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The Manchester Essex girls basketball team used strong team defense, rebounding, free throw shooting and balanced scoring | four key ingredients come tournament time | to pick up a 41-35 win at Lynnfield.

After playing its best half of the season (jumping out to a 25-12 lead), the Manchester Essex girls basketball team survived a scoreless third quarter and took a 35-27 win over Cape Ann League foe Lynnfield.

The same can be said for the Manchester Essex girls, who carry a 4-4 record and are just a couple wins shy of qualifying for the Division 4 tourney.

Last year, all it took was a 6-14 record to gain entry to the postseason, and the Hornets appear to be way ahead of schedule with a balanced scoring attack that is led by Dani Ciccone's 8.3 ppg. Once the Hornets get to the playoffs, anything is possible, as proven by last year's trip to the North finals. Finally, the Gloucester girls have rebounded nicely from last year's four-win campaign and look poised to get back to the postseason.

Manchester Essex girls basketball player Lizzie Ball was in the zone last night and her team needed all of her career-high 20 points as the Hornets (4-3, 1-1) held off visiting Amesbury (2-4, 1-1) in a Cape Ann League game.

After one quarter last night, the Manchester Essex girls basketball team found itself down 9-4 at Northeast Regional. Despite that slow start, the Hornets responded to post a dominating 47-19 win in Wakefield over the Knights.

Playing in the rough and tumble Cape Ann League, the Manchester Essex girls basketball team is almost always facing bigger schools and highly-skilled opponents on a nightly basis.

The Hornets tangible reward for competing in such a brutal conference comes if they can qualify for the Division 4 North tournament. Once there, Manchester Essex realizes it can compete with any team on that level thanks to all the obstacles it faced on the way.

Last year's record: 9-15 (lost to New Mission, 68-62, in Division 4 North final)

Coach: Lauren Dubois

Key returnees: Danni Ciccone (Capt.), Sr., center; Lee Stroman, Jr., guard