Watertown senior center Brittany Obi-Tabot scored 27 points in her final varsity game last night at Endicott College in Beverly.
BEVERLY — Brittany Obi-Tabot's four-year tenure on the Watertown High girls varsity basketball team wasn't always easy.
But it was all worth it even if the ending is not what she had envisioned.
The 1,000-plus point scorer and rebounder finished her career by scoring a game-high 27 points in a 77-38 loss to Bishop Fenwick in the first round of the Division 3 North bracket last night at Endicott College.
``That was a tough game but we kept playing,'' the 6-foot senior center/forward, who will play for Division 1 Fairfield University in the fall, said after the defeat. ``We could've played harder, but we kept playing, and at Fairfield I'm going to be motivated to play, and know not to give up if we're down 10.''
Over the past four years, Obi-Tabot has been someone the Raiders knew they could rely on both in victory, and while trying to stay in contention against much tougher teams.
``It will be weird not having her around,'' Watertown seventh-year coach John Rimas said. ``She's been the best player I've seen come through here. To her credit, she stuck it out. She gets frustrated, but everyday she has a great attitude and she's been a great role model for a lot of younger girls, so hopefully she can inspire some younger people.
``She's so coachable and is willing to work so hard. It's unfortunate her season and her career had to end like this, but she has a lot to be proud of.''
Rimas said Obi-Tabot, who was the Middlesex League MVP this season, was a big reason the team qualified for the tournament the last four years, including an upset victory against Ipswich her sophomore year. Obi-Tabot takes pride in the fact that she carried her team to the playoffs in each of her seasons.
``My freshman year my coach told us they made the playoffs only three or four years before that,'' she said. ``It's nice to know we can play. We just need some oomph.''
This year, the 14th-seed Raiders (7-14) won't get another shot at second-seeded Ipswich, which Bishop Fenwick advances to play on Thursday.
The 10th-seeded Crusaders (14-7) held the Raiders scoreless for almost two minutes at the start of last night's game. Obi-Tabot - who scored all but one of Watertown's points in the first half - finally made the count 5-2, but Fenwick extended its run to 18-4 and ultimately outscored the Raiders 25-6 in the opening quarter.
The Crusaders, whose first and last baskets of the opening quarter were 3-pointers from junior guard Amy Pelletier (12 points), had several baskets created off pressure from their press.
They led 47-18 at half.
``We had a lot of quick turnovers,'' Rimas said. ``We knew they had three really good guards who were going to put pressure on us. We turned the ball over early and we could never really get in the flow. It's just one of those games.
``We bang heads with some tough teams in the Middlesex League all year and I want (the underclassmen) to get the experience. Tournament basketball is just a whole different game and hopefully our younger girls got some experience tonight.''
Junior captain Michelle Poirier said last night's game will provide motivation for next season.
``That was obviously a tough game,'' she said after scoring two points. ``I don't think everybody played their best and we're going to have to step it up, especially without Brittany. She was a good leader. She got everybody ready to go before games.''
Obi-Tabot was a leader from the start.
As a freshman, she broke the school's single-season record for rebounds (for both boys and girls), while also being an offensive force. She eclipsed the 1,000-career point mark in December.
``It went by so fast, it's crazy,'' she said. ``It hasn't hit me yet. I still feel like next year I'm going to come back and play. I leave July 5 and I guess that day it will kind of hit me.''
Rimas said, although he hasn't added up Obi-Tabot's stats yet, it's ``a pretty safe bet'' that she will come out as the program's all-time leading scorer.
``That's cool,'' Obi-Tabot said.
``You earned it,'' Poirier said.
``Thanks.''
And with that she bid Watertown hoops adieu.
``See you in Fairfield,'' she said.
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