Massasoit Women's Basketball Cruises By Bunker Hill, 85-56

BROCKTON, Mass. ---- Trailing 12-4 in the early part of the first half, the Massasoit CC women's basketball team utilized its speed and pressure defense to mount a 31-4 run and cruise to a 85-56 victory against Bunker Hill CC on Tuesday night.

Massasoit (2-3) built up a 45-22 lead at intermission, as Ashley Andrade (Randolph/Randolph HS) scored 14 of his game-high 24 points in the opening stanza. Andrade finished with her second double-double of the season, grabbing 10 rebounds along with four assists and four steals.

"It was great to see Ashley have a breakout game for us," head coach Mark Brathwaite said. "She used to do that for us all the time last year and she's almost like a one-man press and fast break for us at times. She had a really good game."

Cynara Rustin (Boston/Minutemen Regional) who also reached double figures prior to halftime, poured in 11 before the break. She finished 15 on the night off 6-of-12 shooting.

The Warriors' leading scorer entering the night, Fredi Lawson (Boston/J.E. Burke HS), was the third player to reach double digits putting in 14 points and grabbing eight boards off the bench.

Nearly reaching double figures for Massasoit was Marina Palladino (Carver/Carver HS) and Tiana McQueen (Mattapan/Boston English HS) each with nine points. Karissa Pagan (Brockton/Brockton HS) and Tianna Johnson (Brockton/New Mission HS) each contributed seven points, respectively. Johnson dished out a game-high 10 assists, grabbed seven rebounds and four steals in the victory.

"I told the team in the locker room, that we held Bunker Hill scoreless for a long time in the first half because of our press and fast pace tempo. That is the way we need to play all the time to be successful," Brathwaite said. "The fact that we only turned the ball over 13 times is also a really good sign."

For the game, Massasoit shot 45.1 percent (32-71) from the field and went to the free throw line 35 times, making 20 attempts. Overall, the Warriors grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, 14 coming in the first half, which helped lead to the big first half run.

Next up for the Warriors is a home contest against Holyoke CC on Saturday at 1 p.m.