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Haverhill girls fall to Bishop Guertin, remain winless

Saturday, December, 27 By Chris Helms
Staff writer

HAVERHILL — From the time they won the opening tip to the sounding of the final buzzer, Bishop Guertin thoroughly dominated Haverhill in the opening round of the 22nd Annual Greater Haverhill Coca-Cola Christmas Hoop Classic. The Hillies fell to their New Hampshire Division 2 foes, 45-20, yesterday at Haverhill High.

Paced by junior point guard Tali Silva (seven points), the Cardinals utilized an up-tempo style that the Hilles just couldn’t match. The various sets utilized by the Cardinals often caught the Hillies off-balance and out of place. Every player on the Bishop Guertin roster saw time, and as a testament to the team’s depth, the Cardinals had 10 players record at least two points. Silva especially caused a lot of trouble for Haverhill, particularly guards Keshia Devoe and Kayla Pellot, with her smothering defense (three steals and several other forced turnovers in the first half).

Thanks to Bishop Guertin’s stout defense, Haverhill was limited to just five points in the first half, all scored in the opening quarter.

Haverhill’s leading scorer was senior forward Hannah Davis (five points). Team captain Colleen Garvey, who racked up 14 points against a solid Andover squad in an 89-29 loss on Dec. 18, was held scoreless in the first half. While the 5-11 senior forward finished the game with just two points, Garvey was a force on the defensive end, compiling three blocks and six rebounds in the first half alone.

Bishop Guertin’s Meghan Kubit, a senior from Pelham, N.H., led all scorers with 10 points.

The Hillies, now 0-4, have failed to eclipse the 30-point mark in all four games this season. The last time a Haverhill girls basketball team won the Christmas Tournament Championship was 2003.

As a result of the loss, Haverhill will face Alvirne — 69-37 losers to Swampscott yesterday — on Monday at 2:45 p.m.