Eastbayri.com

SEEKONK — The Seekonk High School girls’ basketball team recorded its first victory in nearly two years as the Warriors upended visiting Apponequet in overtime, 53-48, Friday night, Feb. 3, in a South Coast Conference contest.

Seekonk trailed 13-4 at the end of the first period and 22-19 at half-time. The teams were eventually tied at 40 at the end of regulation. The Warriors and Lakers then traded baskets until Amanda Cavallaro’s 3-pointer with just about 30 seconds remaining in the game put the locals on tops for keeps.

Cavallaro moved ever-so closer to the 1,000-career point mark, leading the Warriors with 17 points. Geena Mink added 11. Katie Lebeau returned to the Seekonk lineup after missing two weeks due to injury and chipped in nine.

“I’m very pleased. The girls have been working so hard,” said Kate Chuilli, who earned her first win on the sidelines as the SHS head coach. “They showed a lot of maturity in being able to win the game the way they did.”

The Warriors improved to 1-14 overall and 1-12 in the SCC. Seekonk steps away from league action to face Cardinal Spellman on the road Tuesday night, Feb. 7, at 6:30.

BHS boys fall at horn

Robert Vocatura’s 3-pointer from the corner as time expired lifted visiting Westerly past Barrington High, 50-48, in a Division II boys’ hoops crossover contest Friday night.

Vocatura’s bucket for the Bulldogs put a dramatic end to what was a very competitive contest between the sides. Ben Engvall scored 17 of his game-best 27 points for the Eagles in the first half as the locals held a slim 29-24 lead at the break. Westerly’s Austin Cilley nearly matched his counterpart’s performance in the second half as he made clutch hoop after clutch hoop in finishing with a team-high 23 points.

“That’s a good basketball team we lost to tonight," said BHS head coach Pat Sullivan. "The difference in the second half is Cilley started hitting a lot of contested shots to keep them in the game, kind of like what Ben did for us in the first half. These two teams are so evenly matched, which was indicative of what transpired tonight.”

Engvall had the range early and the Bulldogs didn’t, allowing the Eagles to take a slight edge into the break. Barrington was able to maintain a two-possession advantage for most of the second half, though did so as Cilley caught fire.

The second of his deep 3s cut the Eagles’ ad to just 43-42 with 4:45 to go. The Bulldogs then got the ball back with a chance to take the lead, but didn’t. Barrington in turn went back up by three on a tough drive to the hoop by center Nick Raymond.

The teams traded empty possessions before Cilley hit a fade-away bomb from downtown to tie it with 3:02 left. His next shot with a hand in his face and a toe on the line put Westerly up for the first time in quite a while, 47-45, with 2:24 showing.

Engvall later made both ends of a one-and-one to level the score for what would be the final time with 2:06 to go. Raymond, who earlier missed the front-end at the line, later made one of two after being fouled in the act of shooting with 1:10 remaining to give Barrington its last lead, 48-47.

The Eagles looked to be in good shape when Corey Daugherty deflected a Westerly pass to teammate Robbie Cardin with 46 seconds to go. Barrington milked the shot clock all the way down to the end, but Engvall’s contested 3 clanged off the rim. Eagles’ senior Jack Wenzel was first on the rebound, though couldn’t control it before a Bulldogs got his hands in for a tie-up and Westerly got the ball on the arrow.

The visitors took over possession with 5.8 seconds left. Barrington fouled once with 4.2 showing to force the Bulldogs to inbounds one last time. Vocatura wasn’t the first option, but eventually got the ball in the deep corner and calmly drained the triple with an Eagles running at him as the horn sounded.

“The good thing about this game was that both teams had to execute down the stretch and I thought we both did a good job of doing that,” Sullivan added. “What can you do? He hit the shot, which was his first bucket of the second half. You’ve got to give him credit.”

Vocatura finished with just five points. His other hoop was a layup in the first half. Daugherty finished with nine points for the Eagles. Jesse Browne added five and Raymond four.

Barrington fell to 8-5 in the II-East standings with the loss, but remained in 14th place in the overall standings for the upcoming Open State Tourney. Westerly improved to 10-3 in II-South and next week in a share of ninth place with Shea in the Open Tourney rankings. The Eagles are home for 12-1 and II-South-leading West Warwick Tuesday night, Feb. 7, at 7.

To view or purchase more Barrington-Westerly photos click the following link...

http://eastbayri.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=1408566&CategoryID=9741

SHS boys lose

The playoff hopes for the Seekonk High boys’ basketball team officially came to an end Friday night as the Warriors dropped a 70-58, SCC decision to host Apponequet.

Seekonk’s 11th loss during its 20-game regular season schedule disqualifies the Warriors from postseason consideration. The Lakers led throughout Friday, including a 34-21 bulge at intermission, Ryan Corry led Seekonk with a season-best 18 points. The Warriors are off until face rival Dighton-Rehoboth on the road Friday, Feb. 10.

EPHS girls fall

In a game with Division I-North playoff implications, the East Providence High School girls’ basketball team fell to visiting Ponaganset, 51-46, Friday night.

The game was close throughout, remaining tied all the way to the three-minute mark of the second half, 41-apiece. About that time, however, the Townies lost the services of senior guard Shania Connor to a knee injury. The Chieftains, in turn, took the lead for keeps shortly there after on a 3-point bucket.

E.P. dipped to 5-7 in the I-North ranks with the loss while Ponaganset improved to 5-8 and completed a season split with the Townies. The Chieftains won the teams’ earlier meeting, 54-38. E.P. returns to action Tuesday night, Feb. 7, in Smithfield at 7 o’clock.

To view or purchase more E.P.-Ponaganset photos click the following link...

http://eastbayri.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=1408560&CategoryID=9741

Mt. Hope girls win

On the road against Toll Gate, the Mt. Hope High girls' cagers climbed back over the .500 mark for the season as the Huskies defeated the host Titans, 41-31, in a Division II-South encounter.

Christie Ribeiro led the locals with 19 points. Crystal Leitao added 11. The Huskies improved to 7-6 in the II-South standings. Mt. Hope is off until hosting Warwick Vets Thursday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m.