NEEDHAM — Trailing one of many state’s prime ladies basketball squads with two minutes to play Friday night time, it might have been straightforward for Eva Downing and her Braintree teammates to stop.
Quite than wilt below the stress, the Braintree junior determined to ship within the clutch. Downing dropped a team-high 17 factors, whereas Francesca Mazzini added 14 factors herself because the Wamps (12-4) rallied late to spoil Needham’s Senior Evening with an epic 50-44 victory on the street.
“That was positively certainly one of our largest wins,” Mazzini stated. “I simply assume we fought by means of each single quarter. We had a variety of crew chemistry all through your complete sport, and our protection was actually on prime of it in the present day.”
The Rockets (12-4) got here out motivated in entrance of a packed home, seeking to defend homecourt. Powered by a fast five-point spurt by captain Hannah Levine within the opening minutes, Needham jumped out to an instantaneous 12-4 benefit with 3:54 to play within the first quarter.
Following a timeout by Braintree, nevertheless, the Wamps punched proper again with a 7-0 run in a 59-second stretch to chop issues to 12-11. It was an indication of issues to return.
From that second ahead, the 2 Bay State Convention foes traded punches all through, exchanging one run after the subsequent. The Rockets constructed a 31-25 lead into the half, and you can really feel the strain starting to construct at Needham Excessive College.
Because the third quarter received underway, Braintree discovered its rhythm, embarking on an 8-0 run. Mazzini sank a pair of free throws with 6:13 to play within the body, because the Wamps seized their first lead of the night time at 33-31.
“We got here out within the second half with a variety of power,” Downing stated. “We knew what we needed to do. Though we have been down at occasions, we didn’t let it cease us.”
Then, Needham responded. The Rockets completed the quarter on a 6-0 run of their very own and located themselves clinging to a 39-35 lead. Levine sank a contested layup to open the fourth, and it felt as if the Rockets have been starting to shut issues out.
But, Braintree had one closing gasp.
After Braintree head coach Kelley Macdonald utilized a timeout with 2:20 remaining, Downing drilled a nook triple moments later to carry her crew again inside one at 44-43.
“It actually received the crew going,” stated Downing. “I believe from there on, we knew we had it. We simply needed to keep composed, and stick with it.”
The 2 groups exchanged possessions, seeking to ice the sport. Then, with 40 seconds to play, a steal by the Wamps led to a three-on-one alternative in transition, and Downing hit one other layup to present Braintree a 45-44 lead.
The Wamps proceeded to power one other Rockets turnover, and Mazzini sank two extra free throws to push the result in 47-44 with 36.4 seconds remaining. They might shut issues out from there on the charity stripe.
“That’s like a event type of setting happening proper there,” Macdonald stated. “So I preferred that they stepped up, and so they fought for that.”
