RallyNorth.net

Pentucket brimming with optimism for tonight's showdown vs. small school juggernaut

Tuesday, March, 11 By John Shimer
Staff writer

In John McNamara's words, Archbishop Williams is the best team in the state.

That's the best team regardless of division. Which would make them almost unbeatable in Division 3.

But the Sachems will look to play giant-killers today (4:15 p.m.) vs. defending Division 3 state champion Archbishop Williams on the parquet floor at the TD Banknorth Garden.

A senior-laden squad, the Bishops returned their entire starting five this year. They beat Division 1 Eastern Mass. finalist Andover 62-55 in Andover (a team the Sachems lost to 44-27).

The 20-2 Bishops, who were ranked No. 1 in Eastern Mass. most of the season, avenged a loss to rival Cardinal Spellman with a convincing 60-45 win Saturday in the South title game.

Pentucket was no match for AW in last year's state semis (45-31 loss), but the Sachems have accomplished just about everything else imaginable in this magical two-year runs. Last winter, after Pentucket ended its 14-year drought of missing the state tournament (one of the longest in the state), the Sachems looked overmatched at the Garden.

Sachems' captain Lyndsay Beaton admitted it was nerve-racking playing where the Celtics and the legends of the NBA strut their stuff.

"Last year, I think we were content to make it that far and overwhelmed by being in the Garden with the Jumbotron hanging above and being in the Celtics' locker room," explained Beaton. "It was just like, 'Oh, my God, we're at the Garden. Who would have ever thought Pentucket basketball would have made it here."

Based on the previous 14 years, absolutely no one. But new coach John McNamara and a supremely talented bunch did just that.

AW boasts the mirror image of Pentucket standout Kirsten Daamen in 6-3 center Val Driscoll.

"Last year I wasn't ready for it (covering Driscoll) because I didn't play one girl over six feet tall," said Daamen. "This year I feel more prepared because we have played some girls that are bigger and stronger, including the girl from Masconomet (6-2 Boston University recruit Caroline Stewart), a couple of girls from Andover, and most recently the girl from Winthrop."

Ashley Viselli added that the challenges of playing several different defenses en route to repeating as North champs will help.

"The Swampscott game really helped because we weren't ready for that team's defensive intensity, and we learned we always have to be prepared for that," said Viselli, a brilliant perimeter defender. "AW through a defense at us we had never seen last year, but now we are better at recognizing whatever defense a team throws at us."

Not only are the Sachems better prepared mentally, coach McNamara said he believes his team is more equipped to deal with the physicality and pace of the Bishops' two terrific guards Christine Duffy (14.6 ppg) and Casey Capello (12.6 ppg).

Each passed 1,000 career points this winter.

"I think we are just in a better frame of mind. Last year we were young and one of the big issues was they were more mature and more physical from the guard position," said McNamara. "Last year we saw them once and we weren't as prepared because we were trying to scout two teams (Cardinal Spellman being the other). This year we've grown up a bit, and we're battle tested."

The Sachems are embracing the underdog role.

"We didn't play an easy road to get to the Garden," McNamara said. "We're heavy underdogs, but we like that role."