BOSTON — Fenway High girls basketball has lofty goals every season, and yesterday, they tackled one of those goals by winning its second straight Boston City League title with an 85-53 victory over Latin Academy.
“There is a level of preparedness and leadership that we have,” said Panthers head coach John Rice. “The student athletes that we have, it translates from the classroom onto the court, it’s a great culture and we expect this every year.”
Fenway (14-1) jumped out to a 19-14 lead after the opening frame thanks in large part to senior guard Colby Upchurch, who drove the lane for six points in the quarter.
Senior guard Dasiah Thornton caught fire in the second quarter, scoring nine straight points for the Panthers including two buckets from deep, finishing the second with 11 points. Both guards were named to the all tournament team, with Thornton being named tournament MVP.
“We have a reputation to uphold,” Thornton said. “We’re going to get in the gym, work hard and do what we have to do going forward.”
Upchurch finished the game with 18 points, while Thornton finished with 19; both had a tournament total of 32.
Leading 39-26 at the halftime, Fenway went on an 11-2 run, ultimately finishing the third quarter with a 57-33 lead.
“I thought our defensive pressure was great,” Rice said. “We put a lot of pressure on their two horses and I don’t think they were ready for that.”
Junior Janyah Gulley (11 points) was a huge part of the defensive success for Fenway, with 10 boards and seven steals.
Latin Academy (16-4) got a stellar performance from Fiona Mannion, who racked up 27 points despite the loss.
With one title defended, Fenway now looks to defend another, as two-time defending Division 4 North champs.
“We’re going to try to scrap to get back to the Garden,” said Rice. “You just got to keep preparing, keep locked in, and be in a mindset where you’re ready to play.”
