Defense leads Lady Panthers to 1-0 start

Posted

With multiple talented scorers in the lineup, the Johnston girls’ basketball team knows it can win with offense.

Now it knows it can win with defense, too.

With leading scorer Karina Mattera having an off-shooting night, the Panthers had only one player in double figures on Monday but still were able to comfortably knock off North Providence 42-33. The game wasn’t particularly close until the final minutes, as Johnston got its Division II season off on the right foot and now sits at 1-0 in D-II-North.

“We’re playing well,” Johnston head coach Chris Corsinetti said. “Our defense has been very good.”

The Panthers had gone 3-2 in non-league games prior to Monday, and all that preseason experience showed with a defensive effort that was strictly man-to-man.

North Providence turned the ball over 27 times in the game, including 15 in the first half. Johnston limited the Cougars to just three field goals before the break.

“Our defense is lock down,” Corsinetti said. “We played well.”

The offense did enough early on to stake the Panthers to a 22-9 first-half lead. Johnston went up 11-3 six minutes into the game, with Isabella DiRaimo scoring four of her team-high 12 points during that span, and Alex DiRaimo, Jenna Pizzi and Dana Desmarais each adding a bucket.

A three-pointer from North Providence’s Madison Jamack made it 11-6 before Johnston went on a 9-0 run to open up a 14-point lead.

Kristina DiMascio got it started with a jumper and Francesca Gaudiana hit one of two free throws. Alex DiRaimo scored on a hard drive to the hoop, then hit a short jumper. Gaudiana finished the run with two more free throws. During that span, North Providence committed five turnovers.

Mattera was held without a bucket in the first half, but the supporting cast rose to the occasion.

“The important thing is that the rest of the team stepped up and helped out,” Corsinetti said. “We don’t have to be dependent anymore on Karina’s scoring, with the culmination of our defense. Bella can score, Alex can put the ball in the basket, Francesca gets to the basket. We’re not solely dependent on Karina anymore.”

In the second half, Johnston immediately grew its lead to 25-9 on a three by Isabella DiRaimo, and it took its largest lead of the game at 36-19 on a tough layup by Mattera with just under nine minutes to go. Mattera did come alive after the break, scoring eight second-half points, including six in a row at one point.

Armed with that 17-point cushion, Johnston began to struggle from the field and North Providence slowly started to chip away. It went on a 12-2 run to get back within 38-31 with 2:12 to play. Seven of those points came on free throws, as Johnston put the Cougars in the bonus early and North Providence took advantage.

“We fouled too many times,” Corsinetti said. “We got them to the free throw line and they were scoring points with the clock not running. But when you play man-to-man defense the whole game, that’s going to happen.”

Johnston helped out by going stagnant on offense as well, as it hit only one of its final 18 shots from the field after Mattera’s bucket. Luckily, the lead it had built up earlier was enough to withstand the run.

Isabella DiRaimo hit one free throw to make it 39-31, and after a turnover by North Providence, Alex DiRiamo hit one of two from the stripe. The Cougars missed a three-point attempt on their next possession and Gaudiana iced the game with two more free throws.

“Overall, I think we had the game under control,” Corsinetti said. “Just our decision making at times is a little suspect.”

To go with Isabella DiRaimo’s 12 points, Mattera had eight, Alex DiRaimo had seven, Gaudiana had five, Pizzi had three and Desmarais, DiMascio and Aziza Asad had two.

“We didn’t make the smartest decisions,” Corsinetti said. “It wasn’t the best game we’ve played this far, but a win is a win.”

Johnston will try to clean up those mistakes before its game on Friday at home against Burrillville at 7 p.m. After that, it’s a big one against Scituate on Monday on the road at 7 p.m. The Spartans are expected to be one of Johnston’s chief competitors for the D-II-North crown.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here