FRAMINGHAM — Brookline girls’ basketball coach Kendell Jones knows he has a gem in Geanna Bryant.
But if she was a hidden gem before Tuesday night, the secret is no more.
Bryant went off for a career-high 31 points, including eight makes from 3-point range, in a 56-44 victory over Framingham in Bay State Conference matchup that returned the favor after Brookline suffered a home loss to the Flyers three weeks ago.
“She’s special,” Jones said. “She’s a gem. A lot of [college] coaches haven’t reached out yet . . . She deserves it, so good for her. I’m proud of her.”
Advertisement
The eighth-ranked Warriors (9-3, 6-3) turned an early 7-5 deficit into a potential runaway on an early barrage from Bryant, a senior who accounted for 12 straight points for Brookline in the first quarter to open up a 24-7 lead after eight minutes.
Bryant stayed hot well into the game as Brookline built a 22-point lead over the Flyers (10-6, 6-3).
The guard said while 3-point shooting is generally a part of her game, she’s never had a night like this. Bryant also wasn’t quick to forget Framingham’s 62-46 win on her home court on Jan. 10.
“When someone comes into your own building and beats you, it hurts,” Bryant said. “But it was a very winnable game, so it hurt even more. To come here in an environment that definitely didn’t favor us, it was amazing.”
The Flyers, ranked sixth in the latest MIAA Division 1 power rankings, trimmed their deficit to 9 points in the fourth quarter after going on an 11-0 run. Bryant’s final basket of the night, a midrange runner with less than 2:30 left, served as a dagger for the Warriors.
“It lets us know we can play with basically anybody,” Jones said. “It lets the girls know that if we stick to the plan, anything can happen.”
Advertisement
Senior Margo Mattes, a Princeton recruit, chipped in 14 points for the Warriors. Sophomore Allie Regan paced the Framingham attack with 13 points while Albany-bound senior Selina Monestime added 11 points.
