Belmont Girls' Hoops Are Hunting Dragons Tonight

The Belmont High School Girls' Basketball team will have their bags packed this afternoon as the seventh-ranked Marauders take their show on the road to meet second-seed Boston Latin Academy Dragons in the quarterfinals of the Division 2 North sectional finals.

Tip-off is at 7 p.m. at Latin Academy's gymnasium located at 205 Townsend St. in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood.

The school is housed in a large building at 205 Townsend and the main entrance is at the corner of Townsend and Hazelwood, near the flagpole. Parking spaces in the building parking lot can be used by visitors but most are typically occupied by our staff. The school recommends street parking in the neighborhood, such as on Deckard Street. 

The Dragons – who finished 14-5 and second in their league behind South Boston – are known this season for a sufficating defense and a big front court that includes sophomore center Catherine Loney who is a scoring threat.

Coach Emily Hunter-Coleman's team is run from the back court by a pair of speedy senior guards, Briana Willis and Ayjah Willis, while sophomore Julia Rosario leads the team in scoring with 12 points a game. The three led the team to an 8-1 home record this season.

Belmont (12-9) will counter the Dragons' front line with size of its own – the Marauders are able to send out a trio of 5' 11" forwards onto the court at the same time – led by co-captains Katie Leinbach and Olivia Lyons who are on a tear in the last two games.

Head coach Melissa Hart's team will rely on its stellar defense which shut down both 15-win Lexington in the final regular season game and Charlestown in the first round of the playoffs, with co-captain Amari Bradshaw in the role of defensive stopper.