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Bishop Fenwick Crusaders Girls Basketball '09-'10

Sachems advance to state final

BOSTON — Erin McNamara hopes that the third time is the charm for Pentucket. Yesterday, the senior guard led the way with 21 points as the Sachems advanced to their Eastern Mass. final in four years, disposing of Bishop Fenwick 58-47 in the Division 3 North final at Emmanuel College. The Sachems advance to Tuesday’s state semifinal game at the TD Garden (4:15 p.m.) against Archbishop Williams, the team that beat Pentucket in the 2007 and 2008 EMass. title games. “We hope it will be different this time around,” said McNamara, who was near perfect from beyond the arc (4 for 5). “We know that they’re a tough team. It’s great to have one last shot at them as a senior, we wouldn’t want to play anyone else.” Pentucket was fired up from the start, sometimes to a fault. The Sachems were whistled for seven traveling calls in the first quarter. “I think we were a little charged up,” said head coach John McNamara. “It’s an exciting day and a big game and we were a bit hyper. We got things calmed down, though. At the same time, you have to give credit to Bishop Fenwick because they were pressuring us which forced us to try to do too many things too quickly. “We’re an up-tempo team, but we were too hyper for a little bit.” Trailing by 8 at the half, Bishop Fenwick (16-8) cut the Pentucket lead to four heading into the fourth quarter. Then, it was McNamara’s time to take over. The senior never left the floor the entire game, knocking down a key 3-pointer midway through the final quarter to up the lead to 10. “That’s a big shot,” said John McNamara, her coach and father. “At a key point in the game that’s a key shot and it was a great job by everyone on the floor to set that play and get her the ball. Everyone did what they were supposed to, it was great.” Late in the game, after being fouled going for another three attempt, she was went to the line for three shots, knocking down all of them.  “I knew they were big shots. If I don’t make them they can come back down the floor and make it a real close game with plenty of time left,’’ said McNamara. “There is pressure, but I just told myself that I made the same shot a million times. I take so many of those shots in practice. I just imagined I was in practice.” The Sachems out-rebounded Fenwick 23-11 and nine of their 16 field goals were from 3-point range. “I don’t mind us taking threes because we can shoot,” said the coach. “I thought as the game went on, we were taking better threes in the sense that they were more quality shots. And, as the game went on, we were making more of those shots.” Fenwick tried to hit a homerun pass on multiple inbounds from under its own basket as well as a few other strategic moves to disrupt the undefeated Sachems. “We knew they could shoot,” said head coach Timothy Harrington. “We tried our best and I’m proud of our girls, but we were beaten by a very good basketball team.” Vanessa Cahill led the way with seven rebounds for the Sachems and freshman Nicole Viselli and sophomore Sarah Higgins combined for 16 points off the bench. Garden Party Yesterday’s win over Bishop Fenwick should bolster Pentucket’s confidence. In December, Fenwick lost a 62-61 squeaker to Archbishop Williams, the Sachems’ Tuesday state semifinal foe. The Archies beat Pentucket in the state semis in 2007 and 2008. They are led by 6-4 center Valerie Driscoll, who has signed with Michigan.

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Girls Basketball, 03/06/10 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars

Ms. Double-Double

Methuen's Rashidat Agboola was her usual dominant self with 31 points and 14 rebounds but Bishop Fenwick won the non-league matchup 89-66.

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Girls Basketball, 02/06/10 » 0 Comments & 0.0 Stars