Coming off a 34-point loss last Friday at Winthrop, the Saugus High School girls’ basketball team was looking for a comeback effort against the visiting Triton Regional Vikings Monday evening at the Saugus High gym. The Sachems got the effort they were looking for, as they lost a lead but regained control late in an eventual 43-35 victory.
The win upped Saugus’s early-season record to 2-1 and head coach Mark Schruender was pleased with the composure his team showed late in the game. “The great thing about the game was that we gave away a lead in the fourth quarter and never panicked,” he said.
Schruender also cited the defensive performance, calling out the efforts of Madison Botta and Jessica Bremberg. The Sachems finished with 17 steals in the game, the second most they’ve had in a game over the last three seasons. “I really liked our effort and anticipation on defense,” he said.
Saugus saw an 11-point lead slip away in the second half but was able to reverse course and end up a eight-point victor. Coming back from an injury, guard Peyton DiBiasio finished with a team-high 15 points, followed by Ana Silva with eight.
In last Friday’s 54-20 loss at Winthrop, Ashleen Escobar was the lone Sachem to reach double figures. She ended up with 10 points and Taylor Deleidi netted seven in the defeat. The Sachems resume action at a holiday tournament at Revere High School on Dec. 29-30.
In last week’s season-opening 36-33 home win over Swampscott, Ella Castle was the leading scorer with 12 points. Bremberg added seven points, Escobar six, and Silva four. Ashleigh Moore grabbed seven rebounds and Devany Millerick dished out three assists.
In gauging his team’s expectations this season, Schruender said it’s still very early but the team chemistry appears to be good. “Myself and the assistant coaches thoroughly enjoy coming to the gym each day,” he observed. “[The players] are a hardworking and coachable group. It will be exciting to see how much they improve during the course of the season.”