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Slow start stops Wildcats

Sunday, February, 12 By Alex Lippa
Staff writer

HAVERHILL — Coming into the season, one of the most important things that Whittier girls basketball coach Kevin Bradley stressed to his team was getting off to a good start to games and dictating the game’s pace. Yesterday afternoon, the exact opposite happened and it proved to be the difference in a 69-63 loss to Shawsheen.

“If you take the first quarter out of these games, we win,” said Bradley. “We have to stop coming out flat at the beginning of the games.”

Shawsheen used a 12-0 run in the middle of the first quarter to jump out to a 19-point lead and led 26-9 at the end of the quarter. The Rams used an extremely aggressive 2-3 press to cause turnovers and force a young Whittier team which started two freshmen into playing mistakes.

“Usually we use our speed to run right by those presses,” said Bradley. “(Yesterday) it just wasn’t happening.”

The tough defense of Shawsheen made it difficult for leading scorer Christina Medley to find open shots. Medley did not hit a field goal all game and finished with only four points before fouling out with three minutes to go in the contest.

With Medley struggling, fellow senior Kendra Brasil stepped up and poured in 19 points. Brasil had five 3-pointers including three in the third quarter which cut Shawsheen’s lead to six.

“I was feeling it all game,” said Brasil. “Even in the first quarter when we were struggling.”

Several freshmen also chipped in for the Wildcats. Kayla Riley had three 3-pointers and 16 points off the bench, while Samnell Vonleh also reached double figures with 10 points.

After it looked like the game was lost in the first quarter, Whittier made a game out of it in the final three frames. They cut the deficit to nine by halftime and were within four points in the final stretches of the game. But solid free throw shooting and some timely offensive rebounds cemented the game for Shawsheen. Emily Irwin led the Rams with 17 points. Stephanie Champoux (14 points), Ari Medeiros (12 points), and Julie Russell (11 points) also finished in double figures.

The poor start leaves Whittier wondering how to fix the problem of sluggish performances at the beginning of the games. The Wildcats also came out slow on Friday night and trailed Brockton by eight en route to a 74-57 defeat. Sunday’s loss was their second in a row and their fourth in the last six games.

“I think everyone is nervous,” said Brasil. “It’s like we get too excited and we end up being nervous. By the time halftime rolls around, we’re fine.”

The loss drops Whittier in a first place tie with Shawsheen in the Commonwealth Athletic Conference, as each team has one loss apiece. The teams are tied due to the teams splitting their season series. Whittier beat Shawsheen on Jan. 6, 54-51 in a game which came down to the final minute.

The Wildcats have only one conference game remaining and it is likely that Whittier and Shawsheen will be crowned co-champs of the CAC this season.