Billerica ends Revere’s season in North quarterfinals

BILLERICA – The ensuing sting from its early postseason exit will surely last for quite some time but the Revere girlS? basketball team walked out of Ed James Gymnasium with heads held high following a 44-35 quarterfinals loss to host Billerica in the MIAA Division 1 North tournament.
?We ultimately ran out of time,” said Patriots coach Diana DeCristoforo of her team?s desperate attempt to erase a 36-18 deficit entering the final quarter. To its credit, No.5 Revere staged quite the rally, getting within seven points (38-31) before the final buzzer sounded.
?Our heart was definitely on full display over those final eight minutes,” she added. “Obviously we wish we had a longer stay in the tournament but these girls had an absolutely tremendous season.”
Much of the second half boiled down to free-throw shooting, including the final 3:48 of the third quarter where the teams combined for 14 attempts. The No. 4 Indians made three of six attempts, while Revere finished three of eight to enter the final period in the 18-point hole.
In total, Billerica finished at 52.9% from the line (18-of-34), comparatively worse than the Patriots who made 12-of-20 (60%).
Freshman Pamela Gonzalez scored five of her 10 points in the finale, including a layup off an inbounds pass from below the Billerica basket, cutting the visitors? deficit to as low as it would get.
The No. 4 Indians succeeded from start to finish in containing Revere?s senior stalwart, Tiphani Harris, who finished with a game-high 13 points before fouling out with 1:36 remaining in regulation.
?(Harris) is our heart and has been all year,” said DeCristoforo of the Patriots? co-captain and lone graduate-to-be, who will attend Framingham State University in the fall.
?I can?t think of a single thing I?ve asked of her that she hasn?t been able to live up to or exceed expectations. She?s an incredible leader on and off the court, a great student and an awesome person. We?re really going to miss her next year.”
Billerica coach Chris Doneski knew coming in that shutting down Harris was his team?s ticket to the semifinals where it will meet the winner of Monday?s quarterfinal between Beverly and Arlington.
?We did a lot of talking about stopping or at least limiting her,” he said. “Harris is an incredible player so I have to give my girls a lot of credit for going out and defending how they did.”
For DeCristoforo, many of Billerica?s knew what to expect.
?A lot of those girls play with (Harris) in the offseason for AAU,” she said. “So I think they kind of had each others? numbers at certain times during the game.”
It was evident from the opening tip that the Patriots would have to shoot well for any kind of a chance, as the Indians proved overpowering on the glass, particularly in the offensive end.
?It?s kind of ironic because we spent the past few days talking a lot about (Revere?s) size,” said Doneski. “I thought the major difference in the game was the fact that we did a real good job on the boards.”
The hosts led 9-3 late in the first quarter before a three-pointer from Gonzalez was followed by a buzzer-beating floater from Harris, giving Revere (17-5) its first surge of momentum.
Billerica (19-3) responded with a dominant second period where it went on a 7-0 run en route to outscoring the visitors by a 16-5 margin. Co-captain Lily Coppinger and Kelsey Leverone were at the forefront of the surge with six points apiece.
Coppinger and Caitlin Boermeester both finished with 10 points for the Indians while Maritza Scott, a junior, finished with five points for the Patriots.
With 11-of-12 players expected back next year, DeCristoforo offered her hopes for 2015-2016.?More of the same I?d say,” she said. “These girls work extremely hard in the offseason and I believe that the accomplishments and experiences, from this season, both good and bad, can only make us better.”