Pittsfield's Depth the Difference in Semi-Final Win

PITTSFIELD, Mass. – The Pope Francis girls basketball team Wednesday bottled up one of the most dangerous scorers in Berkshire County .. for 15 minutes.

 

But even when its leading scorer was not lighting it up, Pittsfield’s girls basketball team had plenty of firepower in a 72-55 win to advance to Saturday’s Western Massachusetts Class B Championship game.

 

Harolyn Castillo scored 14 points to lead four Generals in double figures as Pittsfield (17-3) won its eighth straight game.

 

One of those players in double figures was Jamie Duquette, who finished with 11 – nine in the second half.

 

“Jamie’s a scorer, but we’re a family,” Pittsfield coach Joe Racicot said. “When you put that together, good things are gonna happen.

 

“That’s how we played all year. Usually, you’re waiting for Jamie to get 20 or so. [Pope Francis] did a pretty good job tonight. But, basically, what happened was the rest of the team did what they had to do.”

 

The fourth-seeded Cardinals jumped on top early, scoring the first seven points before the Generals’ offense started to warm up.

 

Randi Duquette hit a 3 to get the Generals on the board and spark a 7-2 run, but Pope Francis held onto its lead for most of the first half.

 

That changed in the closing minutes, when Pittsfield went on a 10-2 run to erase a four-point deficit.

 

Randi Duquette got things started with a long two-point field goal. Moments later, Abby Malumphy hit a 3-pointer to give Pittsfield its first lead of the game at 32-30.

 

Dezerea Powell (10 points) hit a 3, and Jamie Duquette scored her first points of the game with a bucket in the post to give Pittsfield a four-point margin.

 

It was 34-32, Generals, at half-time, but the Generals came out the locker room strong with an 8-3 spurt. Charlotte Goodnow (13 points, eight rebounds, five assists) scored five points in that stretch.

 

Pittsfield closed the third quarter with a Randi Duqette transition bucket assisted by her sister and a Jamie Duquette (11 points) putback at the buzzer to make it a nine-point cushion at 53-44.

 

The knockout blow came in the fourth, when Pittsfield finished with a 14-3 run that featured seven points, including a 3-pointer, from Castillo.

 

Kyanna Summers grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Pittsfield, which got 10 boards from Jamie Duquette.

 

The Generals move on to Saturday’s regional final against Wahconah, a winner over Easthampton on Wednesday, at a place and time to be announced.