Natalia Hall-Rosa is a game-changing scorer for Bridgewater-Raynham girls basketball team
BRIDGEWATER – Natalia Hall-Rosa spent the start of the fourth quarter behind the bench. Not in the game.
"Oh yeah, I'm fine," she reassured, revealing a deep cut on her hand postgame.
Hall-Rosa's appointment with the Bridgewater-Raynham athletic training staff lasted precisely 40 seconds of game time. It was the only semblance of a breather she got all night.
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The big-time junior scorer put the other 31 minutes of court time to good use, compiling 24 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists to power B-R to a 51-45 win over Dracut (6-3) on Wednesday.
The tourney-bound Trojans (10-3) have continued to lean on its much-improved leading scorer all season long. Hall-Rosa, who stands 6 feet tall, has made the jump from a sophomore All-Scholastic averaging 13 points and 6 rebounds to now putting up figures just shy of 19 points (second-best in the Southeast Conference) and 9 rebounds nightly.
“Honestly, I’ve been working on everything. I’ve had a big improvement from last year to this year. It’s all dedication," Hall-Rosa said. "I wanted it bad enough, so I made it happen.”
Hall-Rosa transferred to Bridgewater-Raynham ahead of her sophomore season, after the lone year at Randolph High where she earned her first All-Scholastic and league All-Star selections as a freshman in 2021: “It was like a family as soon as I came here. It was so welcoming. It felt really good to be a part of this team,” she said. “We all trust each other. We all have each other’s backs."
Hall-Rosa's teammates have certainly stamped their seal of approval on the ascension of her play the past two seasons.
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“She can score from everywhere," junior combo guard Reese Bartlett raved after a game against Rockland in December. "Definitely a good person to be playing with on the court at all times. Not just on offense, on defense too. She’s always everywhere. Always intense. Good teammate. Good communicator. Good leader for everyone. A lot of our younger girls look up to her.”
This season, Hall-Rosa has stacked seven games of 20 points or more and four double-doubles. She set a career-high 29 points (plus 14 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 assists) in a convincing road win over Brockton on Jan. 10.
“She is one of those kids who is a true student of the game. So watching her progression from last year to this year, that’s one of the biggest areas I see. She understands the scouting report. She understands the game plan," said B-R head coach Cheryl Seavey. "And not only does she understand it, she puts it into action.”
Hall-Rosa plays year-round for the Bay State Jaguars, a local AAU club. She admitted to receiving some early college attention, but insisted she won't let it distract her from continuing her high-level play of current day.
Against Dracut on Wednesday, Hall-Rosa bullied her way in the paint, using three shifty sidestep finishes (and two made free throws) to net 8 of her game-high 24 points in the first quarter as the Trojans built an early 16-6 lead after the first eight minutes.
“I feel really confident (finishing at the hoop)," she said. "That’s my main thing.”
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With three minutes to go, Bartlett swung a pass to Hall-Rosa, who was camped beyond the arc on the left wing, open and ready to flex her long-range accuracy. She buried a decisive 3-pointer that boosted the B-R advantage back to double digits, 46-36, after Dracut closed a previous gap in testy fashion just minutes prior.
It was Hall-Rosa's third 3-pointer of the evening.
“I could talk about how well she’s attacking the rim. Not only with her right hand, but with her left hand. How she’s able to finish off-balance. But she’s improved her range from 3-point land," said Seavey. "When you defend her, it’s a pick-your-poison type of moment. Are you going to sink off of her? Well, she can drain the 3. If you get too close to her, she has that variety of moves and explosive first step that she can use to get to the rim.”
Hall-Rosa remembers emulating her older brother, Anthony, on the court as early as 6 years old when she first got her start in the sport.
“This is a kid that is a gym rat," Seavey said. "She’s in the gym, working on her craft. She has high aspirations to play at the next level. I’m just going to enjoy her for this year and next year.”
B-R's win Wednesday clinched the team its 10th win, thus a guaranteed spot in the Division 1 state tournament. Winners of six of the last seven, the Trojans slotted in as the No. 13 team in the MIAA's latest release of the power rankings.
Said Seavey, “For the majority of the kids, other than Talia, Reese (Bartlett; junior – 9 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists Wednesday) and Brenna (Woodbury; sophomore – 8 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals), this is going to be their first tournament experience.
"Losing seven seniors (last year), every moment, every event is a big thing for them," she added. "Never want to overlook getting into the tournament, looking at the teams we’ve played. I’m thrilled to be at 10 (wins).”
“I think we’re ready for it," Hall-Rosa said, noting her excitement to play on the bigger, state-wide stage. Last year, we lost in the first round but I know we’re going to make it further this year.”
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Much-improved, Natalia Hall-Rosa packs the scoring punch for B-R hoops
