2006-2007 Year in Review
2006-2007
Overall Record 8-17
Season Record 5-13
Two Players Earn All-Division Honors
Sophomore Stephanie Michalopolous and senior Natacha Varela received all-division honors for Division II East. Stephanie was nominated for 2nd Team All Division, while Natacha received Honorable Mention. We are very proud of both these ladies, and they will be recognized at the annual awards banquet held later this March.
Tuesday 2/22 Portsmouth 68 East Providence 48
The Townies dropped their season finale against Portsmouth (16-2). The team opened up with a 20-8 run in the first six minutes of the game and looked the best they have all season. Portsmouth then applied some defensive pressure and the Townies struggled badly giving the ball up 14 times in the first half alone, (23 for the game). Still they found themselves only down six at halftime 34-28, against a top team in all of Division II. Portsmouth came out in the second half and simply could not miss a shot. Meanwhile, the Townies once again had some woeful shooting in the second, as they struggled to cut into Portsmouth's lead.
Tuesday 2/20 Mount Hope 56 East Providence 29
The Townies came out with a great start and found themselves with the lead midway through the first half. But the team could not compete with the sharp-shooting Huskies (12-4), who finished the night with nine team three-pointers. Stephanie Michalopoulos led the team with eight points, while Michelle Fleming chipped in seven. Both sophomores had five rebounds. The team will play its season finale at Portsmouth (15-2) on Thursday night.
Friday 2/16 East Providence 48 Moses Brown 36
The Townies earned a well deserved victory on Senior Night. The team rallied around the leadership of our four seniors and fought hard to make the night even more memorable for these young ladies. Every senior scored for the Townies and played especially well. Senior Beth Leonardo had 12 points to to go along with her 4 rebounds and 3 steals. Sophmore Stephanie Michalopoulos played very well scoring 16 points to lead all scorers. She also had 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals. The Townies went into halftime with a 19-15 lead. Moses Brown fought back and brought the lead to within two midway through the second half. At first it seemed as if the Townies were going to end up down the same road they had traveled the last two games. But the team did something they have not done recently, and that was score points down the stretch. This is something that the team had failed to do against Johnston and Middletown. I would personally like to congratulate our seniors on a wonderful season. Thank you again for setting the standard very high for what it means to play girls basketball at East Providence High School. Your work ethic and dedication will not be forgotten. The team has two road games left this week against Mount Hope and Portsmouth. Both teams have established themselves as two really good Division II teams, and the Townies will have their work cut out for them. Game times are 5:15 & 7:00 both Tuesday and Thursday.
Tuesday 2/13 Middletown 53 East Providence 41
As the old saying goes "You can't teach height." The Townies played the hardest they have all season, but had trouble shutting down the Islanders' height. Pfeiffer, who is listed at 6'4, had the first four baskets for Middletown (all on post-up lay-ups) and finished the night with 18 points. The team held her to six points in second, but had to contend with Middletown's other six-footer Ashley Edes who finished the night with 14 points. The team played extremely hard and dug themselves out of an early first half deficit and evened the score at 28-28 at the break. The Townies jumped out to an early four point lead to start the second, and played even basketball (33-33) until about the six minute mark. At that point Middletown was able to grab some easy rebounds and had no trouble getting easy put-backs against our drastically smaller forwards. Similar to the Johnston game the Townies again had difficulty closing out the game with poor shooting down the stretch. The team was held to thirteen second half points, and only could manufacture six points in the remaining six minutes of the game. Beth Leonardo had a team high 11 points and eight rebounds. Although it is difficult to lose a game this way, I am extremely proud of the effort I saw on the floor tonight. That hard work is going to have to continue if the team looks to pick up a win for their seniors this Friday night on Senior Night. Game times are the usual 5:45/7:30.
Townies JV squad drops opening round of the state tournament 46-23.
The JV team opened up against Smithfield for the opening round of state tournament. The team found themselves down 20-10 at halftime and struggled for most of the afternoon against the Sentinels' swarming man-to-man defense. The team missed some key free throws as well as easy lay-ups in the first half, and struggled offensively to start the second. The team looks to get back into action Tuesday night against Middletown. A special thanks goes out to juniors Brianna Am and Morgan Johnson for working the clock for the game. Their help is much appreciated.
Thursday 2/8 Johnston 56 East Providence 45
It was the same story but different half for the Townies tonight as they dropped a non-league game against Johnston (8-6). The team found themselves down 10 points late in the first, but dug out of the hole early with good defense and good shooting, giving them a 29-28 advantage. The team could not put two halves together though as they missed a bunch of shots from 8-10 feet in the second half, and did not play well defensively. Both teams were equal 35-35 until about the five minute mark but Johnston out-shot the Townies down the stretch from the floor and especially the free-throw line. The team had a chance to keep things close but failed to convert from the line by shooting a miserable 6-17 in the second, while the Panthers shot an impressive 11-16. Michelle Fleming had a new career high 22 points and 8 rebounds to lead the team offensively. Stephanie Michalopoulos had 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 steals. Brianna Am had 12 rebounds and 8 points. The team has to find their way again soon, and need to pick up two wins next week if they hope to keep their playoff possibilities alive. The JV team picked up a good win, as they hope to gain momentum for the first round of the state tournament this Saturday at Mount Saint Charles. Game time is 2:00 v. Smithfield.
Tuesday 2/6 Barrington 56 East Providence 25
The Townies had a very difficult time against the Eagles. Barrington came in as the only undefeated team left in Division II, and left with their perfect record still intact. The team played well for the first six minutes of the game but Lindsay Legro hit three 3 pointers in a row to put Barrington up (15-3). The momentum continued for the Eagles as they built a 32-13 halftime lead and never looked back. The Townies once again struggled to protect the ball and finished the night with 22 turnovers. At times though, the the team showed signs of improvement and the ability to execute what is being asked of them. The JV team also dropped their game as they continue to try and get ready for the state tournament this weekend. The team's next test will come Thursday night in a non-league game at Johnston High School. Game times are 5:15/7:00.
Friday 2/2 West Warwick 55 East Providence 45
The Townies shooting woes continued as the team dropped a very important game against West Warwick. After a poor shooting performance in the first half, the team found themselves down by nine (22-13) at halftime. We had multiple open looks from 8-10 feet but could not score the basketball. Once again the team had to try and fight back in the second half and was able to bring the score to within six with five minutes left in the game. The Townies went point for point in the second half with the Wizards but the deficit was too much to overcome. Solid play came from forwards Natacha Varela and Brianna Am who had 13 and 12 points respectively. More production and less turnovers are needed from the guard spots if the Townies look to have any sort of success these last three weeks of the season. The JV team dropped a close game 48-46 as they look to get themselves ready for the State Tournament this upcoming weekend.
Tuesday 1/30 Westerly 64 East Providence 40
The Townies had a difficult time against a very good Westerly team (9-1). The team found themselves down 32-11 at halftime, but continued to play hard throughout the second half. The Bulldogs swarming man-to-man defense forced the Townies to turn the ball over throughout the night. The team did show a lot of pride and determination by playing hard until the final buzzer. The team returns to action on Friday looking to pick up a much needed win against West Warwick at West Warwick High School. Game times are 5:15 and 7:00.
Thursday 1/25 East Providence 37 Rogers 34
Although the Townies did not play their best basketball they did just enough to get a crucial win over Rogers. Overall, the team struggled offensively by committing 20 turnovers against the Vikings 1-3-1 trapping zone. The Townies were out of rhythm offensively the entire night, but their defense allowed them to stay in the game. The Vikings went up four with about five minutes left in the second, but the team kept their composure and battled back. Michelle Fleming and Brianna Am made some big shots down the stretch which eventually helped the team regain the lead. With under a minute to play the Vikings had three opportunities to tie the game but the defense held strong. Stephanie Michalopoulos hit a big free throw with seven seconds on the clock to put the Townies up three. The team was well focused with under a minute to play and executed well out of the time-outs, which allowed them to seal the victory. Brianna Am lead all scorers with 12 points and six rebounds. Stephanie Michalopoulos chipped in with nine. Senior captain Beth Leonardo played very well for the Townies ending the night with 5 points, 6 steals, and 8 rebounds. The team will play at home Tuesday night against undefeated Westerly.
Tuesday 1/23 Prout 48 East Providence 38
The Townies drop a questionable league game to Prout. After finding themselves up one at halftime 21-20, the girls came out and went on a 6-0 run to start the second half. They continued to play physical basketball underneath on offense, but were not awarded the foul call for most of the night. The Townies had 22 team fouls called against them, while Prout had a mere 10. This lopsided affair allowed Prout to stay in the game and battle their way back by capitalizing on their trips to the charity stripe shooting 14-25. The team was unable to get into a one-and-one situation in the second half, while the Townies were whistled for twelve fouls. Although, it was evident of what was happening, the girls showed great sportsmanship throughout the game, and played hard until the final horn went off. The team now finds themselves desperately needing a win against Rogers on Thursday night, if they want to keep trying to make a late season push towards the playoffs.
Friday 1/19 East Providence 57 Narragansett 51
The Townies matched their highest offensive output for the season and needed every single point against a very good shooting Narragansett team. This was the best team effort we had so far this season. It seemed as if each player contributed something on the floor tonight. Michelle Fleming lead the team with a game high/ career high 18 points and had six steals to go along with it. Brianna Am had a monster night on the boards grabbing thirteen rebounds and chipping in with eight points. Narragansett lead at halftime 29-28, and the second half was filled with big shots by both teams. Narragansett finished the night with six three-pointers, but the Townies answered by shooting 20-31 from the free throw line, which proved to be the difference in the game. The team looks to continue to keep momentum going into Tuesday night when they will face a good Prout team. Also note that both games will be played a half-an-hour earlier than the normal start times. (JV 5:15 and Varsity 7:00).
Tuesday 1/16 Chariho 46 East Providence 36
After a poor shooting first half, The Townies found themselves down 23-9 at halftime. The team had a lot of open looks and easy shots within the 5 -10 foot range but failed to put the ball in the basket. After being challenged at halftime, the girls once again came out and played a much better half of basketball. They outscored the Chargers 27-23 in the second, but the fourteen point halftime deficit proved to be too much to overcome. The Townies were able to bring it to within eight with about two minutes left to go in the game, but were forced to foul in order to try and get the ball back. The Chargers had some clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch to seal the victory. The team has to find a way to start the game the way they have been finishing them. We are getting off to a slow start and trying to play catch-up the rest of the way. The JV team had a solid win 33-29 and hit some huge free-throws in the final minute to help hold on for the win. Both teams are back in action at Narragansett this Friday night.
Saturday 1/13 Tiverton 55 East Providence 39
The Townies continue their roller-coaster type of season and dropped an important game against Tiverton on Saturday afternoon. The Townies looked timid on defense, and were completely out-worked by Tiverton in the rebounding category. The team allowed too many second chance scoring opportunities for the Tigers and they capitalized on almost every one. We had many open looks by running good offensive sets, but could simply not put the ball in the basket. Meanwhile, it seemed like Tiverton couldn't miss. The Townies have to play more consistent basketball, and play hard for thirty-two minutes. After dropping three straight league games the Townies are watching their playoff hopes become less of a reality with each passing game. The team has to look to get back on track against Chariho on Tuesday night. Chariho is yet another good Division II opponent with a record of 4-2 and currently holds second place in the South Division. The Townies have to look to play more of an up-tempo style of basketball, and cannot come out as flat as they were against Tiverton.
Wednesday 1/10 Portsmouth 54 East Providence 43
The Townies played well for the first seven minutes of the first half with what looked to be a defensive battle. The Townies found themselves only down three (10-7) but Portsmouth turned it up a notch higher and brought their lead to eighteen (32-14) at halftime. The beginning of the second half looked to be going in the same direction until the team showed their first signs of life since midway through the first half. The Townies played solid defense and made some big shots to chip away at the Portsmouth lead. A big Michalopolous three-pointer with a little over three minutes to go in the game brought the Townies to within six. Unfortunately, some missed free-throws down the stretch by the Townies, and some made free-throws by Portsmouth sealed the win for the visitors. Still the Townies showed great signs of heart, character, and determination, all factors that are needed to help make us successful. The Townies were lead by Stephanie Michalopoulos and Natacha Varela who each had 12 points. On the downside, the team shot poorly again from the line (15-32) which proved to be a huge factor as the team tried to regain the lead. The JV team also dropped their game but is playing much better basketball than they were earlier in the season. Both teams will play this Saturday at Tiverton, 1:15 and 2:30.
Friday 1/5 Mount Hope 60 East Providence 39
This is the first time all season that the Townies out-worked their opponent for thirty-two minutes of basketball. The team showed a great deal of hard work and effort, as they tried to defeat a good Mount Hope team. The Townies found themselves in a quick hole down 11-0 early in the first half. But the Townies showed a great deal of heart battling back and bringing the score to within five. The Townies had a chance to regain the lead in the first half but failed to capitalize on their opportunities at the free-throw line. The team missed fourteen first-half free throws and shot a total of 16 for 31 from the charity stripe for the game. After getting the score to within six, Mount Hope's Ashley Maisano hit a deep three with five seconds left to go in the first half, which put Mount Hope up nine (27-18) going in the break. Although the the girls gave a solid effort, it proved to be very difficult to stop some good shooting from Mount Hope as they finished the night with seven three's, and some key shots in the second half. The Townies were lead by Natacha Varela's 10 points, while Stephanie Michalopoulos contributed with eight. The Townies will play next against another solid Division II East opponent when they play Portsmouth this Wednesday at home. Portsmouth is regarded as one of the best teams in all of Division II so the Townies have to come prepared to play both physically and mentally for what looks to be one of the toughest challenges they will face this season.
Wednesday 1/3 East Providence 45 Moses Brown 44
The Townies managed to pull off a win after having their worst outing of the season. Nothing was going right last night for the Townies, who had 20 total turnovers and nine easy uncontested missed lay-ups. After turning the ball over fourteen times in the first half the Townies were fortunate to have the lead going into halftime (22-15). The second half started off well with the team finding themselves up as much as ten. Moses Brown took the lead midway through the half, and the Townies did not take the lead back until very late in the second half. A silly foul with under twenty seconds to go gave Moses Brown center Faith Cooper two shots to tie the game. Fortunately, she missed the first shot and made the second, but another Townies turnover gave the Quakers one more opportunity to run an inbound play from their baseline with one second left. The Townies survived what could have been a devastating loss in a very competitive Division II East. The Townies will have to learn to protect the basketball better as they prepare to face a very good Mt.Hope team this Friday night, and 4-0 Portsmouth next Wednesday.
Coaching Staff
Michael
Solitro Head Coach
Jennifer Dygon Assistant/JV
Dave Axelson Freshman