You know what I’ve been thinking? To win a state championship — any sport, any level — you need a top dog.
For Bishop Fenwick’s girls basketball team, which captured the Div. 3 title with Sunday’s 49-44 win against Pittsfield, it’s Celia Neilson.
Inside Lowell’s Tsongas Center, Neilson finished with 19 points, 18 rebounds, and four assists. Despite some foul trouble, Neilson buried a pair of free throws with eight seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to put a lid on the Generals.
“We just kept saying, ‘go, go, go,’ even after we fell back a little in that second quarter,” Neilson said. “We may have been nervous at times, but nerves don’t really affect defense. … I’m proud of what we were able to do today.”
She took a charge, too, which was nothing new.
“She has taken 22-25 charges this year and had another one today,” said coach Adam DeBaggis, “it’s wild.”
Days earlier, capping off a 55-38 semifinal win against Medway, Neilson recorded 22 points, eight rebounds, and 11 steals.
Yes. Eleven steals.
“Only slightly over her average,” DeBaggis said with a smile.
Celia, good week.
