RallyNorth.net

Tue, Jan 08, 2008 07:00 PM @ Peabody

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Gloucester	0	20	0	30	50
Peabody	0	28	0	34	62

Tanners stay unbeaten in NEC by knocking off Gloucester

Tuesday, January, 08 By Jean DePlacido
Correspondent

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.

The Tanners never trailed despite cold shooting in the first half when four of the starters were only 4-for-27 from the field. Sophomore forward Janelle Rodriguez led her team with 14 points while senior guards Tawny Palmieri and Michelle Grifoni added 13 and 12 points, respectively.

For the Fishermen, who only used seven players because of injuries, Olivia Lufkin had a game-high 21 points. Captain Lindsey Rogers added a dozen points.

"In the first five minutes we must have been 0-for-12 (shooting)," said Heil. "We eventually went ahead, but not without taking a gazillion shots.

"Before the game, I told the girls teams with .500 records are going to challenge you and could beat you unless you play four solid quarters. We did just enough to win this one."

Peabody had a 13-1 stretch midway through the opening quarter to take a 12 point lead. But the Fishermen fought back, led by Vanessa Saputo and Lufkin, who hit back-to-back shots at the end of the quarter to close the gap to 20-9.

The visitors then pulled within eight points (28-20) at halftime after Peabody had led by as many as 14 points. Gloucester hung tough in the third period, twice cutting the deficit to five points. Lufkin made an old fashioned 3-pointer in the opening minute of the quarter to make it 28-23 before the Tanners eventually opened it up again.

Palmieri, who had nine assists for the Tanners, set up the row by feeding Grifoni for two fast break baskets in a row. Near the end of the quarter, Lindsey Consoles heated up and scored all six of her points in the last three minutes to give Peabody an 11-point cushion heading into the final quarter.

"Consoles came alive in the third quarter, and Palmieri had some really pretty assists," said Heil.

"Gloucester has good athletes, speed and a very good coach in John Flanagan. They hustled right to the last minute, but I'll take this kind of game any night over a 35-point blowout. We will learn from games like this and hopefully get better."

Palmieri and Consoles each had four steals for Peabody while Rodriguez added three. Consoles also had three blocked shots.

"I got a couple of good passes from Tawny and put in the layups," said Consoles. "We're getting good competition every single game in the NEC. I like the competition and closeness of the games, but honestly I would prefer to have a big lead throughout. I know this kind of intensity is going to help us in the playoffs, though."

The Tanners were in foul trouble, sending Gloucester to the line 18 times in the last quarter. But the Fishermen failed to take advantage and only made nine shots.

"We closed to within striking distance a couple of times, but we missed too many free throws and layups that could have made a difference," said Flanagan, his team now 4-4.

"After the first five minutes Lufkin really began to assert herself and played a great game.

"Peabody has so many players. They roll them in and out of the lineup."