Quincy High girls basketball hosting charity games for former player battling cancer
EDITOR'S NOTE: This event has postponed due to the weather forecast. The fundraiser has been rescheduled to Feb. 5.
QUINCY – The name says it all.
On Feb. 5, the Quincy High girls basketball team (with the help of three other South Shore teams) will host a ‘Bigger Than Basketball Fundraiser’ to raise money for Priscilla Bonica, a recent QHS graduate and former basketball captain battling brain cancer.
“The fight in this kid is spectacular and it’s so amazing to see,” said Quincy coach Sarah Conlon. “She’s such a well-loved person in our little community. We really just want to let her know that she’s supported as she goes through this.”
Bonica was a three-sport athlete for the Presidents and captained the basketball team last winter.
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“She kind of started developing symptoms during (the season) but they had a really hard time pinpointing what it actually was,” said Conlon. “When the diagnosis came down the team collectively just said, 'We want to do something. What can we do?'”
Last spring, the Bonica family hosted a bone marrow drive. Now the basketball team is hoping a jam-packed night of hoops can help.
Quincy High will host a pair of endowment varsity games (meaning they won’t count for MIAA playoff purposes). Pembroke plays Fontbonne Academy at 5 p.m. and Quincy will play Abington in the nightcap.
There will be plenty of youth activities also. There will be a youth knockout competition during halftime of the first game and a rubber ducky toss for a cash prize after the first game. In the nightcap, Quincy Youth Basketball Teams will provide halftime entertainment with a scrimmage.
There will be no entry fee, but donations are welcome at the door. T-shirts and concessions will be on sale. Fans who can't attend on Feb. 5 can contact Conlon via email at sconlonqhs@gmail.com to make a donation.
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“It’s not just a basketball game for us,” said Conlon. “We really want to support (Priscilla) as a community.”
Expect plenty of volunteers to be helping out on Feb. 5.
“It’s one of those things where you ask for a little bit of help and you need a volunteer and you get 30 of them,” said Conlon.
Bonica has been on the team’s mind throughout the season. Before each game, the Presidents present brain cancer awareness ribbons to their opponents. Bonica was in attendance for Quincy’s 39-29 win over Pembroke on Jan. 11.
“The wins and losses, they mean a lot now, but down the road they mean less whereas it’s the relationships that you form with your teammates, your coaches, your community that really has a lasting effect,” said Conlon.
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The other programs playing on Feb. 5 all have a connection to Bonica. Pembroke’s Tim Lopes and Abington's Dan Norton coach with the MT Elite Ducks, an AAU basketball program for whom Bonica played and coached. Fontbonne coach Clare Murphy is a teacher in Quincy.
"Priscilla is just so well known,” said Conlon. "She’s a three-sport athlete, a captain of multiple teams and just a great kid. When she’s playing AAU with other people that are in the community, it’s not just a Quincy thing, it becomes bigger than that.”
On the court, the action pits some surging teams against each other. Pembroke had a slow start to the season, but has won its last two games. Fontbonne is coming off a solid win over Cardinal Spellman on Friday. Quincy has hit a speed bump after winning four in a row, but an overtime loss to Hingham shows how tough this team is. The Green Wave defeated Plymouth South on Friday and look to have some young players starting to jump out.
The atmosphere, like most basketball games in the city, should be a fun one.
“(Quincy is) tight-knit,” said Conlon. “They’re a big small town. Everybody has a connection to somebody else. When things get tough, it unifies like no other.”
10 Players to Watch
Alyssa Hopps, Quincy
This freshman is one of the top rookies in the area. She’s already got two game-winning shots to her name and entered the week fifth in the Patriot League in scoring at 13.3 points per game.
Caroline Tracey, Quincy
With the Presidents shorthanded recently, Tracey has stepped up big. She’s had three double-digit scoring performances, including a big double-double (17 points, 11 rebounds) as Quincy nearly upset Hingham. She also had a 9-block game.
Mary Saccoach, Quincy
A sophomore guard, Saccoach is quickly becoming an impact player at the varsity level. She’s averaging a shade under 7 points per game.
Ella Williamson, Abington
Williamson has been a breakout star for the Green Wave as of late. She’s coming off her best game of the season as she scored 22 points and grabbed 5 steals in a 58-36 win over Plymouth South. She also scored 18 points against Mashpee.
Sarah Deveney, Abington
Deveney is another player who has improved throughout the season for the Green Wave. She’s had some big scoring nights but can also contribute in different areas for Abington.
Deanna Linscott, Pembroke
Linscott is one of the top rebounders in the Patriot League and was averaging 12 a game entering the week. The junior captain had a double-double in a win over Silver Lake.
Kierstin Dineen, Pembroke
The captain is having a great couple of weeks. She recently announced she’s continuing her college basketball career at Keene State (along with her sister Kylee, who is sidelined with an injury). She broke a school record with 22 rebounds in a 49-41 victory over Plymouth South. She also scored 17 points and blocked 7 shots in the win.
Alix Abelard, Fontbonne
This junior has been one of the Ducks' leading scorers. She scored a career-high 22 points in a big win over Milton.
Colleen Fogarty, Fontbonne
We’ve highlighted Fogarty’s talents a few teams this season. She was voted the High School Girls Basketball Player of the Week when she scored a career-high 24 points against Austin Prep. She was also one of our 67 players to watch this season.
Lilly Blow, Fontbonne
This sophomore has put up some big rebounding totals, including collecting 14 against Notre Dame Academy.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy High girls hosting charity game for Priscilla Bonica
