Bishop Guertin girls basketball holds off Trinity to win D1 playoff opener

NASHUA - When the Trinity and Bishop Guertin high school girls basketball teams met in the regular season, the Cardinals narrowly won a one-possession game.

Monday night’s Division I girls basketball prelim wasn't much different.

The game was tied heading into the fourth quarter, but Bishop Guertin senior forward Thalia Drapeau scored eight of her team-high 14 points in the final frame to lead No. 8 Bishop Guertin to a 44-40 victory over No. 9 Trinity.

With the score tied 30-30 and just eight minutes left in the game, Drapeau drove hard to the basket on nearly every offensive possession, getting to the rim and drawing fouls.

The 5-11 senior scored a three-point play on two possessions in the middle of the quarter while sophomore guard Hailey McGowan (12 points) also attacked the rim, going a perfect 4 for 4 from the line in the final three minutes to seal the win.

“That’s really our big mission and goal,” Bishop Guertin coach Liv Orlando said. “If we’re not getting a transition bucket we want to get it inside, somehow, some way, to see those high percentage shots going through the hoop.”

The Cardinals (12-7) led 14-12 at the end of the first quarter and 25-22 at halftime. Bishop Guertin’s biggest lead of the game was late in the second quarter when a basket by senior guard Kayden Rioux (seven points) put the Cardinals up 25-19, but Trinity (11-8) junior forward Sadie Mungere (10 points) hit a 3 at the buzzer to cut the lead to 25-22.

“Trinity is a very, very talented team and super well-coached,” Orlando said. “We were really amped up for this game. We knew it was going to be a good one. We knew it was going to be a game of runs.

"I’m super proud of (our) composure. In the playoffs everyone brings their absolute best. Nobody wants their season to end, we knew they were going to bring it. (Trinity) has some really good young talent. I’m super proud of (our) kids.”

The Cardinals did an excellent job defensively, using their height and length to their advantage, with 6-1 senior forward Olivia Baker and Drapeau collecting multiple steals, blocks and rebounds.

Trinity junior guard Summer Cullen scored a game-high 15 points, connecting on three shots from 3-point range, to keep the Pioneers in it. Cullen and Mungere were the only Trinity players to make more than two shots from the field, thanks in part to Rioux, who had a strong two-way game.

“She’s never subbed out of the game because of her composure getting us into offensive sets, but defensively she’s typically tasked with guarding (our opponent’s) most talented offensive player,” Orlando said. “The impact she has is invaluable.”

Rioux will play against her former team, Concord Christian, when BG plays at the No. 1 Kingsmen (18-1) in Thursday’s quarterfinal, a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal, which the Kingsmen won, 48-33.

Concord Christian made easy work of No. 16 Alvirne, 54-29, in Monday night’s prelim.

"(Concord Christian) is another super talented and super well-coached team,” Orlando said. “They’re experienced. They’re older. It’s such an incredible story to see their climb up to Division I and have the success that they’ve had. We know it’s going to be a dogfight and we’re super excited for the challenge.”