Taunton v. Milford: Chef Pierre

Bash Hudson

January 31, 2022 @ 07:52 PM

I was able to catch some pre-blizzard hoops between Milford High and Taunton High on Friday night. Milford took an early 13-11 lead into the second period and remained competitive at the half only down 5. The second half was all Taunton High, whose suffocating defense and electric scoring from one of ’23’s most prolific shooters took over. Taunton won 53-36. Below are the standouts.   Player of the Game: <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-382688" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/01/99AB9717-E0F5-449D-AB69-4246F3F2D59B-scaled-crop-1852x1216-1643654021-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="184055" first="Kameron" last="St.Pierre"] - Taunton - 5’9’’ - CG - ’23 Foul trouble limited the lethal lefty St. Pierre to 5 first-half points. Fully rested for the third period, St. Pierre came out on fire and scored 16 of her game-high 25 points in that quarter which buried Milford. Milford had no answer for St. Pierre, who was getting to the basket at will. Known for her long-range ability, she only hit 2 threes but was most impressive on the offensive glass. St. Pierre’s athleticism stood out; she relentlessly crashed the glass and secured 2nd chance opportunities. St. Pierre’s defensive intensity also was impressive. Her effort was unmatched Friday night, and she made a loud impact in transition and played a significant role in holding Milford to 19 second-half points.   Taunton Standouts: [player_tooltip player_id="382670" first="Olivia" last="Gannon"] - 5’9’’ - PF - ’22 Gannon was vital in the second quarter when St. Pierre left the game and the third when Taunton went on a huge scoring run. Gannon finished second on the team with 12 points and showed soft touch around the rim. She also showed good hands on the block, ran the floor well, and got rewarded with a couple of transition baskets.   [player_tooltip player_id="382683" first="Cali" last="Melo"] - 5’5’’ - PG - ’24 Melo quietly put together an excellent all-around game on Friday night. She had 6 points, 5 assists, and 10 rebounds. The rebounding is what impressed me the most about Melo’s performance. Her ability to get the rebound and control the tempo on the break was vital for Taunton’s transition offense. Melo’s playmaking and decision-making in the open court were also impressive.   Milford Standouts: [player_tooltip player_id="382667" first="Maddalena" last="Mannucci Pacini"] - 5’7’’ - PG - ’22 Mannucci Pacini came out on fire to start the game, scoring 10 of her team-high 12 points in the first quarter. She only hit 2 field goals in the period (one being a three), but her slashing gave Taunton’s defense troubles. She got to the line several times from being aggressive and relentless in pursuit of the basket.   [player_tooltip player_id="382668" first="Emily" last="Croteau"] - 5’6’’ - SG/SF - ’23 I liked Croteau’s effort and hustle throughout the whole game. Her 6 points came off of her high motor. She was good on the offensive glass and flew in for some impressive boards over Taunton players. Croteau is only 5’6’’ but can play the 3 because she is one of the best athletes on the court, and her speed and quickness enhanced Milford’s defense.