Tough D leads girls hoopsters to two big wins
By Mike Berger
L-R: Canton players Kiara Cerruti, Marissa Staffiere and Samya DaSilva are locked in on defense. (Cynthia Rosina photo)
Update: After running their winning streak to three in a row with a 61-56 victory over Mansfield, the Canton girls lost a close one to North Attleboro Friday night at home, 53-48. The Bulldogs are now 5-6 overall with 11 games remaining in the regular season.
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With a more concerted effort on defense and rebounding, the CHS girls basketball team came up with two impressive wins last week over Sharon (44-20) and Brookline (67-38). The lady Bulldogs could have added a third win but fell just short on the road against King Philip despite scoring a season-high 75 points.
The most impressive aspect of the team’s recent play has been the emphasis on team defense and rebounding, with every player showing a commitment to getting stops and crashing the boards. Senior captain Lilah Milton and junior Kayla Albert continue to lead the team in rebounding with both showing a penchant for offensive rebounding.
Offensively Kiara Cerruti, Sydney and Fay Gallery have shot well, and the lady Bulldogs have a new two-way weapon in freshman Samya DaSilva, who scored a career-high 14 points against KP.
Against 6-3 Brookline on Sunday, Canton raced out to a 36-13 halftime lead as Cerruti scored 18 points, including five three-point shots. Cerruti finished the game with 20 points and nine rebounds while Sydney and Fay Gallery added 13 and 12 points, respectively. Milton totaled six points and seven rebounds and Albert grabbed nine boards.
The lady Bulldogs didn’t shoot as well at Sharon, but they still won comfortably thanks to their tenacious defense. Canton led 17-11 at the half, 28-18 after three quarters, and then completely shut the door in the fourth. Fay Gallery led the team in scoring with 15 followed by Cerruti with 10 and Milton with eight.
A few days earlier at King Philip, the lady Bulldogs nearly pulled off a big upset against the 6-3 Warriors, coming back from an 11-point deficit in the third quarter to have a chance to tie or win at the end of the game. The Canton defense caused a turnover but they were unable to convert a last-second shot attempt.
Head coach Jim Choquette said the team refused to quit, played hard, and kept pace with KP. Cerruti was the high scorer for Canton with 22 points followed by Fay Gallery with 16, Sydney Gallery with 14, and DaSilva with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Commenting on the team’s overall play last week, Choquette praised the girls for playing together as a team, especially defensively. He also continues to be impressed by the hard work of the reserves, including Marissa Staffiere, Annie Hoban, and Talya DeGraw. Point guard Carly Fitzgerald continues to improve as a playmaker while also playing tough defense, grabbing key rebounds and adding points when needed.
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=63859
Posted by Mike Berger
on Jan 18 2020. Filed under High School, Sports.
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