BOSTON — If you believe the popular opinion, Georgetown did not belong at TD Banknorth Garden yesterday. After all, the Royals limped to a 5-15 regular-season record.
¬ The players have heard the griping. In gyms across the North Shore, at school and even on the Internet. But give them credit. They didn't lash out or complain.
¬ "We have a lot to be proud of," senior center Taryn O'Connell said after the Royals fell to Millis, 60-43, in the Division 4 state championship game.
¬ Each doubter might as well have been holding a match.
¬ "It kind of lit a fire under them," Georgetown coach BarriAnn Alonzo said.
¬ Sure, the Royals struggled against the Division 2 and Division 3 opponents in the Cape Ann League, but many of those teams have enrollments which dwarf Georgetown's. Masconomet, for example, has 662 girls in grades 9-12, North Andover 583 and Georgetown just 196.
And the Royals still had to win four games in the state tournament to get to the Garden.
¬ Fan interest, according to the players, went from lukewarm at best to red hot over the past few weeks. And if any of their friends made comments about their sub-.500 record, they politely shook them off.
¬ "They should watch us before they make a judgment," senior guard Shannon Hartford said.
¬ Alonzo agreed. It stung to hear people claim that her team, which went 2-2 against Division 4 competition this season to earn the tourney berth, didn't belong in the postseason.
¬ "It didn't make you happy to hear that," Alonzo said. "We deserved to be there."
¬ But really, at this level, it's not about proving doubters wrong. It's about enjoying the moment. It's about playing in the Garden. How many kids can say they ran up and down the same floor as Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen? ¬
¬ "We didn't need any validation," Alonzo said. "We know who we are."
¬ O'Connell, for one, was certainly enjoying the moment. The Royals may have lost, but she wasn't pouting. O'Connell has a lot to look forward to. She was accepted early decision to Bates College, where she plans on playing basketball. And at last check, she was ranked No. 5 in her class of 98 students. ¬
¬ Coming off a 32-point effort against New Mission in the North final, Millis held her to 12 points yesterday. It wasn't the storybook ending she was looking for, but, hey, most people didn't think she and her teammates would even get this far.
¬ "These girls worked their butts off," O'Connell said. "It's hard to see it end."
E-mail Alan Siegel at asiegel@eagletribune.com.
Ready for Prime Time
Georgetown often struggles in the regular season but shines in the Division 4 tourney:
Year%Regular season%Postseason%Round reached
2009%5-15%4-1%state final
2008%10-10%2-1%North semis
2007%13-7%1-1%North quarterfinals
2006%4-15%0-1%First round
2005%4-16%0-0%Didn't qualify
2004%8-12%4-1%state final
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