LYNN — The outside shots fell in bunches for the St. Mary’s girls basketball team in Friday’s 90-41 win over Classical in the opening round of the Boverini Tournament at Tony Conigliaro Gymnasium.
The Spartans swished 11 3-pointers with 12 different players finding the scoresheet.
“We have a good inside presence with Maiya (Bergdorf), Alyssa (Grossi) and Jannise (Avelino),” St. Mary’s coach Jeff Newhall said. “With the exception of our first game (loss to Archbishop Williams), we’ve played well. We hit 12 3’s against Hoosac. We’re hitting enough and it’s become a threat where opponents have to come out and cover it. Then we go to the post and it’s one-and-one.”
Bergdorf led all scorers with 17 points. Olivia Matela finished with 16 points, 12 of which came via 3-pointers. Avelino scored 10 off the bench, while Nicolette D’Itria and freshman Kellyn Preira each scored eight points.
“No matter when you get in the game, whether you start the game, come in at the end or in the second quarter, we want you to play the way you practice,” Newhall, whose Spartans shot 11-of 27 from beyond the arc Friday, said. “I think they all did that for the most part.”
Despite the loss, Rams coach Tom Sawyer saw positive signs from his team.
“I thought my kids played hard,” Sawyer said. “I’m very proud of how hard they played.
“That’s who we are. We talk about it, right from day one. I have a lot of kids who’ve been with us for a long time. That’s who we are, we play hard. I’d be disappointed in anything else and I’m not disappointed because we did play hard.”
Jean Gupton-Morrison led Classical with 12 points. Sajada Jean poured in seven points.
The Rams kept pace with St. Mary’s through the early minutes. Amber Crayton scored five points in the opening period but the Spartans found their footing as the quarter closed. Gabby Torres netted a 3-pointer midway through the quarter and Bergdorf beat the buzzer with a layup, pacing the Spartans to a 19-7 advantage.
St. Mary’s took full control in the second quarter. A 16-5 run, capped by Matela’s 3-pointer and lay-up, put the Spartans ahead 35-12 and forced Classical to take a timeout. Matela closed the half with back-to-back 3’s, the latter a buzzer beater, and St. Mary’s led 52-22 at recess.
“Olivia, at the end of the second quarter, I think any chance that Classical might’ve had mentally, that was it,” Newhall said.
With a hefty lead, the Spartans coasted through the second half. St. Mary’s emptied its bench during the closing stretch and the reserves didn’t skip a beat.
St. Mary’s (6-1) will play English for the tournament’s championship Sunday (4). The Spartans will aim for the sixth consecutive Boverini title.
“They’re going to present some problems for us defensively, there’s no question about it,” Newhall said of the Bulldogs. “If we can continue to move the ball on offense, I think we’ll be fine. It looks better when the shots are falling in the way they did but we were making the extra pass to get the easier shot.”
Classical (2-1) will battle Tech in the consolation round Sunday (1).
