RallyNorth.net

Fri, Jan 04, 2008 07:00 PM @ Salem (MA)

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Beverly	0	24	0	24	48
Salem (MA)	0	31	0	30	61

White's 3-pointers key Salem past Beverly

Friday, January, 04 By Jean DePlacido
Correspondent

SALEM | When the pressure of the game got hot, Ashley White stayed cool | and came up big for the Salem girls basketball team.

White came up with clutch baskets when the game was on the line to power the host Witches to a 61-48 win over archrival Beverly last night at Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse.

The score was tied when White drilled a long 3-pointer to put Salem ahead for good in a contest that was much closer than the final score would indicate.

White led all scorers with 22 points | including three treys | to go along with seven assists and three steals. Freshman Amanda Wilkins also was in double figures for the hosts with 10 points while teammate Karly Henderson had nine.

"Both teams are better than their records indicate," said Salem head coach John Fortunato, whose team improved to 3-5.

"I knew we were in for this kind of game. No lead was safe because Beverly claws and scraps their way back in. They throw a lot of different things at you with so many of those guard/forward types, while we are small.

"We had to rely on our speed and quickness, because Beverly did a number on us on the boards. I love this group of girls because they work so hard all the time. It's fun to come to practice every day."

The Witches were at a height disadvantage against the Panthers, but compensated with deadly 3-point shooting | draining seven in all. They shot out to a 19-11 lead at the end of the first quarter and had a seven point cushion at the half, 31-24.

Beverly stormed back after intermission, outscoring Salem, 16-9, led by Meghan Chatellier, who scored six straight points for the Panthers to key an 8-2 run in the final minutes of the quarter. Beverly then knotted it up at 40-all on a layup by Amy Couture heading into the final eight minutes.

"For some reason, the third quarter has been our best all season," said Beverly (1-6) coach Matt Smith, his team still looking for its second win of the year. "We've been incredibly close, but just can't get over the hump.

"I thought (freshman) Jen Ashton did an incredible job on White defensively, and Alex Vavladellis (8 points) had a great game. We stayed with them until White hit that three." The score was tied two more times before Salem took command, the last coming after Beverly's Breezy Dwyer (11 points) put in her own rebound to tie it at 44-44.

Beverly kept fighting back, but never led. White, who had a dozen points in the fourth quarter, made two 3-pointers in a row to stake her team to a five-point lead.

Henderson, who had four assists and four steals, did a tremendous job protecting the ball down the stretch and also scored a big basket with less than a minute remaining to seal the win.

"It's always more intense when we play Beverly," said White. The junior has scored 20 or more points in the last three games. "I don't go out there trying to take 3-pointers, but if it's open I will shoot from outside. I really look to pass the ball inside to my teammates first."

Fortunato felt the biggest difference tonight was the way his team protected the ball and played a more disciplined game.

"We were more patient, and I am pleased with the job we did taking care of the ball. We had been giving up a lot of unforced turnovers in games. We put the full court press on early to force them to turn the ball over, and it was effective," he said. "We knew we had to do something to negate their size advantage. Erica Mendez (eight points) and Wilkins were big down the stretch."

The Beverly JV's had an easier time, winning 47-29 behind Kiki McKenna's 17 points.