EAST PROVIDENCE — The East Providence High School girls’ basketball team returned to the court Saturday, Feb. 13, from a coronavirus imposed break to suffer a 49-34 loss to Middletown in a Division II contest.

The Townies were forced to sit out the previous 10 days leading up to the game with the Islanders after a player from Prout, which visited East Providence on Thursday, Jan. 28, returned a positive test for COVID-19.

Per Rhode Island Department of Health and R.I. Interscholastic League protocols, the Townies and other teams who had played the Crusaders in the days around that time needed to quarantine to avoid any possible further spread of the virus. Thankfully for the locals, no member of the EPHS program came down with the virus during the hiatus.

Arianna Soares led E.P. with 13 points against Middletown. Ahmya Ingram added 11, Brookelyn Feola seven and Hailee Manteiga three. E.P. dropped to 2-2 in the league with the loss.

The hiatus created a frenzied stretch for East Providence as it attempted to get in as many regular season games as possible before the start of the playoffs next week. Further hindering the locals, according to head coach Bay Lambert, were some off the court issues, including continued absences because of close COVID contacts, besetting a couple of key players.

“It’s a tough way to end the year, but we’ll keep on fighting,” Lambert said.

Saturday’s contest started a run of five games in as many days for the Townies who next met Westerly on Valentine’s Day when East Providence lost to the visiting Bulldogs 82-46. Ingram had a team-best 17 for the locals. Soares had 15 and Manteiga six. Elizabeth Santiago and Estrella D'Ambra had four apiece.

EPHS leveled its record to 3-3 on Monday, Feb. 15, following a 50-25 victory over visiting Tolman. Soares again paced the Townies, this time with 17 points. D’Ambra had 11. Manteiga and Feola added eight each and Ingram six.

EPHS dipped to 3-4 in the D-II ranks after suffering a 58-24 loss to host Rogers in Newport on February 16. Soares had nine points to lead the Townies. Feola had five.

The locals ended their extraordinary run of games with a 65-55 defeat against Shea, falling to 3-5 in the league. D’Ambra netted a team-best 16. Manteiga added 11 while Soares and Ingram each scored 10. Feola had eight.

— East Providence Post and eastbayri.com contributing photographer Julie Furtado shot the accompanying gallery of photos.