by Donovan Rodriguez
The Bristol Central girls basketball team suffered their first loss of the season Thursday night to Conard by a score of 52-42.
The game started off a little slow with the score tied 7-7 late in the first quarter. Both defenses were working hard with the refs calling all contact possible.
After a charge call, Conard’s Nicole Gorman gained possession. She took advantage by scoring a three pointer to make the lead 10-7. Then Courtney McPhee expanded Conard’s lead by adding two from the free throw line.
Behind 12-7, Central came right back. After a great defensive stop and the Rams gaining possession, Nicole Riemer cut the lead by getting a layup. The Red Wolves answered right back with a two pointer to keep the lead, making it 14-9 with one minute left in the first quarter.
Riemer took matters into her own hands, driving down the whole court to get a tough layup. Gorman answered with a wide open three pointer. She followed with a second three at the buzzer. This made the score 21-12, Conard, going into the second quarter.
The Rams started the second period strong. Molly McMahon hit a corner three. Then Laylani Cespedes made a steal and BC’s Kamaria Bowens took it all the way to get a layup.
From this point, the Conard lead slowly grew to a 29-19 advantage. Then Gabriella Bernier hit a three for BC to cut into the lead with time winding down.
Cespedes raced down with seven seconds left on the clock. She scored a layup as time expired in the half. The score was 31-24, Conard.
The Rams came out of the half-time break fired up. On the first possession from a dime from Bowens to Riemer, the Central started slowly chipping away at the lead.
After going back and forth for a little, Gorman hit a three. This made it 36-28 and kept momentum for the Red Wolves.
The Rams, led by the play of Bowens, started chipping away at the lead. They made it a six point game and forced a timeout from Conard.
The Red Wolves came out of the time out hot. Central resumed their momentum with a big put-back bucket and a foul. This resulted in a three point play to go into the fourth with the score 42-36.
With five minutes left in the game, the Rams needed to muster up a run. Conard led by ten.
They never could get even with the Conard. The ten point lead stood up till the end. It was a ten point Red Wolves win.
Bowens led Bristol Central with 16 points, follwed by Riemer with 10.
Gorman, who had five 3’s for Conard, Led the Red Wolves with 20. Emily Knowles added 16.
Now 6-1, the Rams will look to bounce back next week against Northwest Catholic who is 7-0. Central will host the Lions on Tuesday, January 7th at 6:45.
- Bristol Central
- Laylani Cespedes 2 0 4, Olivia Louis 0 1 0, Sydney Ray 0 0 0, Kamaria Bowens 6 4 16,
- Gabby Bernier 1 0 3, Molly McMahon 3 0 7, Nicole Riemer 4 2 10, Totals 15 8 42
- Conard
- Emily Knowles 7 2 16, Wilmes 1 0 3, Courtney McPhee 1 4 6, Nicole Gorman 7 1 20,
- Caroline Cerosimo 0 0 0, Brooklynn Knowles 2 0 4, Gorman 1 0 2. Totals 18 7 52
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