With the regular season on hold for the holiday break, the Windham girls basketball team was looking to gain some momentum in the Winter Hoop Festival at Gorham High School.

The momentum is shifting and the Eagles can feel it.

Starting the regular season at 0-5 has been tough, but first-year coach Wayne Martin is happy with his squad’s attitude.

“This group of girls is staying upbeat and positive,” Martin said. “We just need to channel some good play into a win because we are definitely not playing to our record.”

The first round of the festival did not result in a victory, as Winnacunnet High School of Hampton, N. H., defeated Windham 48-31, but the game gave the Eagles the momentum they’ve been looking for.

Behind excellent offensive and defensive play from senior Ashley Fitzgerald and junior Allyson Noble, Windham opened the first quarter with a 13-9 lead. Noble provided the first basket of the game and Fitzgerald followed with a big three-pointer from the top of the key.

Outstanding inside play by Noble and Taylor Graves, pressure defense and quality shot selection gave the Eagles the look of a team coming together.

The lead had dwindled to two at the half, 22-20, but Fitzgerald was hot, hitting a trio of three-point shots, scoring the last basket of the half and leading all scorers with 11 points.

“I was feeling good in warm-ups and the momentum carried over into the first half,” said Fitzgerald.

Martin liked what he was seeing from his team.

“The first half was our best half of the season,” he said. “When you are playing a veteran coached team like Winnacunnet, an early lead is crucial. We knew Winnacunnet would find its game.”

He was right about that.

The Warriors surged out of the locker room, beginning the second half with an 11-0 run. With a solid combination of three-pointers, tough defensive pressure and capitalizing on Windham turnovers, Winnacunnet took the lead for good with four minutes to go in the third quarter.

The Warriors’ Abigail LaRosa, who had a game-high 21 points, led the second half charge.

Martin was impressed but not surprised by his opponents.

“We played a good team tonight,” the coach said. “Some of our regular local opponents have struggled against them in the past so we expected to be tested.”

The last few minutes of the game looked a lot like the first few. Windham ran their offense with precision, executed plays and found the resurgence they were looking for during the vacation.

“The holiday tournament is great,” said Fitzgerald. “It gives us a chance to work on our game and build up some momentum to go back to the regular season.”

The season resumes Jan. 3 when Windham travels to Sanford.

Copy the Story Link