Millis girls on a big roll
Team at the top in Tri-Valley
Since the start of the season, Millis has been out to prove high level basketball knows no bounds.
Despite being the smallest school in the Tri-Valley League, the Mohawks are at the top of the standings using mix of veteran leadership and sophomore surprises to generate a spotless 16-0 record.
IN THE PAINT
Just a year ago, Millis entered the Division 3 Central Tournament as the last seed, but if the first 16 games of this season are any indication, this year’s story looks primed for a different ending. Bolstered by senior forward Abby Clarke, and sophomore guards Abby Miller and Eryn Rice, the Mohawks have won all but three of their games by double figures.
“This has really been all about the key concept of chemistry,” Millis coach Dave Fallon said. “The kids have been committed to getting better every day. More importantly they work well together on and off the court and they all want to win.”
Millis’ dominance has extended beyond the TVL Small. The Mohawks picked up a two-point win over Division 2 contender Norwood and most recently defeated Large Division contender Westwood by a dozen. One season after being a league all-star, Clarke is putting together another high-profile season averaging 11 points and eight rebounds per game with Rice averaging five steals per game to go with 12 points. Miller is the team’s main facilitator.
With a TVL Small Title already in hand the Mohawks have begun to set their sights on positioning themselves for the state tournament. Still, Fallon remains adamant his team is taking on each day as its own challenge.
“Our motto this year is pound the stone,” Fallon said. “What I have tried to remind the kids is we are focused on one game at a time. We’re not worried about breaking the stone, but just pounding it, and getting ready for each individual game.”
A-B boys roll
Serg Fenerci knew he was stepping into a program full of potential when he became the Acton-Boxboro boys basketball coach back in the fall. As the winter has unfolded the Colonials have turned that potential into sustained success.
The Colonials have surprised many across the Bay State, entering league play this weekend with a 14-1 overall record and a stranglehold on the DCL Large. Using their length, physical guard play, and depth to their advantage the Colonials have yet to surrender 60 points in a game once this season.
“Last year this group had about a .500 season, but they all really learned what it was like to play with one another so I knew we had a shot to be good coming into the year,” Fenerci said. “We established that one of our big keys every practice would be finishing possessions. It’s all about finishing plays, rebounding, and liming teams to one shot.”
Six-foot-seven forward Shea Doherty, Austin Zao and Stanley Bernard are the focal points of the Colonials’ success. What has made Acton-Boxboro a true contender in Division 1 Central, however, are the contributions of Abe Englander, Finn Murray and Lucas Deshepper. Englander is the team’s leading rebounder.
“Kids like Shea, Austin, and Stanley we knew we had coming in,” Fenerci said. “You can see the progression in the players like Abe (Englander) though since day one. We are plus-10 rebounding on average per game and they are huge part of that.”
Pembroke strong
The Pembroke girls basketball team may have barely made the postseason a year ago, but this time around they are out to etch their names in program lore.
Under first-year head coach Tim Lopes, the Titans have jumped out to their best start in program history supporting a 14-2 record through 16 games and in line to capture one of the top seeds in the Division 2 South bracket.
“The girls have learned how to play at a high level,” Lopes said. “When we came into this season there were a lot of high expectations from a lot of people that knew how talented we were. The big thing has been the team developing confidence as a group.”
After making the tournament last season as the 15th seed, the Titans surprised many by winning a pair of tournament games. The experience picked up from last year’s run has proven to be invaluable. Throughout the year Pembroke has consistently reached new heights most recently beating Duxbury for the first time.
“There are no banners for girls basketball in the gym,” Foley said. “There has never been a league title and prior to (Tuesday) night the program has never beaten Duxbury. If we win the Patriot League title, it’s the first time in school history. If we win a few more games, it’s the most in school history. We have a lot of firsts within our grasps.”
Leading the charge are Katie Galligan and Jayne Howe. Galligan is averaging 16 points and 11 rebounds per game with Howe adding 13 points and 10 boards a night. Surrounding Galligan and Howe is a deep rotation that allows Lopes to play up 11 different players on any given night.
“We have players on the team that struggle to get minutes that would start on a number of teams in our league,” Lopes said. “One of the thing that has really challenged me is the finding the minutes for all the players that deserve them.”