Everyone wants to say we can’t score, we don’t have any stars. That’s not true.”

Barrington Coach Stephen Lenz

Look, she does everything on the floor. Passes, rebounds, she defends. She sets up the offense. She kind of makes us go.”

BHS Coach Stephen Lenz, about Ella Martin

Next stop: Quarterfinals

Barrington will play against Portsmouth in the State Tournament quarterfinals. The game is scheduled for Monday, March 10, at CCRI-Warwick at 6 p.m.

The Eagles made a statement in their double-digit victory over St. Raphael’s Academy on Friday night: We can still score a lot of points.

Barrington scored early and often in the Sweet 16 State Tournament showdown, leading by 19 points at the end of the first quarter and 29 points at halftime. The Eagles rolled to a 36-point win, 67-31.

The victory followed a tough Division I tournament loss to Ponaganset where Barrington scored only one point in the first quarter and three in the first half. 

“Everyone wants to say we can’t score, we don’t have any stars. That’s not true,” said Barrington Coach Stephen Lenz. “We had one bad game. We played two really good defensive teams. Sometimes that happens.

“I think they’re tired of hearing people say we can’t score. I think we all are. If you look at us over the course of a year, we’ve struggled to score at times, but we’ve also had some really good games and put up a lot of points. For a team that lost three of its top scorers, we can find ways to score. Hopefully we take that confidence into the next round.”

Barrington will play against Portsmouth in the State Tournament quarterfinals. The game is scheduled for Monday, March 10, at CCRI-Warwick at 6 p.m.

Ella Martin opened the scoring for Barrington on Friday night. The freshman guard swished a long-range three-pointer. Martin then found Liv Morrissette on a fast break, and Barrington led 5-0.

Martin went on to drill two more three-pointers in the first quarter, while Riley Graveline, Lauren Kilpatrick, Faith Van Ness and Maggie Ornstedt also scored for the Eagles. Barrington held a 26-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

Martin finished the quarter with nine points and hit two more three’s in the second quarter.

“I’m just trying to look for the best shot, or find some open teammates. If it’s open I’m always going to shoot it,” Martin said. 

Coach Lenz was quick to praise Martin. 

“She’s great. She knows the game. She’s poised. She had some great takes,” said Coach Lenz. “Look, she does everything on the floor. Passes, rebounds, she defends. She sets up the offense. She kind of makes us go. I think her and Riley they (the rest of the team) feed off of.”

Barrington was in command throughout the entire game. The Eagles led 42-13 at halftime and 52-23 at the end of the third. Coach Lenz emptied the bench in the fourth.

Liv Morrissette said the team had been working hard in preparation for the State Tournament.

“We’ve been staying together as a team the whole time. We’ve been pushing each other in practice. It’s always competitive,” Morrissette said. “We also did a team bonding thing, so I think that helped us.”

Martin was pleased with the team’s bounce-back effort, following a tough loss to Ponaganset.

“It’s great. I think our team really needed that boost of confidence,” Martin said. “We got kind of lucky with LaSalle. It was a good team win. And then Ponaganset, it definitely brought our confidence down. But a game like this, when everyone is firing from all levels, it definitely brings our confidence up and it will definitely carry us into the next round.”

Martin led the team with 17 points, while Liv Morrissette finished with 12, Faith Van Ness added 11, and Riley Graveline scored eight. Ornstedt dropped in five, Kilpatrick and Ava Morrissette each had four, Eli Carter had three, Maddie Varone finished with two points and Ellie Donato knocked down a free throw.