Highlanders Defeat Terriers, 49-39

Too many turnovers by Rocky Hill helped lead the Portland Girls' basketball team to 49-39 victory over the Terriers in the first round of the Erica Garrett Memorial Tournament at Tuesday night.

"I am happy with the win. It was a tough game to get any rhythm or flow," said Portland head coach Nick Chaconis. "It was almost like practice. We keep running it and running it. But, we couldn't make a basket."

The Terriers took 18-14 lead into halftime. However, turnovers would play a major factor in a sometimes "slow and sluggish" game, Chaconis said.

"What just happened is we turned the ball over too much,” said Rocky Hill head coach Pete Egan. “Anyone who had the ball just wanted to get rid of it."

Portland used full-court pressure in the second half that lead to turnovers and easy baskets for the Highlanders, Chaconis said. Egan added that the Terriers, who start three sophomores, stopped playing good defense.

“It was a game we could have won for sure,” Egan stated.

The Highlanders, who are the defending Class S champions, came out firing in the second half and had a 33-29 lead at the end of the third quarter. The Terriers would be unable to recover and lost, 49-39.

"Portland showed why they are a championship team," Egan said. "They were a disciplined team at the end and took advantage of our turnovers."

Senior forward Sarah Bierly led the Highlanders in scoring with 16 points. Meaghan Rodgers added 12 points and Brianna Marconi had 10 points.

Junior Emily Anderson scored a team-high 25 points for the Terriers. Sophomore Alexa St. Germain added eight points.

Portland will play Berlin in the championship game of the tournament at 7 p.m. on Thursday at . Rocky Hill will play Farmington in the consolation game at 5:30 p.m.

"I think they [Berlin] are going to force you to play up-tempo," Chaconis exclaimed. "It will be a nice matchup."

The tournament is played in honor of Erica Garrett who died from Cancer in 2000. All the money raised from the tournament goes toward a scholarship in her honor.

Editor's Note: Did you attend the game? Send us your pictures! Email us at Joseph.Wenzel@Patch.com.