BHS_Girls_Champ

BRAINTREE 59, CENTRAL 56 | DIVISION 1

Rally caps title run

Wamps' comeback knocks off Central

By Jeff Schaible, Globe Correspondent | March 19, 2006

WORCESTER -- Trailing as many as 9 in the second half, Braintree completed its championship run with yet another come-from-behind win, 59-56, over Springfield Central yesterday at the DCU Center.

The Wamps outscored Central, 14-5, over the final five minutes for the Division 1 state title. Star forward Stephanie Geehan netted 11 of her 21 points down the stretch as Braintree captured the first girls' basketball state title in school history.

Down 2 with less than 30 seconds left, the Golden Eagles chose not to foul, electing to go for the steal instead. Central's Felicia Barron appeared to come away with a steal at mid-court but Meagan Cook took it right back. The Eagles fouled and Brittney Chappron iced the game with one of two free throws.

''These girls always make me feel nervous," said coach Nicholas Krot. ''But we put the press on at the right time, got them a little frustrated, got them a bit rattled; out of their offense. We turned the momentum and made our run."

Early in the first-half the Wamps opened a 12-point lead. With Geehan relegated to the bench with two quick fouls, Merry MacDonald (13 points, 6 steals, and 5 rebounds) and Katie Lynch (3 points, 5 rebounds) led a 9-0 run.

Central countered with a 10-0 run of its own. Sophomore guard Felicia Barron (15 first-half points) netted three transition lay-ups as the Golden Eagles amped their defensive pressure. Geehan reentered an scored 6 quick unanswered points but Central closed the half with a 17-6 run to take a 33-30 lead into intermission.

Central stretched its lead to 9 points to open the second half. Seton Hall-bound forward Necole Evans (15 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks), who had just one basket and spent much of the first half in foul trouble, scored 8 points in the period's first six minutes.

Trailing by 7 with six minutes left, the Wamps extended their pressure and went to a full court press. Led by Geehan Braintree stormed back. With 2:02 remaining, Meagan Cook notched a steal and swung to MacDonald. MacDonald sank and 16-footer to give the Wamps their first lead of the second half, 56-54.

''Senior leadership takes over in a game like this," said Krot. ''It's tremendous, this is our third state championship of the academic year [girls' soccer and boys gymnastics]. That speaks volumes."