By Allison Goldsmith
I&M Sports Editor
The girls basketball team might have lost for just the second time this season last Wednesday at Sandwich, but facing the Division I tournament-bound squad, the Whalers showed that they can play with anyone.
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Photo by Nicole Harnishfeger
Angela Paterson cuts through four Sandwich defenders to put up a shot during last Wednesday’s game. The junior guard scored a game-high 24 points and came within eight points of reaching 1,000 in her career. |
Nantucket held a solid lead as late as the third quarter before falling to the Blue Knights 72-59. Angela Paterson led the way for the Whalers with a game-high 24 points to pull within eight points of reaching the 1,000-point plateau.
“Overall I was extremely proud of the way they played and I am happy for them. They want to achieve good things and that was a test for them. I know they were disappointed at the end of the game, but they did a good job playing with them and it is a confidence boost for us,” head coach Willis Ferreira said.
The Whalers closed out the season 18-2 overall and drew the three-seed in the Division IV South tournament. Nantucket was scheduled to open the first round at home against Provincetown yesterday, too late for this edition of sports.
With a relatively easy 20-game schedule, the Whalers were challenged in the final week of the season against top opponents Dennis-Yarmouth, Chatham, Harwich and Sandwich, in preparation for a difficult tournament run.
“I thought they answered every challenge I gave them. With five games to go I thought maybe we weren’t as good as I hoped we would be, because of the schedule maybe we played lackadaisical at times. But I really thought in the last five games they had something to prove and proved it not only to me, but they proved it to themselves and they proved it to other teams,” Ferreira said.
There were a handful of coaches scouting last Wednesday’s game as teams gearing up for the post season wanted to take a look at the Whalers.
“I know there were a lot of coaches at that game and they left there worried. In the first half we were unbelievable,” Ferreira said.
The Whalers are familiar with their first-round opponent, beating the Fisherman comfortably 62-21 and 68-20 already this season.
“I just hope the kids come out and play the way they are capable of playing. They have had a great year and a great run the last two years and they continue to get better every day,” Ferreira said.
If the Whalers get past Provincetown on Wednesday, they have a tough opponent coming out of the Hull/Westport match-up, which was also played yesterday, too late for this edition of Sports.
“Both of those teams are very good. Neither one of those teams have been to Nantucket before and that whole process can wear a team out. Just traveling here, hopefully it is a little bumpy on the boat ride and we can take advantage of that,” Ferreira said. “They are both very good, but if we come out and play the way we played at Sandwich, there is nobody we can’t play with.”
Other strong opponents in this year’s bracket include second-seeded Cohasset, as well as top-seed and last year’s division winner Sacred Heart. The defending champions drew a tough first-round game against Millis.
Knights in shining armor
Wednesday marked the second straight season the Whalers have closed out the regular season schedule against the Blue Knights. Nantucket came out with some fast breaks and used offensive rebounding to take a 14-7 lead midway though the opening quarter. They were up 19-15 after one.
Paterson was in the zone, as the junior shooter knocked down 14 points in the first half and Aileen Fredericks added eight as Nantucket took the 34-28 lead into the locker room.
“I think they came to play. I think they had something to prove to themselves that they could play with anyone and for three quarters we did a great job. We wore down a little bit. They’ve got some good players on that team. The girl was making some threes that really opened things up for them,” Ferreira said.
The Blue Knights opened the second half with a press, which pestered the Nantucket ball-handlers and slowed down the offense. With six minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Whalers had a 10-point lead before Jess Thomas began raining three-pointers. Double-covered, man-to-man, it didn’t matter, as Thomas hit six three-point shots in the final stretch of the game. She finished with 20 points.
In the fourth quarter Sandwich scored three straight baskets off steals as they pulled away from the Whalers.
Fredericks played solid defense for Nantucket, slowing down the Blue Knights early.
“She has been really good defensively and keeps us in games. I don’t think she gets the recognition she probably should, but without her, we would not be as good a team. She gets us going defensively, she runs the floor well and runs the fast break,” Ferreira said, adding that Mandy Cahill has been solid underneath on defense for the Whalers as well.
“They play so hard all the time. I am just so happy with their effort. They are the reason we are getting it done.”
Cahill contributed four points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots, while Fredericks scored nine and dished out five assists. Shantel Hanniford added 10 points and had a team-high 14 rebounds.
Sandwich’s Ellery Gould scored 24 points to lead the Blue Knights.
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