Published January 23, 2020

By DAN NUNN

NORTH READING — Twelve players cracked the score sheet as the NRHS girls’ basketball team improved to 5-3 with their gargantuan 58-24 victory at Georgetown on January 14. Senior captain Ali Grasso had 13 points and freshman Faith Newton scored a career-high 11 points.

Senior captain Lauren Sullivan chipped in with eight points, fellow captain Kiley McCarthy had seven points and junior Kaitlyn Copelas added six points. Sophomore Nasha Arnold was a monster on the glass as she collected 11 rebounds. North Reading took care of the basketball the entire game with a season low seven turnovers.

It was a tight first quarter and NRHS clung to a 9-6 lead after one. In the second stanza, the Hornets turned the game on its head as they erupted offensively. They blitzed Georgetown with a 22-5 run and the lead exploded to 31-11 at the half. North Reading continued their domination the rest of the way.

NASHA ARNOLD collected 11 rebounds during North Reading’s win over Georgetown on Jan. 14. (John Friberg File Photo)

Crush Newburyport 48-26

Ali Grasso scored 19 points to lead the Hornets to their wire-to-wire 48-26 blowout victory over the Newburyport Clippers on Thursday night. Grasso added seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Lauren Sullivan had nine points from three 3-pointers, Faith Newton potted seven points and Julia Howse recorded five points, six rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists.

Grasso carried NRHS in the first half. She scored 15 of the team’s 22 points and North Reading took a 22-12 lead into the break. One minute into the third quarter, the Clippers cut the lead to 22-17. But from that point until the end of the game, it was all Hornets. North Reading outscored Newburyport 26-9 the rest of the way and coasted to their sixth win in seven games.

The Hornets were topped by Masco on Monday. A full story will appear next week.

North Reading (5-3 league record) will travel to 9-1 Pentucket (5-1 in league) on Friday night at 6:30 p.m.