Mariners Beat Tolman, Advance to Playoff Quarterfinals [VIDEO]

The Narragansett High School girls’ basketball team survived an intense, physical effort from Tolman on Thursday night, taming the Tigers 57-42 with a second half run after emotions boiled over at one point.

Narragansett head coach Kathryn Mahoney was issued a technical foul for arguing with officials about four minutes into the second half.

However, the Mariners seemed to play with a lot more composure after the outpouring from Mahoney, and outscored Tolman 28-10 down the stretch.

“I don’t typically get the emotional or riled up unless there is a need for it,” Mahoney said.

Depending on your point of view, the officiating crew either called a brutally tough game, or they flat out missed calls left and right. Junior center Mercedes Harris had the toughest time of it, as Tolman double and triple teamed her almost the entire game.

“That’s pretty typical,” Mahoney said. “She’s used to it by this time of the year. [But] she does an excellent job of maintaining her composure.”

Harris only had two points and a block in the first half before picking up a second foul. However, she scored 12 in the second half, and went a perfect 8-for-8 from the line. She also finished with six blocks and two steals.

Thanks to the tone established by the officiating, things got even more physical and chippy at the end of the game. Tolman was called for two intentional fouls in the final minute, and sophomore Francheska Kelly was ejected after a forearm shove of Harris by the Narragansett sideline.

Freshman Chelsea Sahagian played the entire game in a box-and-1 on Tolman’s lead scorer, guard Danai Porter. While she had 12 in the first half, she seemed worn down in the second, and finished with 19 points. Sahagian had four steals and 14 points.

With the win, the Mariners advance to the quarterfinals of the Division II playoffs. For the first time this year, Narragansett will play Scituate, the No. 3 seed from Division II-North. Tip-off is at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Bay View Academy in East Providence.

So far, the girls’ bracket is all-chalk, as every favorite has won. For a full bracket from the RIIL, click here.

Can’t make it to East Providence on Saturday? Click the “keep me posted!” button below to subscribe to our girls’ basketball stories, since we will be live blogging from Bay View for the entire day Saturday.