SCARBOROUGH — After a perfect start to this COVID-abbreviated girls’ basketball season, it’s safe to say that Thornton Academy has a very bright present.
And the Golden Trojans’ future is even brighter.
Thornton Academy, which doesn’t have a senior on its roster, continued its strong play Saturday at Alumni Gymnasium, awakening from slow starts in each half and then breaking open a close game with a 15-2 run to end the third quarter on the way to a 48-35 victory over Scarborough.
Sophomore Jessica Dow led the way with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Classmate Hannah Cook added 13 points as the Golden Trojans improved to 5-0 on the season.
“All the credit goes to the girls,” said Thornton Academy Coach Eric Marston. “We have some terrific athletes and basketball players. The more I stay out of it and let them use their athleticism, the better off we are.”
The game began with both teams struggling to put the ball in the basket.
At the midway point of the first quarter, Scarborough had a 1-0 lead, but the offense eventually came and a 3-pointer from senior Sylvia Foley capped a 7-0 run for the Red Storm. Thornton Academy then rallied back within a point at quarter’s end, 8-7, on a putback from Mikenzie Melendez.
Scarborough took a 12-8 lead on Foley’s second 3, but the Golden Trojans closed the first half on a 14-4 run, highlighted by a go-ahead basket by Dow, a Dow 3-pointer and a layup by Cook with four seconds to go that made it 22-15.
When Kayla Conley put in a layup for the Red Storm three minutes into the second half, they were only down 23-19. But then Dow buried a 3, and freshman Addisen Sulikowski made a layup and set up Bailey Littlefield for a layup. Dow followed with another basket, and Sulikowski went coast-to-coast for a layup and a 34-19 advantage.
“Our bench gave us positive energy, and that helped,” Dow said. “We got off to a slow start because we weren’t moving well on offense. We started trusting our offense, and that and our intensity got us going.”
The lead grew to 21 points in the fourth quarter.
“I think we’re establishing we’re getting better, and I think next year will be great,” Dow said. “It’s very exciting to get everyone back.”
The Red Storm were paced by Conley, who had 10 points, and Foley, who scored nine, but offense continues to be a challenge.
“We haven’t gotten to 40 (points) all year,” said Scarborough Coach Mike Giordano. “That’s where our issues are. We’ve played really good defense, but I think today we let down a little bit. When you work so hard and things don’t fall for you, there’s a little bit of a letdown. And (Thornton’s) a really good team.”
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