EAST GREENWICH -- After an exciting and improbable run to the Division I state finals in 2005, where it lost to North Kingstown, the East Greenwich girls basketball team was eager to return to the Ryan Center last season to take another shot at the state crown.

North Kingstown put a crimp in the Avengers' plans, however, as the Skippers knocked them out in the quarterfinal round.

Feeling as though they hadn't played their best basketball when it mattered most, the returning players from that East Greenwich squad are back on the court hoping to write a different ending to this season.

The Avengers are off to a solid start. With a 49-44 victory over Lincoln in last night's Division I crossover, East Greenwich is now riding an eight-game winning streak (including non-league contests) and at 5-3 is in a tight race with Exeter/West Greenwich for the top spot in I-South.

"At the beginning of the season we started off a little slow, but I think we've started picking it up," said senior tri-captain Tori Ahrens. "Practices are a lot more intense. Our defense is really what we're working on the most, and I really think that we are improving as a team. If we work hard throughout the year, we can do whatever goal we set, and we've set our goals high this year."

Without question, Ahrens -- a second-team All-Stater last year -- will be a determining factor in how far East Greenwich goes this winter. She was certainly one of the keys to the Avengers' win last night, as the 6-foot center led her team with 16 points despite battling a double ear infection.

"She's tough as nails," Avengers coach Peter Dion said. "[Monday] in practice, she worked the hardest of all the girls and she was the sickest. She is by far the best center in the state, no doubt about it."

Meanwhile, Alexa Monti and Hillary Noble were causing their share of trouble for the Lions. When they weren't putting all kinds of pressure on Lincoln's backcourt, the speedy guards were knocking down shots, with Monti finishing with 15 points and Noble chipping in 6.

"They are a good combination," Dion said. "They're a dynamic duo, those two girls."

Dion was also happy with the play of junior guard Alexandra Knight and sophomore forward Laura Bracey, who combined for another 12 points.

"They did all the stuff that no one thinks about," Dion said. "They didn't score a lot of points, but they rebounded, they played good defense, kept the kids honest. And that stuff makes a difference."

It definitely made a difference last night.

Sophomore Ashley O'Dell -- who has established herself as the Lions' new leader this season with her sister, Bethany, off to Holy Cross -- helped her team overcome a nine-point deficit in the first half, netting 10 of her game-high 17 points in the last 2 1/2 minutes -- including a 3-pointer in the final seconds to give Lincoln a 25-21 lead heading into the break.

After a field goal by O'Dell at 12:10 of the second period put Lincoln ahead, 32-28, East Greenwich went on a 10-2 run and regained the lead for good on a fadeaway by Ahrens, which Knight followed with two free throws to make it 38-34.

The Avengers held off the determined Lions down the stretch, with Ahrens, Noble, Monti and Knight all hitting key free throws to preserve their lead.

EAST GREENWICH (49): Alexa Monti 5 5-7 15, Brile Anderson 0 0-0 0, Dana Treat 0 0-0 0, Hannah Hanks 0 0-0 0, Alexandra Knight 2 3-4 7, Hillary Noble 1 4-7 6, Victoria Ahrens 5 6-10 16, Rebecca Shillings 0 0-0 0, Laura Bracey 2 1-2 5; totals 15 19-30 49. LINCOLN (44): Sarah Adams 0 2-2 2, Jill Butler 2 0-0 5, Danielle Cartier 1 1-1 3, Courtney Couture 1 0-0 2, April Daugherty 2 0-0 4, Melanie Ferreira 1 1-4 3, Krista LoCurto 0 1-2 1, Ashley O'Dell 6 3-4 17, Stephanie Prusko 3 0-0 7; totals 16 8-13 44.

Halftime -- L, 25-21. 3-pt. goals -- Butler, O'Dell 2, Prusko. JV game -- EG, 49-40.

cthorn@projo.com / (401) 277-7340