Strong returning group should put Titans in D-III contention

By Matt Metcalf
Posted 12/8/16

The Toll Gate girls' basketball team squeaked into the playoffs in Division III last winter, earning the No. 12 seed after posting a 6-11 regular season record. The Titans would go on to lose to eventual division champion

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Strong returning group should put Titans in D-III contention

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The Toll Gate girls’ basketball team squeaked into the playoffs in Division III last winter, earning the No. 12 seed after posting a 6-11 regular season record. The Titans would go on to lose to eventual division champion Tolman in the preliminary round, but the program was able to make it to the postseason for a second straight year nonetheless.

And that playoff experience should pay dividends this season when Toll Gate returns a veteran core of players.

The newly-enacted realignment should certainly help Toll Gate as well.

Six of the 12 playoff teams from Division III a season ago moved up to Division II, and Warwick Vets, another playoff team, closed due to consolidation, leaving just five leftover playoff teams in Division III.

Three teams moved down to Division III from Division II – Tiverton, Mt. Hope and North Providence – but they combined for just eight wins last season.

“That should benefit us,” Toll Gate head coach John Paolino said regarding the shuffling in divisions. “I’m going to assume the three teams coming down from Division II – Tiverton, Mt. Hope and North Providence – will be very tough. But, overall, I think the realignment helps us.”

Of the playoff teams that remained in D-III, I would imagine that it would be tough to find a team that is in better shape than Toll Gate in terms of returning personnel.

The Titans will take the court with their top six scorers from a season ago back with another year of experience under their belts.

Highlighting that group is senior forward Hannah McNulty, who has led Toll Gate in points and rebounds in each of the last two seasons. She was the only Titan who averaged in double figures last year with 15.1 points per game.

McNulty will obviously be a focal point for Toll Gate once again as she looks to close out her high school career with a championship.

“She should be one of the top players in our league,” Paolino said of McNulty.

Starting guards Marisa Giard, a senior, and Christina Barry, a junior, will also return to play key roles for the Titans. Much like McNulty, Giard (9.1 PPG) and Barry (6.5 PPG) will serve as leaders on and off the floor for Toll Gate, as all three players know what it takes to be successful at the D-III level.

“Those three kids, they know the program and know what to expect,” Paolino said of McNulty, Giard and Barry. “They’ll be able to teach the younger players our man-to-man defense. That leadership should definitely help.”

Paolino noted how well Giard has progressed as a basketball player over the last three seasons. He expects her to lead the team in steals and produce more offensively as she looks more confident on that end of the floor.

Barry will play off the ball this season as more of a shooting guard after taking most of the point guard duties last season. She was still able to put up scoring numbers that were good for third on the Titans last season, but playing off the ball will undoubtedly give her better looks at the basket.

Senior Mady Hirsch (4.4 PPG), junior Quinn Freeman (4.3 PPG) and sophomore Emily May (3.9 PPG) were fourth, fifth and sixth on Toll Gate, respectively, in points per game last season and they’re back to add some scoring this time around. Hirsch should also be a solid rebounder next to McNulty in the paint.

Kelsey DiCarlo, a junior transfer from Vets, should also see substantial minutes, as she brings tremendous versatility with her ability to play inside and outside.

As for the point guard position, Paolino expects freshman Natalie Aloisio to handle the starting duties there. It’s certainly a lot to ask of a freshman, but Paolino believes that Aloisio is up to the task.

“Natalie has been playing since she was 5 years old,” Paolino said of his freshman floor general. “It’s different at the high school level, but she’s got the athleticism and the skills. She sees the floor very well.”

Aloisio will join McNulty, Giard and Barry as four definite starters, and the fifth starter will likely rotate according to Paolino.

Toll Gate’s depth, experience and athleticism should give it a legitimate shot to contend in a new-look Division III this winter.

“I think this is one of the most athletic groups that we’ve had from top to bottom,” Paolino said. “We have height, we have a nice mix of returning players and some really good younger players coming up.”

Toll Gate was set to open play with an Injury Fund game against Exeter/West Greenwich on Wednesday, but results were unavailable at press time.

It will travel to play cross-town rival Pilgrim (D-II) in a non-league game Friday night at 6:30 p.m., before enduring a tough non-league test at Cranston East, which was a Final Four team last year, on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Those games should give Toll Gate a good indication of where it’s at, and playing teams in higher divisions will only make the Titans a better team down the road in a Division III that’s up for grabs.

“I think we should do pretty well this year,” Paolino said. “I’m confident that we’ll do well.”

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