By Michael Letendre
BRISTOL – Even after a tough 36-31 setback against New Britain on Saturday, the Bristol Central girls basketball program has won six of its last seven games – moving to 6-8 overall this season.
Considering how the Rams started the year, its current ledger – which included a six-game winning streak – is a tremendous accomplishment after a tough 0-7 beginning.
All the squad needed was a little confidence and the wins came pouring in.
Central earned a 50-22 victory over Lewis Mills on January 14 for the program’s first victory as Lillian Sirois posted 19 points while Brooke Watson added 16.
And when the Rams turned away Plainville (44-34) four days later – with both games coming on the road – it was time for a battle against Bristol Eastern on Saturday, January 22.
And the showdown was a huge success as the Rams defeated the Lancers by a 55-42 final to break a 34-game losing streak against its crosstown foe.
“It means everything for them,” said Central coach Steve Gaudet after Central defeated Eastern. “It means everything for them. Forget all the losses, they beat a very good team and they played like they’re capable of playing. And that’s what it’s about.”
“We keep playing. We just have to build off of it.”
Sirois dropped in a season-high 25 points to help stave off the Lancers and after that epic victory, Central added three more to its till.
The fun continued on Tuesday, January 25 as Central won at Tolland by a 50-41 final and then picked off Innovation over a 56-12 romp in a back-to-back challenge.
Finally for victory number six, the Rams got its revenge game at Platt.
The Panthers are a very good team but Central proved to be better, sinking Platt 44-34 on February 1 to nearly draw even on the campaign.
Watson scooped in 18 over Central’s sixth straight victory while Arianna Rivera added 16 to get the team one victory away from .500.
“We were opportunist because we have ball-handlers and kids that are basketball players this year that can attack,” said Gaudet. “We’re very athletic. And if [opponents] want to press us, I always tell coach [Lance] Pepper, [let them] because guess what, I want to get out in transition and run.”
Can Central snare a .500 ledger this season?
It’s certainly in the cards as the Rams are home for both Mills (Monday, 5:30 p.m.) and Plainville (Wednesday, 6 p.m.) to start the week and an 8-8 record is extremely possible.
Central is then on the road for three straight against Berlin, Maloney, and Eastern, not exactly an easy road, before closing things out from the Charles C. Marsh Gymnasium on February 16 against Hartford Public.
Frankly, the program has played well enough to earn a .500-plus ledger this season.
The Rams have lost four games by six points or less as Central has been banging on the pay window on multiple occasions this year.
It should be fun to see where the girls basketball program at Bristol Central goes next as the postseason is on the horizon.
