NORTH READING — Since their lone loss to Pentucket on Jan. 13, the North Reading girls’ basketball team has bounced back with a three-game winning streak to improve to 11-1 on the season.
“After our disappointing loss to Pentucket, I challenged the team to establish a new winning streak and they have responded with solid, unselfish basketball at both ends of the court,” said head coach Bob Romeo.
The Hornets beat Amesbury 55-38 last Wednesday, Essex Tech 51-26 on Friday and Hamilton-Wenham 39-31 on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
North Reading traveled to Amesbury for a matchup with the Red Hawks after absorbing their first loss of the season two days earlier. The Hornets rode a strong, 14-2 first quarter advantage to a 55-38 hard-fought win as Amesbury refused to go away and got as close as 9 points in the middle of the third quarter, but a Sophie Gallivan 3-pointer extended the lead back to 12 at that key moment in the game.
Gallivan’s game-high 20 points, along with 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 7 steals, led the way for North Reading. Ariana Demetri (14 points, 4 assists, 5 steals), Kiersten Higgins (8 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals) and Makenzie Murphy (6 points, 9 rebounds) provided plenty of offensive help, with Grace Higgins, Addie Hajj and Sara Suny impacting the game with strong defensive efforts. Defense was again the key as the Hornets pressure forced 34 Amesbury turnovers leading to 24 points.
On Friday, the Hornets finished their busy, three-game week with a 51-26 win on the road at Essex Tech for their second consecutive victory.
The game was close in the first half with North Reading taking a 21-16 lead into halftime, but an 18-4 explosion from the Hornets opened the game up to a comfortable 39-20 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Kiersten Higgins continued her excellent level of play with a career-high 15 points along with 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Gallivan (14 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 6 steals) and Demetri (14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals) also continued their scoring leadership.
In an MLK Day afternoon matchup with the CAL Baker Division leaders, Hamilton-Wenham, the Hornets came away with a 39-31 win in a physical, defensive battle.
North Reading finished the first quarter with a 10-1 lead despite not scoring its first points until 2:20 remaining on a Demetri 3-pointer. After North Reading increased its lead to 16-1, the Generals fought back and closed the game to 21-15 at halftime. That comeback was fueled by 14 second quarter free throw attempts as North Reading players were committing fouls on the much bigger Generals team.
The final two quarters were a continuation of physical play and fouls but the Hornets never relinquished the lead with the game getting within two points on several occasions but whenever needed, North Reading hit some big shots led by Demetri’s 21 points (6 3-pointers, 4 steals). Gallivan added 9 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals while Kiersten Higgins (3 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals), Hajj (6 points, 4 rebounds), and Murphy (5 rebounds, 3 steals) provided plenty of support. Sophomore Gabby Montanye (2 rebounds) and freshman Hannah Frew (4 steals) were key contributors off the bench with the team in foul trouble all game.
“After the game, we talked about how on any given day we may need someone different to step up and today with our foul trouble and Grace Higgins unavailable, we had Makenzie step into the starting lineup and Gabby and Hannah giving us key minutes,” said Romeo. “Over the course of a long season, it takes a deep roster to be successful.”
Next up for the Hornets is a rematch with Triton at NRHS on Friday night at 6:30 p.m.