The Cranston West girls basketball team fell in the Division I preliminary round last week when Portsmouth took home a 60-46 victory.

Kyla Buco finished her junior year by racking up 17 points to lead the Falcons while Darien Kiernan added nine and Talya Walker eight.

It was a tough season for West, who finished the regular season with six wins and clinched the 11th seed. The team dealt with several injuries, including to junior Saniyya Chase, which forced several underclassmen into starting roles and significant minutes.

Although the young players faced an uphill climb, coach Nerson Santiago was encouraged by their progress and their competitiveness as they clinched a postseason berth. 

“With youth and injuries, we had some valuable learning experiences. The impact of (Chase) being sidelined hurt us,” said Santiago. “The younger players got some crucial playing experience. It was great to get to assess them in varsity play. It was good to get them developed and see how they fit into our system.”

The Falcons will be returning four of their five starters as well as their entire bench. Buco led the team in scoring and was one of the top shooters in the state while Chase is expected to return next year fully healthy as a forward. Walker and Kiernan emerged as every day players for the Falcons while freshman Maggie Sjovall earned the team’s rookie of the year award.

“We just didn’t have what we needed to compete in the prelims. With (Chase) being healthy next year, that will fill the void of what we were lacking in the playoffs. I’ve seen some growth in our competitiveness, our approach. The kids gelled and found their strengths and weaknesses,” said Santiago, who hopes this year’s adversity will light a fire in the returners next season. “We know in Division 1 we’ll have to work hard for everything we get. We’ll have a bitter taste in our mouth next season.”

NOTE: Buco was named to the coaches association’s Division I First Team while Chase made the third team.