MANSFIELD, MASS. – Trailing by four with a minute to go, Mansfield looked out of sorts and was just sixty seconds away from saying goodbye to their magnificent 18-4 season.
A timeout called by head coach Mike Redding did wonders, however. His team came out of the break cool, calm and collected rallying to tie the game in regulation and then walking away with a 60-54 overtime win over Durfee.
Caroline Maher drove to the hoop with :45 seconds left and put the ball into the net to cut the deficit to just two at 52-50.
On Durfee's ensuing possession, the Hornets used their man-man defense, not allowing any separation room for the Hilltoppers to get open, forcing a missed shot at the shot clock buzzer.
With 14.8 seconds remaining, the ball was put into Jen Peel’s hands. The sophomore point guard drove coast to coast and got the ball to go into the basket, tying the game at 52 with 7.2 seconds to go. Durfee had a chance at the buzzer but freshman Meg Hill was there with a block to prevent the shot going in and forced the game into overtime.
Momentum was on Mansfield’s side and the Hornets forced another shot clock violation from Durfee early into the overtime. Mansfield scored four consecutive points on baskets from Hill and Jess Stoyle to put the Hornets up 56-52.
The Hilltoppers answered back as Brianna Camara (game-high 28 points, 11 boards) converted two free throws to cut it back to two but those were the last Durfee points of the game. Peel and Jackie Carchedi iced the game on perfect four for four free throw shooting and the when the buzzer sounded there was a sigh of relief from the Hornets as they picked up the nail biting 60-54 quarterfinal victory.
“We didn’t have the greatest night offensively and we just fought to kind of stay in it. The big thing was they got it up to seven and fortunately it never got bigger or we’d be out of it – it just kept them at arm’s length. Those last two minutes, we played good man and finally got to the basket a little bit with Meg and Jen Peel coast to coast was just a great drive and big hoop. She’s had a great run but tonight she just struggled finishing,” Mansfield head coach Mike Redding said. “When it mattered though she got us that big hoop to get us to overtime and we were 0-2 in overtime so it’s great to win one of these in the most important game of the year.”
The Hornets were locked in from the let go as they went up 8-0 including two three pointers – one from Alyssa Kelley and the other from Peel. Durfee only put six points on the board in the opening quarter and Mansfield took a 14-6 lead going into the second frame.
In the second quarter, the expected rustiness from not playing in a week slowly kicked in for the Hornets. The Hilltoppers went on a 9-4 run as Camara contributed all nine of the points to cut the deficit to just three at 18-15. Mansfield and Durfee would then exchange baskets back and forth to close out the half. Shaelyn Carrerio, J’Lynn Jackson, Isabel McDonnell and Camara combined to score the last twelve points for the Hilltoppers in the half. The Hornets countered back with the likes of Kelley, Maher, Peel and Julianna Newell. The two teams found themselves tied at 27-27 heading into halftime.
Mansfield opened the second half on a 5-0 run to create a three point lead at 32-29. Durfee answered back as they erased the deficit and built a seven point lead. A 12-2 run in which the Hilltoppers got contributions from a handful players made the score 41-34. The Hornets responded on two made free throws from Hill and a three pointer from Carchedi and Mansfield was down 41-39 going into the final eight minutes.
“We had to go a week without playing and sometimes I think that can hurt,” Redding said. “We were a little rusty and they were coming off a great win at Quincy where they scored 42 in the second half. We started OK but it seemed like they were more game ready in the second and the third. We finally caught up but I don’t think that’s the reason. It was more of that they played great and I think the week off comes back to backfire when you have a bye and their coming off of a great win.”
Durfee would go up six at 45-39 in the early minutes of the final quarter. However, the Hornets tied it up as they went on a 6-0 run on a free throw from Peel and five points from Maher. Unfortunately for Mansfield, that was when Camara continued to dazzle – putting up five points – helping the Hilltoppers create a four point cushion at 52-48 before the final minute of the ball game which turned out to be an instant classic.
“It was just a great high school basketball game – they played great and it was anyone’s game – we are happy to move on but the bad part is we will have to play Feehan in the next round. We have to get to work and get better to play them,” Redding said.
The Hornets got solid contributions up and down the roster. Maher led the team with 18 points to go along with six rebounds. Hill chipped in a double-double with 15 points and 13 boards. Peel added 13 points including her heroics in the final minute of regulation and overtime. Mansfield had seven different players in the scoring column and they came down with 42 rebounds.
“Jess Stoyle made a big shot from the baseline, Jackie Carchedi had some big points, and everybody chipped in with rebounds, assists and defense. We talked before the game that it wasn’t all about points – just contribute in any way you can whether it was boxing out, getting a steal, getting an assist,” Redding said. “We have a lot of unselfish players that will do what it takes. This team has been down a few times before but we’re not going to throw in the towel, we’re going to play the thirty two minutes. We’re lucky to win it but we’re happy to move on.”
The Hornets will play #2 Bishop Feehan in the Division 1 South Semifinal at a date and time to be announced.