Wildcats Ready for Waltham

After a long wait, the time has finally arrived for the Wilmington girls basketball team. 

It's been nearly two weeks since the Lady Wildcats closed out the regular season. On Thursday night, the team will get back to the hardwood against Waltham. Below we help you get ready for the game with five facts about tonight's matchup, which starts at 7 p.m.

• Wilmington earned its spot as the No. 2 seed in the North Division 2 bracket thanks to an impressive 16-4 mark and a . Waltham, meanwhile, struggled throughout the season and needed a five-game winning streak just to snag second place in the Dual County League with a 6-14 overall mark.
• The Lady Wildcats have two winning streaks of five games or longer this year. From December 27 to January 6, head coach Jay Keane's charges won five straight. Then from January 13 to February 10 the team ripped off nine straight victories.
• Emily Crannell is Wilmington's leading scoring, averaging 17 points per game. She was named Middlesex League MVP for her efforts. But the Wildcats' biggest strength is their depth. When the locals are clicking, they stuff the scorebook with contributions throughout.
• The winner of the game faces either Gloucester or Marblehead in the second round of the postseason. If the Wildcats are victorious Thursday, they'll host the next round as well. Wilmington has no chance of playing a road game the rest of the way. If the team wins its first two playoff games, the next game would be on a neutral site.
• Can't make the game? You can follow Wilmington Patch on Facebook and Twitter for updates througout the game. Then check back first thing Friday morning for a complete game recap including photos and video from the tilt.