a rematch from the Metro tournament, which the Knights won, the Quest was the first opponents in the Joust. The game started as a defensive struggle, while shooters from both teams were off. Although the Knights were out rebounded by the Quest, they held the lead at at half-time, 24-22. The Knights only scored four points in the first nine minutes of the second half, falling behind ten points as the Knights were outrebounded 47-36 in the game. The Knights mounted a comeback as the Quest missed foul shots down the stretch. The Knights had a chance to tie with time running out, but did not get a good look at a trey and lost 43-40. Jenna Viani led the Knights with 16 points (three treys) Jessica Pastre scored 5 points, with Casey Krajeski adding 4. Dianna Ravinski had 3 points, while Ryan Nastasi, Tiffany Charles, Denise Hunt each scored 2 points. Christina Buso added a free throw to round out the offense. Casey Krajeski pulled down 10 reounds, Chistina Buso grabbed 7, and Dianna Ravinsky added 6. North Westchester Quest 43 - Hudson Valley Lady Knights 40
 

Viani Leads Knights in Victory Over Long Island Panthers - Ketcham High School - The Lady Knights built an early lead as Christina Buso (7 points) and Emily Faulds (8 points) each scored five in the first half. The Panthers fought back to take a 22-19 lead when the Knights went on a 9-0 run at the end of the half, highlighted by consecutive 3 point plays from Dianna Ravinsky (7 points) and Ryan Nastasi. The Knights started the second half cold as the Panthers used a 12-0 run over the first four minutes and take a 34-28 lead. Denise Hunt (7 points) hit a trey to break the ice and Jenna Viani (16 points) got hot to lead the Lady Knights back. After a few lead changes, it was a trey by Lisa Pritzlaff with 6:40 remaining that gave the Knights the lead for good. Down the stretch, Viani scored 4 points and Eimily Faulds added 3 to seal a 58-50 victory for the Lady Knights. Casey Krajeski scored 4 points, Sarah Fixler added 2 and Tiffany Charles converted a free throw. The Lady Knights played strong on the boards as Christina Buso pulled in 10 rebounds, Casey Krajeski grabbed 9, and Emily Faulds had 8. Husdson Valley Lady Knights 58 - Long Island Panthers  50

Viana, Fixler Lead Knights vs. Albany Capitals - Ketcham High School - Jenna Viana scored 17 and Sarah Fixler added 12 to pace the Lady Knights offense. On a balanced scoring effort 9 other players scored for Hudson Valley. Ryan Nastasi scored 8 points while Dianna Ravinski and Christina Buso each had 6. Jessica Pastre put 4 points on the board as the trio of Tiffany Charles, Casey Krajeski and Denise Hunt each scored 2. Lisa Pritzlaff and Emily Faulds each added a free throw to round out the scoring. Despite a size disadvantage against the Capitals, Casey Krajeski pulled in 9 rebounds, and Tiffany Charles grabbed 6. Hudson Valley Lady Knights 61 -  Albany Capitals 46

Pritzlaff, Ravinsky Spark Balanced Attack - Ketcham High School - When someone looks at the stat sheet, they might think this was just an overall team effort, with 10 people scoring, and no one scoring over 8 points. Actually, the game saw several individual spurts mixed in with the balenced scoring attack. Coach Neiss inserted  Lisa Pritzlaff into the starting lineup, and she responded by scoing 6 of the first 8 points for the Lady Knights. When the Knights offense seemed to stall, Emily Faulds took charge scoring her 5 points in the second quarter. Ryan Nastasi hit a trey, and 4 other Knights scored a basket to account for the 22 first half points. Lauren Licurse scored late in the half to bring the Knights within 1 point. As the Knights fell behind in the 3rd quarter Sarah Fixler (8 points) hit a pair of treys to keep them close setting the stage for a Knights comeback. Although Ryan Nastasi (7 points) hit the trey which gave the Lady Knights the lead with 2:30 remaining, it was Dianna Ravinsky’s 7 points in the last quarter that surged the offense to a 49-42 victory. Jenna Viani scored 6 points in the game while Christina Buso and Casey Krajeski each scored 4 and combined for 15 rebounds. Jessica Pastre added 2 points to round out the scoring. HV Lady Knights 49 - New Jersey Lady Panthers 42
 

Viani Leads Knights Over Connecticut Starters - Siena College - The Knights faced off against the Connecticut Starters National team for the second time. The knights started hot and had one of their best shooting games of the season. The team went 15-35 from the floor, 6-14 from the arc, and 5-7 from the free throw line. The Knights used a tough defense to hold the opponents to 40 points as their offense put 53 on the board. Jenna Viani had the hot hand as she scored 27 points (5 treys) and grabbed 10 rebounds. Emily Faulds scored 6 points, while Ryan Nastasi and Dianna Ravinsky each added 5. Jessica Pastre and Casey Krajeski each scored 4 and Tiffany Charles added 2 to round out the offense. HV Lady Knights 53  - Connecticut Starters National 40

Ravinsky Scores 15 In Second Half To Lead Lady Knights - Siena college - The Knights started out slow and were out rebounded in the first half 22-14. This set the tone as the Delaware Valley Comets used offensive rebounds to get second chance points. Jenna Viani scored 9 points in the first half and Tiffany Charles added a basket, but the Knights only managed to score 15 points, trailing at half-time 24-15. Dianna Ravinsky started out hot in the second half starting to eat into the Comet lead. Viani got the Knights close with 2 consecutive 3 point plays, but it was Ravinsky and Sarah Fixler that teamed up to give the Lady Knights the lead. With 6:30 remaining, Fixler (8 points) hit a trey to tie the game. She then led a fastbreak and dished it Ravinsky (17 points) for a lay up. On the next possession Ravinsky had the ball at the low post and pitched it out to Fixler for another trey and a 5 point lead. Down the stretch Emily Faulds scored 4 points and Denise Hunt had a free throw. With time running out, Jessica Pastre went coast to coast for a lay up at the buzzer to seal the victory. HV Lady Knights 54 - Delaware Valley Comets 46 

Nastasi Leads Offense But Knights Cannot Weather Maine Hurricane - Siena College - Ryan Nastasi led the Lady Knights with 25 points while Sarah Fixler scored 10. Dianna Ravinsky contributed 9 pints to the offense and Emily Faulds added 7 points. Jenna Viani and Casey Krajeski each scored 2 points. Although the Lady Knights put 55 points on the board they yielded 67 to the Maine Hurricane. The  Knights were out rebounded and had a difficult time getting the ball inside. Maine Hurricane 67 - HV Lady Knights 55
 

Fixler Ignites Knights Comeback - Siena College - The Knights jumped out to and early 7-1 lead on scoring from Jenna Viani and Tiffany Charles (2 points), as the Connecticut Storm went scoreless over the first 3 minutes. The Knights offense went ice cold as the Storm went on a 15-0 run. The Knights went scoreless for 8 minutes until Sarah Fixler hit a jumper. Denise Hunt had an offensive put back and Viani scored 10 points in the first half to keep the Knights close, trailing by 4 at the half (20-16). To start the second half Dianna Ravinsky scored 2 baskets and Casey Krajeski hit 2 free throws. The Knights offense again went cold and found themselves trailing by 11. Fixler ignited the offense by scoring 8 straight points. She converted a 3 point play on a fastbreak, hit a trey, and drained 2 foul shots on successive possessions. Jenna Viani (18 points) then hit a trey to tie the game. After the Storm connected on 2 free throws, another Viani trey gave the Knights a 36-35 lead with 4 minutes remaining. The Storm pushed the ball inside for an easy basket but the Knights regained the lead for good when Viani hit both ends of a 1 and 1.  Ryan Nastasi stole the ball and was fouled on the lay up attempt. She made 1 shot pushing the Knights lead to 2 points. The Storm failed to score again and sent Nastasi to the foul line 2 more times where she made all 4 shots to ice the game. HV Lady Knights 43 - Connecticut Storm 37
 

Viani, Ravinsky Lead Lady Knights Past Quest and Into Semi-Finals - Preston High School - The Knights offense started strong once again, building an early 21-9 lead behind the hot hand of Jenna Viani, connecting with 3 treys. The Knights started in a zone defense to keep the opponents away from the basket. This strategy worked early but the Quest mounted a come back by punching the ball inside and hitting treys from the outside. The Quest took a 1 point lead at the 1:28 mark, and the Lady Knights went into half-time trailing by 1 point (34-33). The Knights ‘ offense came out with a flurry and built an 8 point lead, led by the trio of Viani (20 points), Dianna Ravinsky (14 points), and Ryan Nastasi (12 points). Casey Krajeski scored 9 points and pulled down 7 rebounds. With the Knights in foul trouble (Viani, Charles) and fatigued, it was Christina Buso who hit some key shots down the stretch. With a jumper from the foul line and 3 foul shots, she kept the Lady Knights ahead.  Viani sealed the victory, connecting on 3 free throws with time running out. Tiffany Charles scored 2 points and Sarah Fixler added a foul shot to the scoring. HV Lady Knights 65 - North Westchester Quest 56
 

Nastasi Leads Knights to Semi-Final Victory - Preston High School - The Lady Knights took the ball to the hoop early, led by Ryan Nastasi. She scored all 10 of her points in the first half with 1 field goal and 8 of 8 shooting from the foul line. She also had 3 steals and 2 assists to help the Lady Knights post a 32-21 half-time lead. At the intermission, the fans were treated to an encore performance of the pre game show, by Lawren Charles. The opposing fans turned on some music so the entire crowd could be delighted by the latest dance steps of this 4 year old girl. The Knights opened the second half with a 10-0 run , stretching the lead to 20 points. Jenna Viani (21 points) started the burst with a trey, while Tiffany Charles (6 points, 7 rebounds) cleared the boards, and Ryan Nastasi had 2 assists to Casey Krajeski (9 points, 6 rebounds) on the fast break. Dianna Ravinsky scored 6 points and Christina Buso added 2 in the game. The Silver Bullets closed the gap but never got closer than 7 points. Down the stretch, Emily Faulds (4 points) and Denise Hunt (4 points) each scored off an offensive rebound to seal the victory and a rematch with the Knicks in the finals. HV Lady Knights 62 - Long Island Silver Bullets 54

Faulds Leads Valiant Comeback, But Knights Fall In Finals - Preston High School - The Knights were out of sync and the Knicks started the game with a 10-0 run. Jenna Viani hit a jumper to break the ice and Casey Krajeski (9 points) scored 5 to close the gap. Ryan Nastasi connected on 3 free throws while Emily Faulds and Lisa Pritzlaff each scored off a baseline move to end the half with the Knights trailing 24-16. Viani (7 points) opened the second half with a trey, but the Knicks responded and maintained their lead. Emily Faulds (12 points) sparked the sluggish offense going 5 for 5 from the floor in the second half. When Ryan Nastasi drained a free throw, the Lady Knights took their first lead of the game. This was short lived as the Knicks hit a trey on the next possession and the intensity heated up. Dianna Ravisnky scored a basket to keep the Knights in striking distance. Tiffany Charles (4 points) hit a jump shot and Sarah Fixler connected on 4 free throws to keep the Knights’ hope alive. The pace of the game picked up and the Lady Knights were unable to keep their momentum, losing by a final score of 55 - 47. Casey Krajeski led the rebounding with 11 while Charles pulled in 7 boards  WBA Knicks 55 - HV Lady Knights 47

After 6 trips to the Bronx, logging up to 1100 miles, the HV Lady Knights finished in second place. Having played the best teams in the area, they posted a 5-2 record, losing to the championship team twice. Their outstanding effort in this tournament earned them an invitation to the Nationals in Louisiana. Congratulations to all the Lady Knights !
 

Viani, Fixler Lead HV Knights To First Round Victory - Ursuline School - The Lady Knights started the game with an 11-0 run over the first 3 minutes and never looked back. They set the pace of the game with their full court press led by Jenna Viani (22 points, 8 rebounds, 1 trey) and Sarah Fixler(13 points, 2 treys). They combined for 9 steals and 24 points in the first half to help the Lady Knights open up a 34-19 half time lead. The Knights demonstrated their balanced attack as every player scored in the game. Dianna Ravinsky scored 7 points (1 trey) and Casey Krajeski added 6. Denise Hunt had 4 points, having the distinction of scoring the first basket of each half. The Knights executed their half court offense well, as each player made contributions. Lisa Pritzlaff hit a jump shot, then found Jessica Pastre on a cut to the basket. Emily Faulds scored 3 points while Tiffany Charles (6 rebounds), Christina Buso, and Lauren Licurse each added a free throw.  HV Lady Knights 60 - WBA RED 38

Knights Defeat Gazelles in 2nd Round Action - Preston High School - Having seen the Gazelles win easily the day before, it was obvious that they liked to press and fast break. The Lady Knights forced them into a different game and the Gazelles had a tough time both shooting from the outside and running their half court offense. The Knights in contrast, demonstrated their versatility throughout the first half. They did it from the outside with treys from Dianna Ravinsky (9 points) and Ryan Nastasi (8 points) as well as jumpers from Jenna Viani (18 points, 6 rebounds). They did it on the break, as Viani and Jessica Pastre combined for 8 steals which led to fast break layups for Viani, Sarah Fixler (10 points), and Lisa Pritzlaff (4 points). When they had to run the half court game, they fed the ball inside to open cutters for some easy scores. They also reached the foul line 23 times in the first half, converting on 17 attempts. Viani scored 11 of her 18 points in the first half and led the Knights to a 41-11 half time lead. The Knights slowed the game down in the second half, maintaining a comfortable lead and winning by a score of 67-41. Casey Krajeski had 5 rebounds and scored 10 points for the Lady Knights while Christina Buso and Tiffany Charles (10 rebounds) each scored 3. Lauren Licurse added a pair of free throws as the Knights shot 74% from the charity stripe (23-31). HV Lady Knights 67 - NY Gazelles 41
 

Knights Suffer First Loss In Metro Tourney - Preston High School - The Lady Knights did not look sharp as the game got under way. Although they took an early lead (8-4) with the help of a trey from Jenna Viani and an offensive put back by Tiffany Charles (4 points, 6 rebounds), the WBA Silver went on a 10-0 run near the 12 minute mark. The Silver Knicks continued to build their lead to 12 points when Sarah Fixler sparked the offense with 2 driving layups and 3 assists to cut into the lead. Casey Krajeski (6 points) completed a 3 point play with 37 seconds left in the half to cut the lead to 4, but the Knicks converted 4 free throws to take a 32-24 lead into the break. In contrast to their previous game the Lady Knights only reached the foul line 5 times during the first half. As the second half got under way the Silver Knicks built their lead to 13 points with 11 minutes remaining, when the Knights once again received a wake up call from Sarah Fixler (15 points, 3 assists). Over the next 3 minutes she connected on a pair of treys and led the offense to close the deficit to 5 points. The Knights outside shooting continued as Fixler and Viani (10 points, 9 rebounds) hit back to back treys to narrow the gap to 3 points with 2 minutes remaining. The Hudson Valley comeback fell short as the Knicks hit a trey of their own and held on to defeat the Lady Knights 55-50. Dianna Ravinsky scored 8 points, Ryan Nastasi added 4, while Christina Buso scored 3 and pulled in 7 rebounds.  Next up for the Lady Knights is the winner of the Staten Island Rebels / Long Island Panthers game.  WBA Silver 55 - HV Lady Knights 50

Lady Knights Play Up, Play Hard, and Earn 1 Point Victory  - Hamden high School - Another scheduling problem found the Lady Knights playing up against a 15 year old team, the Palisades Jazz. Although the Knights viewed this as a challenge the Jazz were concerned that the younger Knights’ team might not be competitive. This notion was quickly erased as the tough Knights defense held the Jazz to 8 points in the first half. The Lady Knights also had a rough time on offense scoring only 3 baskets, but made 10 free throws to take a 16 - 8 lead into halftime. The Lady Knights opened the second half with some easy baskets. Jenna Viani (13 points) stole a pass and went in for an uncontested layup. Emily Faulds found an uncovered Ryan Nasasti (3 points) under the basket for another score.  Sarah Fixler (3 points) led a fast break and dished it off to Christina Buso for an easy bucket. As the Jazz closed with 6, Jessica Pastre and Lisa Pritzlaff each scored to maintain a 10 point lead. Tiffany Charles added 4 points to the offense and led the team with 6 rebounds. Although rebounding was difficult against the larger team Jenna Viani had 5 rebounds, Casey Krajeski had 4, while Lisa Pritzlaff and Dianna Ravinsky added 3 rebounds each.  The Jazz used their size to cut into the lead but the Knights continued to respond. Christina Buso (8 points) hit 2 big baskets down the stretch, Casey Krajeski (3 points) drained 2 free throws, and Sarah Fixler (3 points)  hit a jumper with 1:10 remaining.  The Lady Knights had led the entire game until the Jazz took an offensive rebound and scored with 10 seconds remaining taking a 1 point lead. The Knights calmly took the ball down the court and sealed the victory when Jenna Viani hit a jumper with 2 seconds left. HV Lady Knights 38 - Palisades Jazz 37

Krajeski and Faulds Lead Lady Knights To Victory - Hamden High School - Casey Krajeski used her hard nosed style of play in all aspects of the game to lead the Hudson Valley Knights to a 47 - 33  victory over the Upstate Ladies. She led the offense with 9 points and kept the opponents in check with 7 steals and 2 rebounds. Missing one of their centers, the Lady Knights needed to find some help on the boards. Emily Faulds led the team with 8 rebounds and added 5 points to the offense. Also playing strong on the boards were Lisa Pritzlaff and Dianna Ravinsky (2 points) combining for 11 rebounds. A balanced offensive attack had Jenna Viani and Sarah Fixler scoring 8 and 7 points respectively. Lauren Licurse scored 6 points while Ryan Nasasti added 5.  Rounding out the offense were Denise Hunt with 3 points and Christina Buso scoring 2. The Lady Knights opened up and early lead behind the strong play of Krajeski and Viani and maintained a comfortable lead throughout the game.  HV Knights 47 - Upstate Ladies 33

Ravinsky and Buso Pace Knights Offense  - Hamden High School -  Dianna Ravinsky (8 points, 5 rebounds) and Christina Buso (8 points, 6 rebounds) combined for 14 points in the first half help the Lady Knights take a 31 - 25 lead into the break. The Knights aggressive defense put them in early foul trouble as they sent the Wescon Phillies to stripe numerous times. The Phillies only scored 8 baskets but made 9 free throws to keep the game close. Jenna Viani (19 points, 6 rebounds) scored 10 points in the second half to lead the Lady Knights to a 58 - 46 victory. Jessica Pastre, Casey Krajeski, Denise Hunt, and Ryan Nasasti each scored 4 points. Sarah Fixler added 3 points while Lauren Licurse and Emily Faulds each scored 2 late in the game to seal the victory.  HV Knights 58 - Wescon Phillies 46  

Viani’s 33 Points Spark Knights’ Offense  - SUNY Purchase - The Lady Knights offense exploded for 76 points led by Jenna Viani, scoring 33 points including 4 treys. Dianna Ravinsky and Lisa Pritzlaff each added 9 points to help the Knights cruise to a 76 - 56 victory over the Connecticut Starters West team. Casey Krajeski (8 points) led the defense with 11 rebounds and 6 steals. Rounding out the scoring for the Lady Knights was Tiffany Charles with 5 points, Jessica Pastre and Sarah Fixler each scoring 4, and Emily Faulds and Christina Buso each adding 2.   HV Lady Knights 76   -  Connecticut Starters West 56

Krajeski and Ravinsky Lead Knights’ Defense  - Bronxville High School - A strong Knights defense held the Long Island Panthers to 30 points. Casey Krajeski and Dianna Ravinsky led the defense with 4 steals each. Strong support on the boards was turned in by Christina Buso with 7 rebounds and Jenna Viani with 6 rebounds. The offense was led by Jenna Viani (17 points, 3 treys) and Denise Hunt (8 points). Casey Krajeski added 6 points while Dianna Ravinsky and Ryan Nastasi each scored 4. Emily Faulds and Lisa Pritzlaff each scored 2 while Sarah Fixler added a free throw.  HV Lady Knights 44   -  Long Island Panthers 30
 
Lady Knights Fall to Connecticut Starters National Team   - Manhattan College - The first half started out as a defensive struggle. After 4 scoreless minutes, Ryan Nastasi (3 points) put the Lady Knights on the board to tie the game at 2 apiece. Emily Faulds completed a 3 point play, Tiffany Charles made 2 free throws, and Jenna Viani (13 points) paced the Knights to a 23-22 half-time lead. After Casey Krajeski went coast to coast to start the second half, the Knights offense found little scoring as they trailed by 10 with 7 minutes remaining.  Sarah Fixler (13 points) and Casey Krajeski (9 points) rallied the Lady Knights, combining for 12 points in the last quarter to narrow the gap to 5. The Lady Knights could not complete the comeback, suffering their first loss of the year. Connecticut Starters National 52   -  HV Lady Knights 43

Balanced Offense Leads HV Lady Knights to Victory  - Manhattan College - Once again the Lady knights offense started slow but kicked into gear when Denise Hunt (4 points) found Ryan Nastasi (10 points) on a back door cut. A balanced attack saw 7 Lady Knights score in the first half. Christina Buso (6 points) put back an offensive rebound to give the Knights a 19-18 lead. After several lead changes the Knights found some magic at the end of the first half. Tiffany Charles scored 5 points in the last 20 seconds to help the Knights take a  29 - 27 lead at the half. Strong defense allowed the Lady Knights to open up a 10 point lead with scoring supplied by Jenna Viani (15 points) and Sarah Fixler (10 points). The Albany Capitals closed to within 5 points when Jessica Pastre (9 points) hit 2 key jumpers (1 trey) to stop their rally. Casey Krajeski scored 6 points and Dianna Ravinsky scored 2 to seal the 10 point victory.  HV Lady Knights 66 - Albany Capitals 56 
 

Knights Earn Pre-Season Victory Over Rockland Royals

- Alberta Magnus - The Lady Knights' offense started out slow but they played solid defense to keep the game close. Jenna Viani broke the ice at the 13 minute mark off an inbounds play. Ryan Nastasi hit a foul shot and Sarah Fixler scored at the 9 minute mark to bring the Knights within one point. When Viani hit a jumper with 8 minutes to go in the first half, the Knights took the lead for good. Tiffany Charles and Christina Buso combined for 6 points to help extend the lead to 14 points at halftime. The second half opened with a nice passing combination, resulting in an easy basket for Emily Faulds. Rockland tried to go to a zone defense but the Knights responded with back to back treys from Ryan Nastasi and Denise Hunt. Emily Faulds and Dianna Ravinsky each had 4 points in the second half to help lead the Knights to a 50-37 victory over Rockland. Jenna Viani led the Knights with 9 points, while Sarah Fixler and Casey Krajeski each added 8.