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By Michael Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Following a brief two-game losing skid at the hands of Bedford and Braintree, the Wellesley High School girls varsity basketball team rebounded with a convincing 55-47 victory at home against Milton last Wednesday night.
Senior captain and point guard Kelcie Zarle led the way for the Raiders (7-2, 5-1) with a team-high 21 points, while junior shooting guard Gianna Palli recorded 18 points by hitting 6 of 11 shots from beyond the arc.
Wellesley began the game on a 12-0 run thanks to some lights-out shooting by Zarle, who splashed home a pair of early 3-pointers, along with 3-pointers by Palli and junior guard Brooke Guiffre (seven points). Palli added three more 3-pointers throughout the remainder of the opening quarter, giving the Raiders a commanding 23-5 lead at the end of one.
Gianna Palli (3) drives to the basket late in the fourth quarter. Photos by Michael Flanagan
Palli’s fifth 3-pointer of the game extended Wellesley’s lead to 31-10 with four minutes to play in the first half. Zarle added another three along with made layups by Guiffre and senior guard Sofie Paulsen (five points) as the Raiders entered halftime up by 23 points at 38-15.
Unlike the first half where seemingly every shot the Raiders put up ended with a swish, the second half saw Wellesley suddenly go cold. Following a two-point jumper by Zarle with a little under six minutes to play, Wellesley shot 0 for 8 during about a four-minute span. The extended stretch of missed shots resulted in a 12-2 run by the Wildcats, who cut the Wellesley lead to 42-27 and forced the Raiders to take a timeout.
Anne Ward (33) and Anna Glashow (20) box out a Milton forward for a second quarter rebound. Photos by Michael Flanagan
Following the break in the action, Palli responded for the Raiders by knocking home her sixth 3-pointer of the game to end the Milton scoring run and extended the Wellesley lead to 18 points at 45-27. Zarle added a layup to push the lead to 20, but Milton refused to wave the white flag as the Wildcats finished the quarter on an 8-0 run to cut Wellesley’s lead to 47-35 at the end of three.
Sofie Paulsen (15) leaps and wins the game’s opening tip for Wellesley. Photos by Michael Flanagan
Strong free throw shooting by Zarle (4 of 4) and Paulsen (1 of 2) allowed the Raiders push their lead to 52-39 with 3:28 to play. Milton went on a 6-1 run to cut the deficit to single digits at 53-45 with a little over a minute to play, but a layup by Guiffre with 44 seconds remaining, followed by a steal from Palli, allowed Wellesley to chew out the remainder of the clock and emerge with the eight-point victory.
On Friday, the Raiders took down Framingham at home to improve to 7-2 on the year and 5-1 in Bay State Conference play. Wellesley will look to make it three straight wins when they travel to Newton North on January 17 before hosting rival Needham on January 23.
For funny and incisive sports analysis, follow Mike Flanagan on his personal Twitter at @fLAno0, or read his blog at www.flannylive.wordpress.com.
