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01/19/2019 11:00 PMThe North Branford girls’ basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak by earning a thrilling 46-45 home victory against Haddam-Killingworth on Jan. 18. The Thunderbirds, who had taken defeats against Old Lyme and Amistad earlier in the week, improved their record to 5-7 on the season with the win.
North Branford had seen senior captain Angelina Ramada and junior captain Lily Blomster both suffer injuries during recent action. That’s one of the reasons why Head Coach Courtney Manciero said the T-Birds’ victory over the Cougars was pivotal for her club.
“[The win] against H-K was huge for us. Without Ang and Lily, we are lacking experience in our starting lineup,” said Manciero. “As a team, we decided that we were not ready to give up on the season. Each of our games this week came down to the last minute. I think our confidence definitely improved, because we were able to fight long enough to get a win [versus H-K].”
North Branford started off the week by taking a 42-37 home loss against Shoreline Conference opponent Old Lyme on Jan. 15. North Branford jumped out to an 11-4 lead in the first quarter, but the Wildcats rallied to take a 17-13 lead into halftime. It was back-and-forth throughout the rest of the game, although Old Lyme ultimately came away with the win. Senior captain Jessie Kilburn scored 12 points, Ramada had nine points, freshman Braeden Lebeau scored seven points, and junior Julia Ricardo added six points for the T-Birds.
The following night, North Branford dropped a 47-42 decision to Amistad in a non-conference home game. Kilburn and Lebeau both recorded double-doubles in the loss. Kilburn had 18 points and 19 rebounds, while Lebeau finished the night with 14 points and 15 boards. Ramada suffered her injury during the first quarter, and North Branford had trouble dealing with Amistad’s pressure defense throughout the rest of the game.
Two nights after losing to Amistad, North Branford got back on track by edging out H-K, 46-45, in a Shoreline Conference contest. The lead changed several times in the late going, before freshman guard Hanna Senerchia hit a 3-pointer with less than a minute left to put North Branford ahead for good.
“Hanna sees the floor very well, and she was able to help [sophomore Erica Piercey] handle the ball when there was a lot of defensive pressure on her,” Coach Manciero said. “In the last few possessions of the game, Hanna had an assist to Braeden, a steal, and a 3-point shot, which ultimately gave us the win.”
Senerchia finished the game with five points, five assists, and two steals, while Kilburn posted another double-double with 17 points and 19 rebounds. Lebeau had nine points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks, and Ricardo scored seven points for Coach Manciero’s squad.
“Every game this week was extremely important for us. Without Angelina and Lily, opposing teams are more focused on stopping our bigs,” Manciero said. “It was very important for our guards to step up the way they did. Our confidence as a team grew a lot more because of this win.”
From the Sidelines
The North Branford girls’ basketball team’s varsity roster features senior captains Jessie Kilburn and Angelina Ramada; junior captain Lily Blomster; fellow juniors Gabby Alfreby, Julia Cassista, Brianna Dautaj, Avonlea Lebeau, Teresa Palmeiri, and Julia Ricardo; sophomores Charliana Criscuolo, Brianna D’Onofrio, Kalia Manner, and Erica Piercey; and freshmen Maissa Caso, Braeden Lebeau, Delaney Norman, Elena Pearson, Marissa Ricardo, and Hanna Senerchia.
Courtney Manciero is in her third year as the Thunderbirds’ head coach. Manciero is assisted by Steve Saunders and Rachel Nevolis.
North Branford has posted victories against Old Saybrook (34-32), Hale-Ray (53-10), Coginchaug (52-46), Valley Regional (48-36), and Haddam-Killingworth (46-45) this season. The T-Birds have also taken defeats versus East Hampton (50-28), Westbrook (48-42), Hand (66-46), Portland (42-35), Cromwell, (68-32), Old Lyme (42-37), and Amistad (47-42).
For the rest of the year, North Branford has road games against Morgan, Haddam-Killingworth, and Coginchaug. The Thunderbirds also have home games with Branford, Sheehan, Valley Regional, Cromwell, and Morgan on the way.