Resounding victories over Concord and Exeter last week enabled the Londonderry High girls’ basketball squad to end a skid and start regaining statistical stature in tough Division I.
The Lady Lancers ended a three-game losing skid in D-I with a 54-29 trouncing of the home-standing Concord High Crimson Tide in the state capital last Tuesday, Jan. 10.
Coach Nick Theos’ girls led 11-4 after one quarter had been completed, 27-12 at the halftime break, and 41-19 rolling into the last stanza.
The victorious locals received a strong and consistent effort from top scorer Amanda DeAngelis, who netted 20 points. Most of her points came via the fast-break or in transition. And coach Theos had plenty of reasons to be pleased with the fact that many of his charges tallied points, and Emmy Dumaresq was good for eight assists and exhibited superb work in breaking through Concord’s pressure defense.
“It was a good all-around win with nine girls scoring and only one in double-figures,” said Theos. “We’ve played a pretty tough schedule so far, and I hope the girls are starting to see the benefits of playing that type of schedule. We need to get tougher and make fewer mistakes, and tonight was a step in the right direction.”
The Lady Lancer leader was also happy with the work of several of his players against an opponent with considerably more size than Londonderry.
“Concord was much bigger than us, and Hannah Hagearty and Michelle Marino both played amazing defense on their bigs even though they were out-sized,” said Theos. “They also got their offense going, combining for 11 points with six coming from Hagearty.”
And the locals kept the successes coming on Friday night the 13th with a 76-46 walloping of the visiting Exeter High Lady Blue Hawks.
The hosts sprinted out to a 27-7 lead in the first period and were never given any significant reason to look back at their now 3-5 opponent in the dust.
The Lady Lancers led 44-20 at the half and by that same 24-point margin (60-36) at the completion of three quarters.
DeAngelis (18 points and five steals) and Hagearty (16 points and eight rebounds) were the statistical stars for the victors, with Kelsey Coffey contributing nine points and eight assists.
“Hannah was awesome tonight, running the floor and rebounding, and all three point-guards pushed the tempo and helped us get easy baskets off the break,” said coach Theos. “We got out on them early in the first quarter, with seven girls scoring in that quarter to get the 20-point lead. Then we didn’t want to let them back in so we continued to play good defense and get lay-ups off their press.”
The 5-3 LHS crew rolled into this week looking at a lengthy break between games due to mid-term exams, with its next contest not slated until Tuesday, Jan. 24 when it hosts the Merrimack Lady Tomahawks.