WILMINGTON, Del. – For the second year in a row, the New Haven women's basketball team is openings its season at the Goldey-Beacom Tip-Off Invitational and the Blue and Gold did not disappoint as they went wire-to-wire in a 83-57 season opening victory over the Wilmington Wildcats.

Leading the Chargers on the day was the senior leadership of Charlotte Bassett (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) and Sabira Ahayeva (Minsk, Belarus/Minsk #27). In the scoring column it was Bassett who broke the 20-point plateau for the third time in her career, finishing the game with 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including a pair of three pointers. Ahayeva's leadership came on both ends of the floor as she set career-highs with 10 assists and eight steals. Her double figure assists marks the first time since December 2019 a Chargers has dished out 10 or more helpers, while her eight steals is the most since Cam Debose finished with that same number against Saint Michael's in January 2022.

Overall, Bassett was one of four players to finish in double figures, joined by Bianca Pendleton (Accokeek, Md./New Hope Academy) with 15, Nayeli Dowding (Baldwin, N.Y./Baldwin) with 12 and Paige Cote (Sanford, Maine/Sanford) with 10. The 15 points from Pendleton matches her career-high which she originally set in 2022 against Adelphi. Additionally, Cote was one of a trio of Chargers who scored their first points in Blue and Gold with Aniya McDonald-Perry (Middletown, Conn./Putnam Science Academy) and Schuyler Coles (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township) joining her with six and nine points, respectively.

As a team, New Haven finished the day shooting 56.7 percent from the field, connecting on 34-of-60 field goal attempts, with five of those coming from outside the arc. The Chargers were also 10-of-18 at the line and outrebounded the Wildcats36-24.Leading the way in the rebounding column was McDonald-Perry with nine boards, one of 11 different players to pull down at least one rebound. Additionally, the Chargers led the way in fastbreak points (24-4), points in the paint (48-24) and points off turnovers (32-4).

COACHES' QUOTES
"Great first game win. We executed the game plan and everyone contributed. Our assist to turnover ratio was 26-14. Sabira led the way with 10 assists. We shared the ball and had four [players] in double figures. We forced 25 turnovers and had 20 steals"

FIRST QUARTER NOTES

·         The Chargers opened up the game scoring the first 16 points of the game, holding the Wildcats off the board for more than 5:30 minutes of action. Highlighting the early run for the Blue and Gold was Bassett who made her first three field goals of the game and went on to score nine of the first 16 points.

·         The first basket of the season came off the fingertips of senior transfer Cote as she used the dish from Bassett to get the Blue and Gold on the board.

·         The Chargers closed out the opening quarter with a halfcourt heave from Dowding that tickled the twine and provided a 28-9 lead at the first intermission.

·         Bassett's early nine points led all Chargers scored in the first quarter as seven different players scored at least one point towards the early advantage. Following Bassett in the scoring column was Coles with six points.

·         The Chargers also forced eight first quarter turnovers with Ahayeva and McDonald-Perry each finishing with four steals, while Ahayeva racked up six first quarter assists.

SECOND QUARTER NOTES

·         The halfcourt bucket from Dowding to end the first quarter zeroed her in on the prize as she would also open up the second quarter with the Chargers first points of the period coming on a layup courtesy of an Ahayeva steal and assist.  

·         With her first bucket of the quarter, a jumper with 1:52 on the clock, Bassett was the first player into double figures on the day. She would go on to add two more baskets in the quarter, the final two as she picked Wilmington's pocket and streaked to the hoop for a fastbreak bucket to close out the first 20 minutes of action with 15 points.

·         Ahayeva added two more assists to her total to give her eight before the halftime intermission as she creeped closer to a double double adding two more steals for six total in the first half.

·         Also breaking into double digits before the halftime buzzer was Cote as she added six second quarter points to go into the locker room with 10, connecting on 5-of-7 attempts from the field.

·         Cote's six points tied Bassett for the team lead in the second quarter. They were followed by Dowding who finished with five points, including the only three pointer in the period for the Chargers.

THIRD QUARTER NOTES

·         The Chargers opened up the second half scoring to extend their lead as both of the first two buckets of the quarter for New Haven came from beyond the three point arc, one each from Bassett and Lindsay Hogan (Bayville, N.Y./Locust Valley).

·         The fastbreak opportunities continued for the Chargers and not all off of turnovers, including a great look and near full court heave from Ahayeva that found Hogan after a made bucket from the Wildcats. Upon receiving the pass, Hogan quickly dished it underneath to McDonald-Perry who converted the lay up for two points.

·         With the Chargers final bucket of the quarter, Dowding was the third Charger to reach double figures with her 10th point of the day courtesy of a feed from Coles.

·         The third quarter scoring came from a balanced attack as five different players got in on the action with Hogan and McDonald-Perry each leading the way with five points apiece. Bianca Pendleton (Accokeek, Md./New Hope Academy) followed with four points as she inched closer to double figures with nine total for the game following the first 30 minutes of action.

FOURTH QUARTER NOTES

·         Just like she did in the first half, Dowding would close out the third quarter scoring and open up the fourth, this time around on a pull-up jumper that gave her an even dozen thus far on the day.

·         Make it four in double figures as Pendleton was the newest entry to that column as she converted her first of two free throws 65 seconds into the period.

·         Ahayeva was the next to enter the double figures crew for the Chargers, but hers came in the untraditional area of assists as she dished out her 10th to Pendleton as the junior added to her scoring total, putting her at a dozen.

·         Take it one step further and Bassett broke the 20-point plateau with 6:05 to play in the game, marking her third career game with 20 or more in the scoring column.

UP NEXT

New Haven will get right back to work on Saturday as they close off the two-day event taking on the host Goldey-Beacom Lightning. Tip-off in game two of the season is slated for 3:00 p.m.