PHOTOS: Framingham Defeats Natick 59-43

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FRAMINGHAM – Framingham High girls basketball team got off to a sluggish start, but easily defeated Natick High Tuesday night 59-43.

The Flyers scored just 12 points in the first quarter, and were in an 18-18 tie with Bay State Conference rival Natick High in the second quarter, when they finally found their rhythm.

“I think we started off a little kind of on our heels. I think the biggest thing with them is we’ve been really focusing on the need to be consistent. As soon as that quick first basket went in, we started to, you could see the spark come back in them,” said Head Coach Kristen Fucarile

“I think our second quarter was our most powerful quarter. That’s where you start to see our fastbreak come in and us start to play our game,” said the head coach after the game. “I think it is tough to start off in the first quarter against the team that you played against in the finals, I mean, the playoffs last year, and I think they had a little bit of the jitters again.”

But then again, no matter the records, it is always intense when it is Natick vs Framingham.

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Senior captain Katie Regan led the Flyers with 13 points. She also had 9 rebounds and 6 steals.

Sophomore Allie Regan had 10 points last night.

Grace Hanna nailed some key 3-pointers for the Flyers. She finished the game with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

“She had her first, I think double, double tonight. She’s a powerful player for us coming off the bench. Doesn’t really feel like a freshman. She plays more like a junior or senior,” said Coach Fucarile. “She seems very comfortable with the ball in her hands.”

Senior captain Selina Monestine had a dozen points, 8 rebounds and 6 blocked shots for the Flyers.

“She’s our floor general. She might not be our leading scorer tonight, but she probably assisted on five or six other baskets. She sees the court well,” said Coach Fucarile. “She does everything for us. She’s always that spark that we need. And she also knows when to give the ball up, but also when she should be taking her shots.”

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The Flyers got into foul trouble in the second half, finishing with 9 or 10 fouls. They only had a couple in the first half.

“We had a bit too many fouls in the second half,” said the head coach.

After the game, the coach talked to her players about being consistent.

“We’re a powerful team on the boards. We sometimes forget to box out and instead we just kind of go up out jump and out, athletic size, other teams. And really when we box out, we can own the paint,” said Coach Fucarile. “I said to them, we have to do that – box out – against these other teams coming up. Newton North, who we have next, is a strong team. And if you go in there, thinking you’re going to out jump these kids, it’s not going to happen.”

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Coach Fucarile also talked about the team’s ability to capitalize on its rebounding, into fastbreaks, and ultimately points.

“Our offense is built off of our defense. So if we are consistent on rebounding, we’re going to be doing great things on offense,” said Coach Fucarile.

The Flyers are now 2-0 to start the season, but the third game is on the road against Newton North’s Tigers.

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