The win improved Norwell to 7-1 while the loss ended the Green Wave's four-game win streak and dropped their record to 6-3.
ABINGTON – The Norwell High girls basketball team, behind the scoring of junior Bridget Coffey (12 points) and sophomore Kristi Vierra (11), along with an excellent defensive effort, defeated Abington, 50-26, in a South Shore League contest on Wednesday night.
The win improved Norwell to 7-1 while the loss ended the Green Wave’s four-game win streak and dropped their record to 6-3.
On paper, the game promised to be another classic matchup between two programs that have battled for the SSL title over the past decade.
The first quarter saw the Clippers score first on Coffey’s short jumper and then extended their lead to 11-3 on Annie Hilsinger’s short scoop in the paint with 2:16 left in the opening stanza.
However, the Green Wave rallied to close the gap to 11-8 at the end of the first quarter when Marissa Golden came off the bench to give Abington a much-needed offensive lift. The senior tallied a basket off the glass from short range and drilled a deep 3-pointer from the right corner.
The Clippers took control of the game in the second quarter when Coffey’s put-back made it 24-11 with less than a minute remaining in the first half.
The Green Wave suffered through a woeful scoring drought late in the first half (and throughout the game) as they were held scoreless for nearly six minutes in the second quarter. Katie Marando’s layup at the buzzer ended the drought and sent the teams to the locker room with Norwell holding a 24-13 edge.
“Our defense was solid, but Abington ran their offense well but had a tough time finishing,” said Norwell coach Matt Marani. “They are a better team than what you saw tonight.”
Norwell broke the game open in the third quarter when it opened with a 10-0 run as Vierra tallied six points to extend the lead to 35-16 with 4:23 left in the quarter.
The Clippers kept the pressure on the Green Wave as Coffey tallied eight of the next 11 points (along with Vierra’s three) to put the game out of reach at 45-19.
Abington senior Courtney McCabe was a bright light in the third quarter, scoring five of her team’s six points.
Both coaches substituted liberally in the fourth quarter when the outcome was all but decided.
Coffey had her best game of the season for the Clippers after being sidelined with a stress fracture.
“I’m starting to feel much better,” said the junior captain. “We are off to a great start and playing very unselfish basketball.”
The Clippers, who displayed excellent ball movement, had 10 players score.
Vierra, Norwell’s top scorer, had a tough shooting first half (two points) but tallied nine points to lead the way in the decisive third quarter.
“I’ve had a tough time in the first half the last couple of games,” said Vierra. “But coach keeps telling me to keep taking good shots and they will start to drop.”
Norwell is on a roll and will look to pick up win No. 8 when it faces Hull on Friday.
It was a disappointing night for Abington’s first-year coach, Dan Norton.
“Frustrating, for sure. It was one of those nights where nothing was going in the basket,” Norton said. “After four straight wins it was a bit of a wake-up call for us.
“I am confident that we will bounce back at Carver on Friday.”