Team meeting sparks turnaround for CHS girls hoop
By Mike BergerCHS girls basketball head coach Jim Choquette and his coaching staff had a heart-to-heart talk with the players after a discouraging 24-point loss to Sharon on Friday, February 12. With a new sense of urgency and a desire to win the rest of their games at home, the lady Bulldogs reeled off three consecutive wins from that point on, including a come-from-behind win over Blackstone-Millville Regional on February 19.
Junior Emma Murphy (Mike Barucci photo)
As a result, the lady Bulldogs have now won four of their last six games to boost their record to 6-13, and with a win Monday night over Milford, the girls have a chance to equal the program’s best win total in the last 10 years.
“In fact,” said Choquette, “since [this coaching staff] started three years ago, all three teams (varsity, junior varsity and freshman) have won more games each year than the previous year.”
During their recent winning streak, the Bulldogs recorded victories over Norton 55-37, Stoughton 57-36, and BMR 47-42, knocking both Stoughton and BMR out of the playoffs.
Choquette said the team went back to the basics and realized the foundations of winning basketball: pound the ball inside; commit to good defense on each play; cut down on turnovers; and hit as many free throws as possible.
Emma Murphy and Hannah Jerrier were the common denominators in the two wins over Norton and Stoughton with dominant inside play. Murphy led the Bulldogs with a team-high 14 points against Norton with senior Meaghan Hunter adding 11 points and Jerrier scoring 10.
“Our defensive mindset was this: Get a stop and rebound and let’s go,” said Choquette.
Jerrier was dominant inside against Stoughton, finishing with 19 points, and senior Shannon Foley added 12 points off four three-pointers. Hunter contributed seven points, while freshman Julia Hamilton forced six turnovers in a stellar defensive effort.
Friday’s night win over BMR was noteworthy because Murphy was absent due to a family commitment. Canton was down 31-19 with 6:40 left in the third quarter when Choquette inserted a lineup of Jerrier, Hunter, Foley, Hamilton, and Taylor Carrington. That group managed to cut the deficit to five, and then a newer lineup featuring Jess Powers in place of Hamilton helped complete the comeback in the fourth.
For the game, Jerrier scored 15 points while Powers and Hunter added eight points apiece. Foley ran the attack superbly, scoring seven points. Canton also had a great night from the line, converting on 17 of 19 free throw attempts.
“When we do the little things, but which are really big things, like hitting free throws and causing fewer turnovers, it does make it easier to win,” said Choquette.
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=32602
Posted by Mike Berger
on Feb 25 2016. Filed under High School, Sports.
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