Win over Bedford clinches tournament berth for girls’ hoop

With last Thursday’s come-from-behind victory against Bedford, the Canton High girls’ varsity basketball team has qualified for state tournament play.

After also beating King Philip at home last Friday, the team enters this week with a 5-13 record, riding a season-high three-game winning streak.

“I am really thrilled with the progress the team has made the past few weeks,” head coach Kaitlin Mills wrote in an e-mail to the Citizen. “They have worked incredibly hard this season and their hard work is really paying off.”

Even with a losing record, the team is still eligible for postseason play because of the “Sullivan Rule,” according to Mills. Canton is a Division 3 school in girls’ basketball, but the Bulldogs compete against teams in the Hockomock League that are all from either Division 1 or 2 schools.

The Sullivan Rule allows for teams that play at least 70 percent of its games against schools in a higher division to qualify for the postseason if they win 50 percent or more of the games played against teams within its own division. Canton has twice defeated Bedford, the only fellow Division 3 squad the Bulldogs have played all season.

Against Bedford, Canton trailed by as many as 18 points in the third quarter and by 14 points heading into the fourth quarter. But in the fourth quarter, the team was able to get the ball inside to Erika Bornemann, who scored 12 of Canton’s 24 points in the final quarter.

Mills credited Nicki Fralick, Elana Willinsky and Alana Pitts-Anaya with scoring key baskets down the stretch, as Canton was able to outscore Bedford 24-9 in the final quarter en route to a 53-52 Bulldog win.

Bornemann led the way with 22 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocks, while Olivia Murphy added nine points and 16 rebounds.

Last Friday’s home game against King Philip was Canton’s senior night, honoring the team’s four seniors Laura O’Brien, Christen Ivanoski, Bornemann and Willinsky.

Fittingly, Bornemann dominated, finishing with 32 points and 20 rebounds, scoring more than half of the team’s points in a 53-46 Canton win.

The Bulldogs led by five at the half and focused on shutting down King Philip’s leading scorer Lauren Trudeau for the rest of the game, holding her scoreless in the final two quarters.

“Nicki Fralick and Lauren Berman did an outstanding job defending Trudeau,” Mills noted. “We didn’t even let her touch the ball.”

Canton was scheduled to play Norwood on Tuesday at the Riley Winter Classic, hosted by Westwood High. The championship and consolation games were slated for Wednesday. On Friday, the team will find out its opponent in the first round of the state tournament.

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Posted by Jeffrey Pickette on Feb 18 2010. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.