Season Record
Overall 16-7 League 12-5 Postseason 1-1 (Quarterfinalist)
ALUMNI GAME IS SET!!! The Girls Basketball 2nd Annual Alumni Game is set for Friday, March 20th beginning at 6:30 PM. This annual event will be a fundraiser to help defer the cost for the team to take part in Summer League Basketball at CCRI. The game will showcase this years varsity team against any interested alumni players looking to relive the glory days of East Providence Girls basketball. Any players that are interested in playing please contact Coach Solitro at Msolitro19801@cox.net as soon as possible. There is a $15 donation required to play in the game which includes a souvenir t-shirt. The game will be officiated and timed to make it competitive, as well as fun, for everyone. Family and friends are welcomed and encouraged to attend this great event. Entrance to the game is $3 for adults, $1 for children. Doors will open at 5:45 PM. There will also be raffles and contests throughout the evening to help us raise money for a great cause.
March 8, 2009 Barrington 55 East Providence 35 The Townies saw their spectacular season come to a close against the two-time defending state champion Eagles at Rhode Island College in the Quarterfinal round of the State Playoffs. The Townies began the game with two quick defensive spurts, but sputtered the rest of the first half offensively, shooting a woeful 2-25 from the field. In the second half the Townies played point for point with Barrington, and closed to the gap to 12 with 3:45 left. Unfortunately, the first half deficit proved too much to overcome. Michalea Wiggins lead the team with 14 points and 12 boards. Overall, the team should hold their heads high. They finished the regular season with a 16-7 overall record, 12-5 in league play. They also advanced to the quarterfinal round at RIC, something that has not been done in well over ten years. Finally, they helped continue to rebuild girls basketball in East Providence. They continued to create a positive identity for the program, and build confidence in both themselves, as well as the team. The game marks the last game for senior captains Stephanie Michalopoulos and Michelle Fleming. Both have been three year starters and have been instrumental pieces in Townie Basketball. I thank these ladies for their hard work and dedication to myself, as well as this team. They will be sorely missed, but I know they will continue to make me proud as they plan to begin the next chapter of their lives. Also, thank you to everyone who came out and supported the team, night in and night out all season long. We appreciate the support and passion that you gave to this team every game.
March 4, 2009 East Providence 52 Westerly 40 The Townies earned a preliminary round victory over the visiting Bulldogs from Westerly (12-5), with a total team effort. Senior Stephanie Michalopoulos was able to hold the Bulldogs leading scorer Liz Cruso to only 5 points, while Michaela Wiggins scored a career high 22 points while grabbing 17 boards. Amanda Cabral added 11 points while pulling down 8 boards herself. Michelle Fleming and Charlotte Newton each added 7 points and worked extremely hard on the glass as well. The victory allows the Townies to advance to the Quarterfinal round at Rhode Island College this Sunday at 5:30 against the two time defending state champions, Barrington Eagles.
Townies Playoff Picture is Set! The team earned the 8th seed in the upcoming state tournament and will host the first round game against the visiting Westerly Bulldogs who also finished with a 12-5 league record. The game is set for Tuesday, at 7:00. Also congratulations goes to four players for earning All Division accolades. Michaela Wiggins earned 1st Team All Division, Stephanie Michalopolous earned 2nd Team All Division, while Amanda Cabral and Michelle Fleming both earned Honorable Mention. These young ladies should be very proud of these accomplishments.
February 25, 2009 (Senior Night) East Providence 66 Middletown 20 Tonight the program honored seniors Michelle Fleming and Stephanie Michalopolous for their years of dedication to East Providence High School Girls Basketball. The team defeated the visiting Islanders 66-20 after opening up a 32-8 halftime lead. Both seniors reached double figures in the scoring column with 10 and 13 points respectively. This concluded the Townies' regular season schedule as they finish with a 16-7 overall record, and a 12-5 record in the league. The team looks to have secured a home game in the preliminary round of the upcoming state tournament, but awaits the to find out who exactly they will be playing. The JV team concluded their season with a 21-2 overall record, but more importantly has shown a ton of growth, development, and maturity since the first day of practice. We are proud of their hard work and look forward to see what the future brings for these young ladies.
February 23, 2009 East Providence 58 Pilgrim 38 The team picked up a non-league win against the Division II Central leading Patriots of Pilgrim High School. The Townies utilized a good first half of defense to open up a 35-13 halftime lead. The Townies had three players in double digits as Stephanie Michalopolous dropped 15, Michaela Wiggins 13, and Michelle Fleming had 10. The JV team picked up their 20th victory of the year. Both teams prepare to play their final regular season game this Wednesday at home against Middletown. It is also Senior Night so we will be recognizing senior captains, Michelle Fleming and Stephanie Michalopolous, for their years of service and dedication to the Girls Basketball Program. Game times are 5:45 and 7:30.
February 18, 2009 Ludlow Mass. 76 East Providence 44 February 17, 2009 Portsmouth 61 East Providence 51 The team's defense seemed to be on vacation this week as well, as they allowed the opposition to score the two highest offensive outputs against them on the season. First on Tuesday night, the Townies found themselves down just two 28-26 at the break against Division leading Portsmouth (14-1). The Patriots opened up their lead midway through the second and the team could not recover. The team was paced by Stephanie Michalopolous (15 points) and Amanda Cabral (14 points). With less than 15 hours rest, the team hosted Division 1 Ludlow High School, the 5th ranked team in Western Massachusetts. The Townies were able to hang with the Lions until the 3 minute mark of the first half, as they brought the score to within two 25-23. Ludlow responded by scoring the next seventeen points, and held that margin 45-28 at the break, and never looked back. The team was paced by Michaela Wiggins, who was the only double digit scorer for the Townies (16 points). The team needs to regroup as they prepare to enter the final week of the regular season with a non-league game against Pilgrim on Monday, and their final league outing on senior night next Wednesday against Middletown.
February 12, 2009 East Providence 38 Tiverton 35 It wasn't pretty, but it sure was exciting. After leading for most of the game, the Townies saw the Tigers take their first lead of the game with just over 4 minutes to play. The Townies regained the lead with just over two to play, and went up by three on two huge Charlotte Newton (team high 13 points) free-throws. That lead would not last long as Tiverton sharpshooter Ashley Miranda nailed a three-pointer to knot the score at 35. Stephanie Michalopolous attacked the rim on the ensuing possession and drew contact to get to the line and hit the second of two-free throws to put the team back up by one. After a huge defensive stop, Michaela Wiggins drew contact yet again and hit another pair of big free-throws to put the team back up by three. The Tigers called upon Miranda one last time, as she fired up another three that just hit the front rim and fell out and allowed the Townies to secure the victory. The JV team rolled to another victory. Both teams are back in action on Tuesday at Division leading Portsmouth. Game times are 5:15/7:00.
February 10, 2009 Barrington 59 East Providence 54 The Townies were not able to fend off the visiting two-time defending state champion Eagles. The team held a slim 3 point lead late in the first, but the Eagles took a one point advantage going into the break 24-23. Barrington opened up their lead by as much as ten with about 7 minutes left to go in the game. The Townies fought right back closing the deficit to 3 with 49 seconds left to go in the contest (55-52). A couple of missed shots and turnovers by the Townies allowed the Eagles to seal the deal at the free-throw line as the clock wound down. A major factor in the game was the difference in free-throws attempted by each team. The Townies actually out-scored the Eagles from the field, but shot only 8 freebies for the night while Barrington shot 29 (making 19). Michaela Wiggins paced the team with 18 points, while Amanda Cabral had 15, and Stephanie Michalopolous had 10. The JV team lost their first regular season game playing without the services of some players due to illness. Both teams need to regroup quickly as they have one day to prepare to travel to Tiverton for yet another pivotal East battle on Thursday.
February 8, 2009 The JV team participated in the State Championships over the weekend and took care of business in game one on Saturday. The team then lost a hard fought game to Westerly on Sunday in the quarterfinal round by a score of 34-31. The team held a six point advantage with just over three minutes to play but were held scoreless on key possessions in the final minutes, and turned the ball over in crucial situations. Overall, the team should be extremely proud of their accomplishments so far this season. They are now 16-1 overall, 15-0 in regular season play, with six more games to go. More importantly, they are learning and getting better everyday as they prepare to become the future of East Providence High School Girls Basketball. They have a great work ethic and desire to succeed which hopefully translates to the varsity level. We are very proud of them, and should hold their heads high and be proud of the players, teammates, and people that they are quickly becoming.
February 6, 2009 East Providence 50 Mt. Hope 40 With less than twenty-four hours of rest from their previous game, the team picked up a huge road victory at Mt. Hope High school. The game showcased two teams battling for sole possession of third place in the Eastern Division. The Huskies opened the game with a 4-0 run but the Townies rebounded quickly and took a 28-23 advantage into the locker room at half. The team utilized different defensive looks in the second half to extend their lead to as many as eleven at the six minute mark. The Huskies rallied back and cut the lead to just five with 2:07 left to play. After a huge defensive stand, Amanda Cabal (12 points, 7 assists, 5 steals) sank two key free throws with just under two to play that extended the Townie lead to seven. On their next possession Michelle Fleming (8 points) hit the first of her 1 and 1 to push the lead to 8 with just under a minute to play. The Townies held for one more defensive stop and Michaela Wiggins (20 points, 18 boards, 3 steals) iced the game by hitting two free throws for the final points of the game. Overall the team shot an impressive 11-14 from the charity stripe, and gave themselves confidence as they continue to learn how to finish games. The JV team had their first test in awhile as they rallied from eight down at the half to comeback and win a seesaw battle of the second half. The JV team will play the opening round of the state tournament Saturday, February 7th, at 4PM at Bay View High School.
February 5, 2009 East Providence 53 Central 27 The team picked up an important home victory against the Central Division leading Central High School. The Townies did an excellent job locating the Knights two leading scorers from their 2-3 zone. Both teams shot miserably in the first half, but the Townies found themselves with a 21-10 advantage at the break. Central was able to cut the lead to 7 at about the 10 minute mark of the second, but the team kept its composure and outscored the visitors 32-17 in the second. The team was paced by an outstanding career high effort from Michaela Wiggins, who finished the evening with 23 points and 18 boards. Michelle Fleming added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The win was crucial in the fact that it sets up a pivotal game for Friday against Mt. Hope, in which both teams are battling for sole possession of third place in the East. The JV team rolled to another easy victory improving their record to 14-0.
January 30, 2009 East Providence 74 Moses Brown 52 The Townies picked up a good road win against Moses Brown. The team was paced by game high scorer Stephanie Michalopolous who had 23 points, and 7 rebounds. Amanda Cabral had a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists. Michelle Fleming was the third starter in double figures with 12 points, while forward Charlotte Newton and Michaela Wiggins each added 9 points and combined for 16 boards. The Townies are going to need to continue to get that type of offensive production as they prepare to play Central High School (Division II Central leader) on Tuesday night at home. The JV team picked up another victory as they prepare for the upcoming State Championships beginning this Saturday at Bay View High School. The team is set to play Middletown at 4:00 in the Preliminary Round.
January 29, 2009 East Providence 62 Shea 27 The Townies earned a road victory at Shea tonight. The team opened up a 36-15 halftime lead utilizing good team defense and having good offensive shot selection. The team was paced by Stephanie Michalopolous who had 20 points, and 4 steals. Amanda Cabral chipped in another 15 points to go along with her 7 assists, 7 steals, and 7 rebounds. Michaela Wiggins had 8 points to go along with 15 boards, while Michelle Fleming added 9 points and 4 steals. The JV team picked up a win to improve to 12-0 on the year. Both teams have little time to rest as they prepare to travel to Moses Brown less than 24 hours from now. Game times are 4:45 and and 6:30.
January 26, 2009 East Providence 64 Tolman 40 The team stopped a two-game skid with a home victory over the visiting Tigers of Tolman. The Townies were able to take advantage of Tolman's early foul trouble, and taking a 33-12 lead into the break. The Townies were paced by Stephanie Michalopolous, who scored a career high 27 points. Amanda Cabral also had a solid overall game with 15 points and 5 steals. Both players combined for a season high 6 team three pointers (3 each). Michaela Wiggins ripped down 15 boards to go along with her 6 points. The JV team continued their winning ways as they coasted to their 11th victory of the year. The Townies are back in action (weather permitting) on Wednesday at Shea. Game times are 4:15 and 6:00.
January 23, 2009 Barrington 53 East Providence 33 The Townies combined a woeful shooting evening with a terrible defensive effort, to drop a league road game to two-time defending state champion Barrington. The Eagles opened up with an 11-0 run to start, and gained a 29-20 advantage at the half. The Townies were able to bring it to with in five (33-28) at about the 12 minute mark. That was the closest the team would come as they only managed five more points for the rest of the game, missing numerous lay-ups and free-throws throughout the contest. Forward Michaela Wiggins and Charlotte Newton gave a great effort to the cause finishing with 15 and 8 points respectively. The rest of the team combined for only 10. The team has got to regain its focus and drive as they prepare to play 3 league games in five days over the next week. The JV team had their undefeated season threatened, but did not waiver, as they held on for a thrilling double overtime victory (44-42).
January 20, 2009 Mt. Hope 57 East Providence 46 The Townies dropped an important league game against visiting Mt. Hope, but hopefully learned a valuable lesson in the process. The team came out flat, and played with no desire or sense of urgency. The Huskies needed the victory as well, and out-worked the Townies to get it. The team was careless with the basketball, and failed to execute on the offensive side of the ball. Michaela Wiggins shared game high honors, with 18 points and 14 boards. Stephanie Michalopolous and Amanda Cabral each added 11. The team has little time to recover as they will face two-time defending state champion, Barrington, this Friday at 7:00.
January 16, 2009 East Providence 60 Middletown 23 The Townies traveled to Middletown and earned a road league victory. The team jumped out to a 33-5 halftime lead, by playing fast-paced basketball and doing a better job with team defense, and team rebounding. The Townies were paced by the senior duo of Michelle Fleming and Stephanie Michalopolous who had 12 points a piece. Amanda Cabral had great defensive effort with 7 steals, and numerous deflections. Michaela Wiggins added 8 points and 10 boards, while fellow sophomore Victoria Blaydes added 6 points and 9 boards herself. The JV team earned their eighth victory of the year, and remain undefeated for the season. Both teams return to action on Tuesday at home against Mt. Hope in an important East battle. Game times are 5:45 and 7:30.
January 13, 2009 East Providence 66 Narragansett 39 The Townies got an overall team effort tonight, and got a win against the visiting Mariners in a non-league contest. The team utilized good defense (15 steals), and controlled the ball offensively, by only turning the ball over eight times for the game. They made smart decisions with the ball, and passed the ball efficiently. The team was paced by Stephanie Michalopolous, who had a game high 18 points, and Amanda Cabral who had a career high 14 points. Michaela Wiggins had a double-double with 10 points and 15 boards, while Michelle Fleming added 8. The JV team also picked up a good team win, with a 46-26 victory. Both teams play this Friday at Middletown. Game times are 5:15 and 7:00.
January 9, 2009 Portsmouth 52 East Providence 43 The visiting Patriots gave the home team their first league loss of the year, dropping the Townies record to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the league. The team played without any desire or determination on both sides of the ball. The team also lacked the ability to execute throughout the evening, but only found themselves down four at the half. The team quickly evened the score at 21 after the break, but saw Portsmouth go on a 8-0 run that they really never relinquished. The Townies got to within five at about the three minute mark, but the Pats made some key free throws down the stretch to keep their undefeated season in-tact. Stephanie Michalopolous lead the Townies with 12 points, while Michaela Wiggins added 20 rebounds. The JV team picked up a solid win, and remains undefeated for the season. The team has a non-league game scheduled on Tuesday against Narragansett, and returns to league play on Friday at Middletown High School.
January 6, 2009 East Providence 58 Tiverton 16 The Townies began the New Year with a victory over the visiting league rival Tigers. The team was determined on the defensive side of the ball and held Tiverton to only 4 first half points, and opened up a 22 point lead at the break. The team was paced by Michaela Wiggins who had a game high 19 points, and reached the double-double mark with 15 boards. Stephanie Michalopolous added 17 points of her own to go along with 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 7 steals. Michelle Fleming added 8, while Amanda Cabral gave a great defensive effort fighting through screens most of the night. Juniors Brittany Pietruszka and Ashley Curti gave some good minutes off the bench to provide the Townies with some depth. The JV team added another win to the column improving their record to 5-0. The team plays next at home this Friday against Portsmouth, who is also undefeated in league play.
December 30, 2008 East Providence 58 Pilgrim 47 OT The Townies needed overtime to finally pull away from the host Patriots. The team lead by 11 at halftime but had a cold spell that lasted 6 minutes in the second half. During that time Pilgrim tied the game 43-43 with 2:30 left to play. The Patriots took their first lead of the game 45-43 with about 1:30 left to play. Charlotte Newton then tied the game with a turn around lay-up, which evened the score at 45. Newton finished the game with 10 points and 9 boards just missing the double mark. Pilgrim got one shot off with 2 seconds left in regulation that bounced in and out, which lead to the extra session. Stephanie Michalopolous opened the period with a huge three, and the team outscored the Patriots 13-2 in OT. Michalopolous finished the night with 14 points and 6 steals. Michelle Fleming had her best game to date finishing the evening with 17 points, 15 coming in the first half. Michaela Wiggins had 11 points and an incredible career high 29 rebounds. The team did a great job keeping their composure as they were whistled for 13 team fouls to Pilgrim's 2 at about the eight minute mark of the second half, as they continued to work for points in the paint. The JV team continues to roll as they improved their record to 4-0 with a 47-25 win. The team is off until next Tuesday when they host league rival Tiverton. The Girls Basketball Program would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year.
December 27-28, 2008 Smithfield Holiday Tournament The Townies played the Jekyll & Hyde role over the weekend as they split at the Smithfield Holiday Tournament. Saturday night the team defeated North Providence 57-25 using stellar man-to-man defense and holding the Cougars to only eight second half points. The team played together, and looked in sync as a unit. The Townies made some great decisions which lead to only 12 team turnovers (a season low). Sunday night the Townies dropped a 51-41 decision to Smithfield in the championship game of their bracket. The team had their worst game to date, but only found themselves down four at halftime. Unfortunately, the Sentinels out-worked the Townies in every aspect of basketball in the second. Add that to 23 team turnovers and 33% shooting, and you will have difficulty beating anybody. The team must regroup quickly and find some much needed leadership, as they prepare to get back to league play on Tuesday, at Pilgrim High School.
December 18, 2008 East Providence 48 North Providence 33 The Townies finally came together and played their best overall game so far this short season. Everything seemed to click as scoring was evenly distributed, and the defensive energy and focus was there throughout the game. The team jumped out to an early 15-3 lead against the visiting Cougars, but saw their lead cut to 17-14 at intermission, because of a six-minute scoring drought late in the first half. Defensively, the team came out strong to start the second, an played smart offensive basketball to attack NP's box and 1 defense on Stephanie Michalopolous, who finished the game with 12 points. Michaela Wiggins had third double-double in as many games, finishing with 12 points, and 15 boards. Michelle Fleming just missed the double mark finishing with 10 points and 9 great looking assists. Amanda Cabral played her best game to date, finishing with 7 points and 8 steals. Charlotte Newton matched the total with 7 herself, to go along with her six boards. The biggest factor for the Townies was protecting the basketball. They finished the night with only 13 team turnovers, a significant difference from their 22.5 average for the first two games. The JV team picked up a grind-it-out win for their third victory of the season. Both teams play one last league game before the break, this Monday at Pilgrim. Game times are 5:15/7:00.
December 16, 2008 East Providence 57 Warwick Vets 43 The Townies showed glimpses of their potential as they opened up their league schedule with a win at Warwick Vets. At times the team looked efficient and disciplined. Other times they looked erratic and confused. Although it is still early in the season, the team has got to find away to eliminate their turnovers per game (25 for tonight). Stephanie Michalopolous paced the Townies with 20 points and 6 boards, while teammate Michaela Wiggins added 16 points and 19 rebounds for the evening. Michelle Fleming continues to do all of the little things needed by totaling 7 points, 6 boards, 8 assists, and 3 steals. Amanda Cabral had a career high 10 steals to go along with her 6 points. The JV team rolled to an easy win and continues to play solid all around defense. Both teams play again at home this Thursday against last year's Central Division winners, North Providence. Game times are 5:45 and 7:30.
December 11, 2008 East Providence 52 Cranston East 45 The Townies overcame a dismal first half performance which featured 18 turnovers and a 9-27 shooting performance, to secure a victory against the visiting Thunderbolts. The team's overall intensity and desire picked up at the start of the second, which allowed them to get up by as many as 17 points. Mental errors played a huge part down the stretch as the team almost saw their lead slip away. The team was paced by Michaela Wiggins who had her first double-double of the year with 18 points and an impressive 19 boards. Michelle Fleming had a great overall game with 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Stephanie Michalopolous added 11 points and 8 boards to help the cause. The JV team picked up their first win of the season in impressive fashion. Alyssa Dias lead the charge with 16 points. The team is back in action on Tuesday the 16th as they will travel to Warwick Vets for their league opener. Game times are 5:15/7:00.
Season Outlook. The Townies will once again compete in a very competitive Eastern Division. They must contend with the likes of Tiverton, Portsmouth, Middletown, Mt. Hope, and defending State Champions Barrington High School. The team returns many key players from last season, which saw the Townies finish with a 12-11 overall record, 8-10 in the division, and their first playoff berth in a over a decade. The starting five will consist of senior guard captains Michelle Fleming and Stephanie Michalopoulos. Both have been pivotal players at their positions since their sophomore season. Junior Amanda Cabral has a year of varsity experience under her belt, and looks to control an up-tempo style from the point guard position. Sophomore Michaela Wiggins led the team last season in rebounding, and looks to continue to be a scoring threat in the paint. Sophomore Charlotte Newton will round off the starting five, as her passing and shooting have improved tremendously from a year ago. Juniors Brittany Pietruszka, Ashley Curti, and Morganne Booker look to give the team some much needed depth off the bench. Sophomores Megan Conheeny and Victoria Blaydes are back for their second year on the Varsity squad. The team also welcomes two freshmen with potential, Alyssa Dias and Shania Connor.The team looks to improve defensively, as they will utilize different defensive looks to keep the opposition out of rhythm. The key to the Townies success will be limiting turnovers, as well as gaining an overall confidence in themselves.
Townies Set for Season Opener. The team will begin the 2008-2009 season with a non-league Injury Fund game against visiting Cranston East on Thursday, December 11th. The JV team will start the night off at 5:45, followed by the Varsity at 7:30. The Team begins league play Tuesday, December 16th when the travel to Warwick Vets High School. Game times are 5:15 and 7:00.
Townies 1st Annual Tip-Off Dinner is a Huge Success! The Girls Basketball Team held its 1st Annual Tip-Off Pasta Dinner on December 5th, 2008. Thanks to the support of many, the event was a huge success. I would personally like to thank parents, friends, players, administration, and other members of the community for their generosity especially around the holidays. A big thanks goes out to the members of the Knights of Columbus for donating the hall for the evening. Also, thanks to all the local businesses for donating a gift certificate for our raffle that was held at the end of the night. Finally, we would like to thank Mark for helping cater the event. There are not words to express our gratitude to him.