WA Girls’ Basketball lost 56-37 in a tough matchup against Concord-Carlisle (CC) on Tuesday, Jan. 30, making their overall season record 3-10.
CC managed to gain a significant lead over WA right from the beginning, and they held onto the lead for the rest of the game. CC’s strong control of the ball gave them an 11 point lead before sophomore Kaitlyn Pepin and senior Molly Harding scored WA’s first 4 points, both in the form of layups. However, WA’s struggles on the defensive end led to head coach Russell Coward calling the first timeout of the game.
The timeout helped the Ghosts regroup, as they proceeded to block several of Concord-Carlisle’s shots. Junior Diya Jayaraman then scored a three-pointer as the first quarter ended with CC in the lead 20-7.
Going into the second quarter, senior Abby Baker scored a three-pointer just seconds in, cutting CC’s lead to 20-10. Concord-Carlisle’s aggression ramped up during this quarter and they dominated possession of the ball for the majority of the time.
Impact players during this quarter were Baker, Harding, Pepin, and junior Faith Williams, who were able to successfully increase WA’s score. However, fouls on WA helped CC maintain their lead, and the first half ended with a score of 34-19 with CC in the lead.
Going into the second half, it was crucial for WA to step up their defense and take control of the game. The halftime break helped the team strategize their next steps, as the Ghosts came back into the game much stronger, though CC did as well.
CC got on the board first in the second half as they continued to increase their lead, however, WA ramped up their defense. Players such as Jayaraman and freshman Alexa Coward were able to successfully block multiple shot attempts from CC. Harding scored two points with a few seconds left on the clock, and the quarter ended with a score of CC in front 49-29.
The fourth quarter kicked off with Harding scoring two more points, cutting into Concord-Carlisle’s lead 49-31. During this quarter, the Ghosts were able to keep control of the ball and end several of CC’s possessions. Key players from the fourth quarter were sophomores Hannah Lupien and Maddie Smith who were able to hold onto the ball and make several successful offensive plays for the team. However, CC hung on to their lead, as they defeated WA with a final score of 56-37.
Though it was a difficult loss, Coward believes that the young team has made a lot of improvement.
“They get some good shots, but they’re not finishing them because they’re rushing a little bit and it’s just a lack of experience,” Coward said. “I think that as we progress, we will be doing a lot better. […] I’m pleased with the improvement, obviously disappointed with what happened, but we’re getting better and will continue to get better.”
Their next game will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 2 away against Cambridge Rindge & Latin.
