LYNN — The No. 1 St. Mary’s girls basketball team would not be denied Wednesday evening, taking down No. 4 Archbishop Williams by a score of 64-41 in a CCL Cup semifinal game at Tony Conigliaro Gymnasium.
“This was a great team win for us,” said St. Mary’s coach Jeff Newhall. “It took us a little while to settle in, but once we did I thought we were able to control the pace, play suffocating defense and really get into the rhythm.”
Kellyn Preira had another big game with 13 points and three rebounds, while Nicolette D’Itria (12 points, six rebounds), Maiya Bergdorf (12 points, five rebounds) and Yirsy Queliz (10 points, three rebounds) also finished in double figures.
“If we can score in the 60’s and have four or five players in double figures, that’s our formula for success,” said Newhall. “Our ball movement was as good as it’s been all season, and that’s how we can get so many different players involved. We’ve got a lot of unselfish players on this team, and that bodes well when we’re moving the ball like we’re capable of.”
Despite jumping out to a 6-2 lead in the opening minutes, St. Mary’s actually struggled to find a rhythm early in the game. Williams eventually grabbed a 7-6 lead, then the two sides went back and forth for a few minutes until St. Mary’s took control. The Spartans held a 21-13 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back.
The Spartans extended their lead to 15 points midway through the second quarter, eventually taking a 20-point lead into halftime.
The second half was much of the same for St. Mary’s, with the Spartans jumping ahead by 25 at the end of the third quarter before cruising to a big win on their home court.
St. Mary’s (19-3) will now go up against its rival, No. 3 Bishop Fenwick, in the CCL Cup Final Saturday afternoon (4).
“I’m just so happy for the kids on both sides,” said Newhall. “To be able to get to this point and have a big game that we can both play in is a great thing and we’re all grateful to the CCL for putting together this tournament in the fall and now in the winter. I knew before the season that Fenwick and St. Mary’s were two of the best teams in the state, and I would’ve bet that we’d be meeting at the end of the year when it’s all said and done. We’re incredibly excited for this opportunity and we’re going to try to close out the year on a high note.”
