The Mt. Hope girls basketball team fell to Pilgrim 53-47 in a preliminary round playoff game in the RIIL state girls basketball tournament on Monday night. The 17th seeded Huskies battled the 16th seeded Patriots in a tightly contested game that was tied seven times before Pilgrim began to pull away in the fourth quarter. Pilgrim led 18-14 at halftime. 

“They are a good shooting team,” said Huskies head coach Katie Kline. She credited Pilgrim’s Amaya Coffie and their full court press at the end of the game as Mt. Hope had difficulty moving the ball past half court in the final quarter. 

The Huskies rallied and scored 21 points in the third quarter to overtake the Patriots. Sophomore center Emily Moran scored 8 of her game-high 16 points. The Huskies big drove to the basket for a layup, sank three of four foul shots and drained a 3-pointer. Lauren Clarke-Pais added a pair of jumpers and a pair of free throws. Maddy Butterworth also drained a 3-pointer and a jumper as the Huskies took a 35-32 advantage into the fourth quarter. 

“We definitely fought hard,” said Coach Kline. “Lauren had a great game today. She was really taking it to the basket. I’m happy how they played.”

Pilgrim pulled away on a pair of 3-pointers by Jenna Madden in the fourth quarter and hit their free throws late in the game. 

Moran had a chance to put the Huskies within 2 points late in the game, but her shot tipped off the rim and into the hands of the Patriots. Lilly DaSilveira scored 4 of her 6 points in the fourth quarter, Moran scored 4 and Clarke-Pais added 3. 

“We just had to finish,” said senior co-captain Shivani Mehta after the game. “This was the best team that I’ve ever played on. We had a good season and made it to the state tournament for the first time ever.”

The game has its ups and downs,” said Clarke-Pais, a senior co-captain. “You just got to love it. I got to play the game with my favorite people. That’s what matters.” 

Scoring: Emily Moran scored 16 points, Lauren Clarke-Pais scored 13, Maddy Butterworth and Lilly DaSilveira each scored 6, Reyn Ferris scored 4 and Adriana Botelho added 2.