WELLS — Shannon Todd of York said she didn’t know she was working on a perfect shooting game late in the third quarter Thursday, but did know things were going well against rival Wells.
“It definitely felt good. Finally,” Todd said. “I’ve had some good games but not shooting games like I know I can.”
Todd’s first seven shots, including five 3-pointers, were dead-eye perfect. Without forcing a single shot, she finished with 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting (she never did miss a 3-pointer) as Class A York improved to 9-0 with the 59-26 interclass victory.
It was Coach Rick Clark’s 496th career victory.
“She’s playing the way she was at the end of her sophomore year,” Clark said of Todd, a senior who signed a letter of intent in November to play at Northeastern. “Last year she had (mononucleosis) to start the season and never really got into the flow the way she can. This was Shannon the way she’s supposed to be – a true Division I college player.”
Wells (4-4) was within 15-10 after a nice left elbow jumper by Ally O’Brien (seven points) with 6:51 left in the second quarter.
To that point, Wells’ hard-working defense had limited Todd’s touches (two shots in the first quarter), and kept the Wildcats from running and crashing the boards as they had in Saturday’s 54-40 win at York.
“We wanted to limit them in transition and limit their second-chance opportunities,” Wells Coach Don Abbott said. “I thought we did both. The problem was they made more on their first-chance opportunities.”
As other players’ early-game adrenaline rush subsided, Todd took over.
The strong 5-foot-11 guard/forward pulled up and easily drained an 18-footer to get warmed up.
Moments later, Todd showed no hesitation on a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer in transition from the left wing. Then, when a Wells’ defender inexplicably backed off, she made one from the same spot off the dribble.
Emma Thomson (12 points) came off the bench and finished the half with a 3-pointer for a 28-12 York lead.
The third quarter started with two more Todd 3-pointers worked around baskets from Mia Briggs (8 points) and Madigan Cogger as York stretched its advantage to 40-12.
Todd didn’t miss until she went to the basket and was clearly fouled, though she didn’t get the call.
She added two close-in baskets before sitting after the third quarter.
“She played inspired basketball tonight,” Abbott said. “The best I’ve seen her play. I thought she was very assertive and looked for her shot at the right times.”
Both teams were playing without starters. York guard Lily Posternak was out with a badly bruised left eye, the result of being hit in the head in field hockey. Posternak, a junior, has verbally committed to play field hockey at Duke. Clark said he expects Posternak to play in York’s next game.
Wells junior guard Natalie Thurber missed her sixth straight game with a stress fracture in her lower leg. Abbott said Thurber, who averaged nearly 14 points a game as a sophomore, is improving and is likely to be able to play this season.
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