Lee advances to State Final with 69-37 win over Worcester South

WORCESTER – The goal for the Lee girls’ basketball team this season was to win a Western Mass. title.

Mission accomplished.

Now, the Wildcats are just 32 minutes away from a coveted eighth state title, as Lee traveled to the DCU Center Monday afternoon and put a hammering on the Central Mass. Champs – University Park (Worcester South), 69-37.

Stephanie Young was unstoppable as she lead the ‘Cats with 30 points, and Eileen Dooley added 24 points and 10 assists, to carry Lee to a Division 3 State Title date this Saturday morning at 10:45 at the DCU Center against one of the state’s best girls’ teams, the ESPNHS ranked no. 2 Archbishop Williams.

“These kids want to succeed and want to play until the end,” said Lee Head Coach Gary Wellington. “When they put their mind to something, they are going to finish.”

Lee jumped out quickly against the South guards, pressuring the passing lanes and creating easy baskets on the break, as the ‘Cats converted on seven fast breaks (14 points) in the first quarter to jump out to a 27-7 lead after one frame.

“Our game plan coming in was to run them, and break them out of that 2/3 zone,” Wellington said. “They didn’t come out of that zone, and we were just going to push that ball until they did.”

Dooley opened the second quarter with six quick points to push the lead to 33-9, and Megan Gaul added five points, including a three from the wing, to give the ‘Cats a 40-16 lead at intermission.

“Over the last three to four games we’ve been shooting well,” Wellington said. “With 70 points over our last few games, we are shooting well right now – that’s what you want to do – you want to peak when you get here.”

Young had 15 points at the break and Dooley had 16 – as both players were neither challenged on the perimeter or underneath for easy baskets in the first half.

“They are our leaders,” Wellington said. “They know everything about each other, and they have a feel for each other on the court – in every situation, the two can take over a game if they have to.”

If Lee has a shot against Archbishop Williams on Saturday morning, they will need to continue to play flawless on offense, especially against a team which beat Division 1 St. Mary’s of Lynn by 20 earlier this year. St. Mary’s beat no. 1 Western Mass. seed Sabis (Springfield) by 20 in the Hoophall Classic in January.

“I’ll get right back in the gym tomorrow and tell them that we are probably playing the Celtics,” Wellington said. “We’ve been watching them all year, and they are a dynamite group.”

While Archbishop Williams will be the heavy favorite on Saturday morning, Young and company are playing their best basketball of the season, and after losing to perennial Central Mass. Champion Quaboag at the Hoophall Classic, Lee could not be more excited to compete for an eighth state championship.

“During the middle of the season I would have said, ‘no way we are going to states’ – so it’s crazy to know that we are here and we are so close – now it’s registering in our minds on how bad we want this,” Young said.

Posted by Tim Davis on March 11, 2013. Filed under Breaking News,High School Sports,Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry