Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, FEbrUAry 14, 2025 Lady Sachems basketball team looks to finish strong in final stretch By Dom Nicastro T he Saugus High School girls basketball team finds itself in a crucial stretch of the season, sitting at 11-6 with three games left before the playoffs. While they have already secured their third straight Northeastern Conference Lynch Division title, the team is focused on fine-tuning their game in preparation for the postseason. Saugus suffered a defensive battle of a loss to Swampscott, falling 33-28 in a game that marked its lowest offensive output of the season. Saugus coach Joe Lowe acknowledged that Swampscott’s 3-2 zone defense posed significant challenges, disrupting the Sachems’ offense. “They played a 3-2 zone, and we missed every shot we took in the paint,” Lowe said. “We shot under 10% for the game, which was never going to win. We only gave up 33 points—that’s enough—but the 28 was a season-low.” Saugus struggled to find its rhythm, missing 15 layups and failing to connect on perimeter shots. Peyton DiBiasio led the team with nine points, while Katie Hashem contributed seven. Despite the offensive struggles, the defense remained a bright spot. “The defense was fine,” Lowe said. “We took our gambles, did our thing, and were aggressive. I don’t have a problem with that. It’s just—can we execute in tight games down the stretch?” With games against Peabody, Dracut and Chelmsford remaining, Lowe is more concerned with execution than results. “I honestly don’t care about wins and losses,” he said. “We need to tighten up a few things in our press and just execute. I Saugus girls basketball Head Coach Joe Lowe goes over pregame strategy with his team before the Sachems’ game with Marblehead at the TD Garden for the annual Andrew James Lawson Invitational Tournament. (Advocate file photos) don’t care where we end up in the playoffs. I just want to see them play a full game, stick together and compete.” The upcoming matchups will provide a strong test for Saugus, as Dracut and Chelmsford are both formidable opponents. Chelmsford, in particular, has been dominant this season but recently suffered a loss to Masconomet, its first of the season. Lowe is eager to see how his team responds to these challenges, noting that their performance in these final three games will serve as a benchmark for how much they have improved from last season. “I just want to see what our compete level is,” he said. “If it drops off, I know that we haven’t improved from last year. But if they step up in these games, it shows me we’re trending in the right direction.” While offense was a struggle against Swampscott, the defensive intensity was evident. Lowe singled out Ella Castle, Madison Botta and Taylor Deleidi for their efforts, with Deleidi making a particularly strong impact on the boards. “Taylor rebounded the ball exceptionally well out of the guard spot for us,” Lowe said. “She’s been great.” Castle, a defensive anchor throughout the season, continued her strong play, making it difficult for Swampscott to get quality looks. Despite the loss to the Big Blue, the Sachems have already locked up the Northeastern Conference Lynch Division crown. Swampscott finished second despite the win over Saugus. This marks the third consecutive NEC title for Saugus, a testament to the program’s consistency and growth under Lowe’s leadership. While the team is proud of this accomplishment, their sights remain set on making a strong postseason run. The Sachems’ Kaitlyn Hashem is shown at the free-throw line during their game against Marblehead at the TD Garden recently.
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