Watertown Girls' Basketball Team Runs into Roadblock in Lowell

Pentucket threw up a roadblock in the way of Watertown's run in the MIAA Div. 3 North Section tournament Saturday when they ended the Raiders' season with a 38-24 win at the Tsongas Center in Lowell.

Top-seeded Pentucket (24-1) came out punching when sophomore Kelsi McNamara hit a three pointer, and 11th-seeded Watertown (13-11) answered with a two-point bucket by sophomore Rachel Campbell. After that, however, the Raiders hit a cold streak, not scoring for the rest of the first quarter. Pentucket led 14-2.

"We had moments, we had spurts, but I think we are still a young team in some ways," said Watertown Coach Patrick Ferdinand. "That environment in the beginning, I think we were a little shell shocked in the beginning."

The second quarter did not go much better - ending 23-6 - but the Raiders showed their fighting spirit in the second half. 

"When the game opened up we were able to play loose," Ferdinand said. "I think we had to step it up and play that way the whole time."

The Raiders brought the score to 32-16 after the third quarter and held Pentucket to just six points in the last period, but still fell by 14 points.

Campbell led Watertown with seven points, and sophomore Gianna Coppola added another 5. Junior Gabriella Coppola and freshman Katelyn Rourke each scored four.

The Raiders had trouble containing Pentucket's top two players. McNamara and senior Nicole Viselli scored 15 points apiece. 

"Their key players did a great job," Ferdinand said. "(Viselli) drove to the basket well, and (McNamara) was heady with the ball.... She was extremely smart, disciplined."

The Raiders' tournament run ended Saturday, but considering they almost didn't make the tourney Ferdinand said he was pleased with his players.

The Raiders had to win two of the last three games to qualify. They won those games and kept winning, beating three teams in the tournament - including an upset of St. Mary's of Lynn. Watertown came just a win away from a trip to the TD Garden for the Eastern Mass. final (i.e. the state semifinal).

"We'll look back and have no regrets," Ferdinand said. "We gave them everything we had. We played hard. We competed, and there is not much more you can say after that."