MARBLEHEAD — It’s the moment basketball fans have been waiting for the last eight months: the official start of a new season.
The Marblehead girls basketball team opened with Revere in town Thursday, starting on the right foot. The Magicians grinded out a tough defensive battle, earning the victory by a score of 34-25 – a game in which both teams combined for just five first-quarter points.
But from there, Marblehead found its groove in the second quarter. Courtesy of Katie Pine (6 points) and some three-pointers from Tess Andriano (8), the Magicians took a 15-9 lead into the break.
Although Marblehead led for the entire first half, Revere wouldn’t back down.
The Patriots went on a 4-0 run to start the third quarter, cutting the deficit down to just two (15-13). However, the Magicians responded well and kept a strong 22-15 lead going into the final eight minutes of play.
Revere did its best to make it a close game, going on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to three, but two more three pointers from Pine and Andriano helped the Magicians jump out to an 11-point lead with two minutes remaining.
Coach Paul Moran’s team pulled it out from there.
After the game, he was happy to see his team play hard, and immediately gave credit to his two senior leaders Pine and Kate Burns.
“It starts with senior leadership, and let me tell you: [Pine and Burns] have done a great job getting us ready to this point,” Moran said. “We’re really inexperienced and these two have done everything.”
Moran added that his team had plenty of things to work on, but was impressed with its fight through multiple late runs by the opposition.
He, again, credited his veterans for leading the charge.
“We fought through adversity when it wasn’t easy,” he said. “But thanks to [Pine and Burns], they were able to keep their composure, which kept our team’s composure.”
The Magicians had seven point-scorers, to which Burns said, “We really have strengths all around.”
“We have people that can drive [and] we have great three-point shooters, so it’s great to have a variety,” she said.
Pine agreed with her fellow Magician.
“I think it’s good. This year, we’re able to spread points across the board because, last year, we relied on two major scorers,” she said. “Everyone else has stepped up, so I think we did a good job.”
With an encouraging victory under their belts, the Magicians are looking forward to getting better as the season progresses, according to Burns.
“We are pretty young and not that experienced, but we’re off to a great start,” she said. “So, it’s only up from here.”
Marblehead’s leading scorers:
Tess Andriano (8)
Kate Burns (6)
Katie Pine (6)
Ainsley McDonald (5)
Samra Dorch (4)
Marietta O’connell (2)
Ramona Gillett (2)
