By STEVE MAZZONE

Sports writer

PAWTUCKET - For nearly three quarters of its Division I encounter against a feisty Cumberland squad Wednesday night, St. Raphael Academy tried desperately to get over the hump and gain some sort of edge on the Clippers. It was looking for some sort of spark.
Alexis Signore provided that flame.
The sophomore guard caught fire at just the opportune times, scoring 17 of her game-high 20 points in the latter half as the Saints rallied past the Clippers, 51-47, in an exciting contest at the Alumni Hall Wellness Center. Signore did most of her damage behind the arc, connecting on five or her six 3-pointers after the break.
“She really is our sharpshooter,” said SRA head coach Frederick Lashley-Saunders. “Alexis showed up with her ‘A’ game. I was on her for her defense, but she really stepped it up.”
The loss by the Clippers was a damaging blow to their already slim playoff chances. Head coach Deb Engels figures her squad has to win at least six games to finish among the top 12 qualifying spots.
The setback drops Cumberland to 2-11 in the league with tough foes La Salle, Ponaganset, Lincoln and another Saints’ tilt among their five remaining games.
“I just feel bad for my girls out of everybody,” Engels said. “I feel bad because this is the third game in a row that they came out with intensity. Number 20 (Signore) just got hot and that changed the whole game…Just when they needed a basket, she got it for them.”
Did she ever.
With the Clippers in control through most of the game, Signore charged up the fans by hitting back-to-back 3-pointers, the last coming at the midway mark, to tie the score at 34. After Cumberland took a 40-36 advantage capped by a pair of 3-pointers from Nikki Fagundes, Signore struck again with her long-range bomber. 
And she wasn’t done.
Shortly after Cumberland freshman Steph Riberio scored on a coast-to-coast layup with 2:40 left on the clock, Signore nailed another 3-pointer and then hit one more just 20 seconds later to give the Saints a 45-42 lead.
Neither team gave up in the closing minutes. Fagundes gave the Clippers one final hope when she knotted the score at 47 with 56.9 seconds remaining on a 3-pointer, but Saints clinched the victory from the free throw line as Sharae Hall and Tina Hopper each hit a pair of free throws down the stretch.
Hall finished the game with 17 points - which included two NBA-style 3-pointers - and 10 rebounds. Hopper ripped down 12 boards, had seven blocks and four steals for the Saints, who may have earned a postseason trip with the win, improving to 8-9 for the season.
“Cumberland is in the same situation as us (as far as the playoffs),” Lashley-Saunders said. “We always play each other tight. They are a scrappy team. Alexis came through for us. It could have been a long night.”
Fagundes was the top scorer for the Clippers with 17 points and senior teammate Kelsey Cahill added 15. The two players helped fuel a strong opening half for Cumberland, which had a 23-18 advantage.
The Clippers defense also create havoc for the Saints, who were just 5-for-31 from the field at the half.
“We have been stressing a lot about or defense,” Engels said. “I thought it was tight (today).”
The Clippers were able to get their lead to nine points early in the second half (31-22) before the Saints and Signore mounted their comeback.
The victory was especially gratifying to Lashley Saunders, whose squad was coming off a heartbreaking 53-44 loss to Bay View on Monday.
“I’m excited how they performed,” he said. “We had a tough game against Bay View. We came out flat…I’m just really proud of the team (tonight). It was a tough week.”
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CUMBERLAND (47) - Amanda Briere 0 1-2 1, Kelsey Cahill 6 3-9 15, Ally DeHertogh 0 1-2 1, Nikki Fagundes 5 4-6 17, Kayleigh Guyer 2 1-4 5, Molly McLaughlin 2 0-1 4, Steoph Riberio 2 0-0 4, Totals - 17 10-24 47
SRA  (51) - Sharae Hall 2 7-8 13, Shanika Hodge 2 1-2 5, Tina Hopper 0 4-4 4, Megan Malloy 1 0-0 2, Emily Millar 1 1-2 3, Alexis Signore 7 0-0 20, Stephanie Stturtard 2 0-0 4. Totals - 15 13-16 51.
Halftime - C, 23-18. 3-point goals - C (3): Fagundes 3. SRA (8): Signore 6, Hall 2.