The Whalers, who play in the Big Three with Durfee and Brockton, sit at 12-2 on the season. Their losses came to a Barnstable team that surprised New Bedford in its season opener, and to Rhode Island defending Division 1 champion La Salle. The Whalers have already avenged the loss to Barnstable by winning the rematch, 55-19.
“In our two losses we played outstanding defensively and we just shot a poor percentage,’’ Gonsalves said.
That poor shooting percentage is one of the reasons the Whalers play a defensive-minded game. Gonsalves says New Bedford doesn’t have a strong offensive team. At only eight deep and with no go-to outside shooter, Gonsalves has gotten creative with his offense.
“We’re a good athletic team so what we try to do is we spread the floor and attack matchups,’’ Gonsalves said. “Then we have a player who is a good low-post player so we pound it in to her.’’
That player is senior Vanessa Suarez, a small forward who can gain tough baskets on the block and spread out to shoot the 3-ball. Averaging 15 points a game, Suarez’s versatility makes her one of New Bedford’s biggest offensive threats.
The Whalers’ other star player is Alexia Barros, a senior point guard who is in charge of running the team’s offense.
“She’s an outstanding shooter but yet she is very clever with the basketball. We spread the floor with her and try to create something,’’ Gonsalves said.
Barros also averages 15 points a game, but most of her responsibility lies in her decision-making on the court. New Bedford has played in many close games this season, including a 41-40 win over Dartmouth and a 53-49 victory over a tough Duxbury team.
When the game is on the line, Gonsalves puts the ball in Barros’s hands, trusting her to lead the offense.
“The key to our offense is to get Barros the ball. I trust her decision-making. We take advantage of the mismatches. We run a flex offense where we look to get shots at the elbow,’’ Gonsalves said.
