Breakout Performance: Fleuriel Leads Winthrop to Back-to-Back Wins

Grace Fleuriel made so many key plays against Revere High, you needed a second notebook.

Fleuriel’s 11 points and 12 rebounds, including the game-winning bucket, helped Winthrop stave off their Beach City rivals, 44-42, Friday at the Roland Merullo Fieldhouse.

Fleuriel also had 11 points in a 33-32 victory over Northeast Regional Tuesday to continue what was a breakout week for the tall and talented junior center.

Fleuriel took a perfect lead pass from Madison Stiglets to bank in a lay-up to make it 44-40 be-fore Revere closed to within two points with five seconds left, necessitating the Vikings to inbound the ball twice to lock up the thrilling victory.

Fleuriel’s dramatic finish to the first half was equally impactful. After defending a Revere player and forcing the ball out of bounds, Win-throp came downcourt for the final shot of the half. Fleuriel dove for the basketball among two Revere players and somehow directed it to-ward teammate Sam Galuris, who banked in an off-balance, 30-footer at the buzzer, giving the Vikings a 28-17 lead at the half.

Revere ultimately roared back to take a 38-37 lead in the fourth quarter. But Stiglets answered with a clutch three-pointer to give Winthrop a 40-38 advantage.

Emma Forsyth made a terrific tip of a Revere pass to Stiglets for a steal. Kaylee Farrell con-nected on a 15-foot jump shot for a 42-38 lead.

Revere closed to within two on a layup, but the

Stiglets-Fleuriel connection (on a play that re-minded many of the Jenna Dorr-to-Maura Dorr “give-and-go” on Maura’s 1,000th career point) gave Winthrop a crucial four-point advantage.

“I thought she [Fleuriel] was the difference in the game, her rebounding, especially” said first-year Revere coach Chris Porrazzo. “That basket at the buzzer [by Sam Galuris] also took some of our momentum away heading into halftime.”

While Fleuriel earned the main spotlight, fresh-man starting guard Sophia Lindinger had a memorable start to the game by scoring Winthrop’s first eight points on two 3-pointers and another long-range swisher.

From start to finish, Coach Joe Lowe’s improv-ing contingent excelled in a non-league game against Revere and advanced closer to qualifying for the MIAA State Tournament.

In the win over Northeast, Maddie Stiglets and Reese Brodin joined Fleuriel in double figures with 10 points apiece.