Mariners Out-Run Avengers

PROVIDENCE – With a decisive 10-minute, 25-0 run, Narragansett took a lead in the second half it wouldn’t surrender against East Greenwich en route to a 54-48 win Sunday in the quarterfinals of the Division II girls’ playoffs.

Senior Maggie Salomone led the Mariners with 23 points, including a pair of 3s and two free throws during Narragansett’s run. Salomone chipped in three steals as well.

Her play at the end of the first half helped start the Mariners run, which stretched from two minutes remaining in the first half to 8:26 remaining in the second half.

During that time frame, the Mariners repeatedly turned over the Avengers, who also went cold from long range after six first half 3-pointers. East Greenwich didn’t hit a 3 in the second half.

However, right after Narragansett’s run, the Avengers came back with 10 unanswered points. Sophomore Chelsea Sahagian finally ended the run with about three minutes left, hitting a free throw. Salomone added buckets on a drive and a layup to put the game out of reach.

Beyond Salomone’s performance, Narragansett got strong games from the rest of its starting five – Sahagian, sophomore Abby McKanna, and seniors Ali Castrovillari and Hannah Maymon. Except for a three-minute stint by Alicia Simeone, the five played all 32 minutes for Narragansett.

While McKanna struggled with her jumper, the long-armed sophomore had five steals and two blocks. Sahagian was the beneficiary of several McKanna steals, finishing on layups and ending up with 16 points, 11 coming in the second half.

Castrovillari had eight points, a steal and several tough defensive rebounds in the second half. Maymon chipped in four points, a block and a steal.

East Greenwich led by as many as 10 in the first half, thanks to hot shooting from Julia Pelosi and Margaret McCaffrey. Pelosi had three 3s and 11 first half points, but only finished with 12. McCaffrey had eight first half points, and none in the second.

Instead, it was junior Hannah Anderson who played the most complete game for East Greenwich. Despite having to check Salomone for much of the game, Anderson had 14 points, two steals and a block.

With the win, Narragansett will play in the semifinals 8 p.m. Wednesday against the winner of No. 3 Scituate and No. 11 Coventry. The winner of that game plays in the Division II finals 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 10 at the Ryan Center at the University of Rhode Island’s Kingston campus.