BY CHARLIE ADAMS, TSM LEAD WRITER
(Cranston, RI) - Cranston East girls’ basketball team has been a step behind their competition to start the season, sitting at 1-6 they looked to right the ship. Up against Tiverton High School for the second time in the season, and missing major contributor Bella Dupret to a suspected major knee injury, the Lady Bolts had their work cut out for them. After dropping their first meeting 39-24 (without senior Aydan Gulliver), East got their revenge with a 49-37 victory.
East was led by Aydan Gulliver’s 19 points, as she contributed heavily for the team by scoring in each quarter. However, it was the heavy pressure on defense and control of the boards that kept them ahead all the way through. An pre-game emphasis on defense and rebounding seemingly paid off early on.
The Lady ‘Bolts had a productive first quarter that put them up 14-9 early. A pair of threes and success at the free-throw line paired well with an aggressive defensive front gave East one of their best quarters of the season.
The Thunderbolts continued to score with contributions from six players in the first half, led by Aydan Gulliver’s 10 first-half points. Cranston East led by 12 as they entered halftime, 27-15.
The Lady Bolts held their double-digit lead through the third quarter, despite scoring only 5 points in the quarter. The highlight of the quarter came courtesy of a tricky Gulliver “and-one” conversion.
Sloppy play that could’ve allowed Tiverton back into the game was negated by their inability to convert on nearly all scoring opportunities. A Mya Jiminez and-one conversion with under two minutes to go was the nail in the coffin. The Lady ‘Bolts closed out the contest 49-37, improving to 2-6 on the young season.
Strong defense and consistent scoring make it hard for any opponent to beat the ‘Bolts. Perhaps most impressive was their strong night from the free-throw line, as they shot a perfect 14 for 14 on the night. Compared to their last face-off against Tiverton, the team showed great progress, and having Gulliver play in the rematch obviously helped.
The Lady ‘Bolts return to action to build off of Friday’s victory next Tuesday when they’ll make their way to Mt. Hope for a 6:00 p.m. tilt.
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