Finish regular season at 10-4, make strong showing in playoffs

– Photos by Salvantonio Clemente and Carlos Morales

The 7th Grade Girls traveling basketball team, the Somerville Pride, concluded a highly successful Winter season, notching over 10 victories in the regular season and earning the hard-working girls their first-ever playoff spot.

Playing home and away games against highly touted teams from Lexington, Wakefield, and Waltham, among others, the team defied the pre-season predictions and roared to a 10-4 regular season record, qualifying them for the playoffs held last weekend in Woburn. The 7th Grade Pride team enjoyed tremendous fan support during the regular season, winning several close games right at the buzzer.

The playoffs opened up against a very tough Waltham team, whom the Pride beat in the regular season, at Waltham, by 2 points, as the clock ran down.

Playing their best game of the year, they staked an early lead, never looked back, and put Waltham away. They were led by standout Melina Pimentel, Emily Sabatino, Jenny Cremone, Alison Morales, Lola Clemente, and were ably assisted by Samantha Fitzgerald, Destiny Augustin, and Sydney Revilla.

That put the team up against the best team in the conference, #1 seed Arlington. Sorely missing fellow teammate Niamhn Jacques, but fortunate to have veteran Kiely Johnson back in action for this crucial game, they ended the first half only down by 2. But in the end, foul trouble and a superior Arlington team got the better of the girls, who never quit and went down fighting to the end.

Next year promises to be even better for the returning girls, who will now make up the 8th Grade Girls Pride Team.

Much credit for the success of the season goes to the hard working team and Coaches Sal Clemente, Sean Fitzgerald, and starting Coach Rich Johnson who was called to active duty early on in the season. Great support came from Parent Coordinator Judy Sabatino and Scorekeepers Dan Cremone and Rudy Revilla.