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| Bristol Central senior tri-captain Meghan Hamel displayed an awesome effort Monday. |
The Bristol Central girls basketball team found itself down 37-31 to Bristol Eastern in the third quarter of Monday night’s game at Bristol Eastern.
The Rams were 1-17 coming into the game, but they weren’t playing anything like it at all. There was plenty of fight in a team that had trouble showing it at points this season.
Eastern got its footing and ended up pulling away by a score of 69-50. It’s been a long season, but Central should be proud of the effort it displayed inside the Thomas A. Monahan Gymnasium. Their head coach certainly was.
“To get a performance like that, against a team like that, it makes me proud to be their coach,” Steve Gaudet said.
Central lost 64-38 at home to Eastern back on Jan. 19, and it’s a good bet that the Rams weren’t given much of a chance by most people.
“They’re a very, very good team,” Gaudet said of the Lancers.
Eastern is headed to the postseason, both in the CCC and Class LL. The Lancers didn’t play their best, and the Rams took advantage.
Senior tri-captain Meghan Hamel scored just four points, but scoring was not her job. She spent most of her time handling the full-court pressure from the Lancers. Hamel not only broke it sometimes, she continued to push the ball.
“Meg Hamel was outstanding tonight,” Gaudet said.
Sophomore Ashley Watson gave hope for the future with a team-high 20 points. Also scoring for Central were Sarah Strilkauskas (10), Zoe Sinclair (6 points), Sarah Guerin (4), Ravan Rodriguez (2), Brianna Hamel (2) and Allison Jessie (2).
“The girls gave a great effort,” Gaudet said.
It was more than could have been asked for from Central. The Rams showed true grit, and a whole lot of pride.
Seniors Strilkauskas, Rodriguez and Meghan Hamel will play their final game for Central on Wednesday at home against Plainville. Brianna Hamel is injured, but got a chance to play and score early in Monday’s game. Strilkauskas and the Hamel sisters are tri-captains.
