Tue, Mar 02, 2021
06:00 PM @
Bishop Brady
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Final |
| Sanborn |
6 |
18 |
14 |
18 |
56 |
| Bishop Brady |
23 |
8 |
24 |
17 |
72 |
Senior-led Sanborn rallies back, but falls short
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Tuesday, March, 02
By David Willis
Staff writer
CONCORD, N.H, — After a rough first quarter that saw Sanborn limited to just three baskets, and held scoreless for over five minutes, the Indians could have hung their heads as they returned to the bench.
But coach Brian Gray knew his squad — led by stalwart seniors Madison Houghton, Ellen McGough, Grace Merry-Carreiro and Ella Cotter — still had plenty of fight left.
“The one thing Sanborn never does is quit,” said Gray. “The girls kept battling, even when things weren’t going their way. We made a valiant comeback. Our seniors were amazing again. I just wish it could have been that Cinderella ending. But sometimes the shoe doesn’t fit.”
Trailing by 17 points after a quarter, Sanborn (6-6) — sparked McGough — caught fire on both sides of the ball in the second quarter and cut the deficit to just seven points.
But state title favorite Bishop Brady (13-2) rediscovered its rhythm after halftime, and defeated the Indians 72-56 in the first round of the New Hampshire Division 2 state tournament.
“It’s so hard to come back from an early deficit like that,” said Gray. “We tried to take them out of their game, but we had some turnovers and they made a run. Bishop Brady is going to shoot whether they go in or not, and their shots were going in tonight. But we kept battling.”
Trailing 23-6 after a quarter, Sanborn surged back in the second. Ellie Morris opened the quarter with a basket, then McGough knocked down a long 3-pointer just inside half court to send the Indians on a 12-2 run, eventually cutting the lead to just 31-24 at the half.
McGough was the go-to player in the second quarter, scoring 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. She finished the game with 16 points, while Morris scored a game-high 17 points while grabbing 14 rebounds.
But it was not to be for the Indians. Bishop Brady rebounded with 24 points in the third quarter and never let their lead fall below 10. The Giants, who hit 11 3-points as a team, were led by 1,000-point scorer Ami Rivera (24 points).
Following the loss, Gray raved about the work of his four seniors, and the impact they’ve left on the program.
“I have nothing but pride in these seniors,” he said. “Because of COVID, they were having Zoom practices, not being able to touch a basketball with the team for so long. But they just came in and battled.
“I’ve known these seniors since fourth grade summer league. Maddie Houghton is a stellar athlete, one of the best I’ve ever coached in my life. Ellen McGough has added so many more dimensions to her game. She used to just be known as a shooter, but now she’s a shot blocker and rebounder.
“Grace Merry-Carreiro is the consummate floor general that gives her whole heart on the court. And Ellie Cotter is a stellar student and one of the smartest players on the court. She’s a very good defender and has added a lot of offense. How could you not love coaching kids like that?
“Six or seven years ago, Sanborn basketball wasn’t even making the playoffs. But these girls have been to the tournament every year. They brought us to a new level as a program.”
Game Statistics:
Sanborn (56): Hannah Douglas 1 0-0 2, Madison Houghton 5 4-4 14, Ellie Morris 8 1-3 17, Ellen McGough 5 3-3 16, Grace Merry-Carreiro 1 1-4 3, Elinor Cotter 0 4-6 4, Ash Elizabeth 0 0-0 0, Isabella Chiacchia 0 0-0 0, Luce Colcord 0 0-0 0, Jillian Evans 0 0-0 0, Jolena Flanagan 0 0-0 0, Emma Soares 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 13-20 56
Bishop Brady (72): Halle Laramie 3 0-0 7, Isabella Rivera 6 2-3 16, Libbey Hicks 6 2-3 18, Ami Rivera 9 2-4 24, Riley Marsh 0 2-4 2, Meg Pellerin 1 1-3 3, Casey Morgan 0 2-2 2. Totals 25 11-19
3-pointers: S — McGough 3; BB — A. Rivera 4, Hicks 5, I. Rivera, Laramie
