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PEABODY | Even when they don't play their best, it's usually enough for the Peabody High girls basketball team to prevail.

While Peabody head coach Jane Heil wasn't happy about some aspects of the game, her Tanners played well enough to earn their sixth straight win in Northeastern Conference play, beating a scrappy Gloucester team, 62-50, at the Veterans Memorial gym.

Last year's Gloucester girls basketball team and this year's Fishermen squad currently share something in common, and the stress in on the word currently.

As of now, Gloucester has won four games, which matches the team's total from last year's disappointing 4-14 record. Of course, it doesn't appear that the similarity will be here for the long run, because this year's Fishermen have a 4-2 record and appear poised to rack up several more victories with more than half of the season remaining.

The high school basketball season isn't even half over yet, but the Gloucester girls basketball team has already equalled its success of last year.

The Fishermen picked up a 66-42 win over Amesbury last night to improve to 4-2 on the season. Gloucester finished with just a 4-14 record one year ago.

For three quarters, the Gloucester girls basketball team played evenly with Dover-Sherborn in the Mustang Classic Holiday Tournament Final at Marian. The teams were tied 40-40 heading into the fourth quarter, but foul trouble caught up with the Fishermen in the final frame as the Raiders eventually prevailed, 66-47.

The Gloucester girls basketball team will have the chance to close out 2007 as champions.

They earned that opportunity by defeating Marian High School, 49-30, in the Mustang Classic girls basketball holiday tournament in Framingham. The Fishermen will play Dover-Sherborn in the tourney championship game today (4:15 p.m.).

No matter the sport, defense always wins championships as any coach will tell you. In only its second game of the season, the Gloucester girls basketball team seems to be living by that motto as they recorded 23 steals en route to a 56-26 win over Marblehead.

Last year's record: 4-14

Coach: Jon Flanagan

Key returnees: Lindsey Rogers (Capt.), Jr., guard; Jillian Lukegord, Sr., guard; Olivia Lufkin, So., guard.

Key departures: None