NEWMARKET — When two teams know each other as well as Newmarket and Epping, games become a knock-down drag-out fight. That was the case on Thursday night, with Evelyn Carleton landing the final blow, hitting a layup as time expired to give Epping a 39-37 win.
“Every time we come here it’s a great game,” said Epping Coach Ed Meade. “This is a good, old fashioned rivalry. Both teams get into it, and the fans get into it, but they are respectful. It’s a great atmosphere here.”
The stands were at a fever pitch in the waning moments of the game, as the teams went blow for blow, from one end of the court to the other.
Epping was poised to pull away early in the second half. Emma Roussel capped a 14-6 run with a long jump shot to give the Blue Devils (11-2) a 22-12 lead. The Newmarket (7-7) defense stepped up, however, drawing a charge on Epping’s next possession, then getting a blocked shot from Brianna Filion. Reagan Jordan and Brenda Bounphakhom followed up the two stops with baskets and Newmarket was right back in the game.
The Mules continued to chip away, opening the fourth quarter with a 6-0 run – capped by a Jordan 3-pointer that – tied the game at 24. Carleton responded with a pair of free throws, and the teams exchanged baskets the rest of the way, setting the stage for Carleton’s late game heroics.
A jump ball call gave Epping an inbounds play under its own hoop with three seconds remaining in the game, and Oakley Lustenberger found Carleton on the block. Carleton faked inside, then spun back to the outside, lofting the shot over the outstretched arm of a Newmarket defender.
“That’s an inbounds play that we have run so many times,” Carleton said. “I was thinking, ‘This has to be executed perfectly, so one of us can get an open shot.’ It just happened to be me.”
Averill lauded her team’s ability to come back from deficits on multiple occasions, adding that they just need to find a way to keep that energy level up once the gap has been closed.
“I was proud of how we kept fighting back against a good team,” Averill said. “We fought back so many times, we just seemed content just to catch up, and we couldn’t push over the top.”
Carleton finished the night with a game high 17 points, seven rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots. Katie Pelletier finished with six points, and Milbury played a very strong game, stepping up with two big baskets late in the game, scoring four points, to go with four rebounds and three steals. Hayley Pelletier also netted four points, to go with five rebounds and two blocked shots.
Bounphakhom led Newmarket on both ends of the floor, with 12 points, seven rebounds and a steal, but she was very active defensively, and also created several steal opportunities for teammates, and forced Epping into some mistakes. Jordan racked up nine points and four rebounds despite early foul trouble, and Filion finished with nine points, two rebounds and two blocked shots for the Mules.
Epping hosts Mascenic on Monday, trying to win its fifth straight, while Newmarket hosts Pittsfield on Tuesday, trying to end a four-game skid.
EPPING 39, NEWMARKET 37
EPPING (39)
Carleton 5-7-17, Lustenberger 1-0-2, K Pelletier 3-0-6, Lambert 0-0-0, Vensel 1-0-2, Milbury 2-0-4, MacLeod 0-0-0, H. Pelletier 2-0-4, Walsh 0-0-0, Roussel 2-0-4. Totals: 16-7-39.
NEWMARKET (37)
Bounphakhom 4-4-12, Gallion 0-0-0, Levesque 0-0-0, Perry 1-1-3, Fowler 0-0-0, Henry 2-0-4, M. Filion 0-0-0, Berry 0-0-0, B. Filion 4-1-9, Jordan 4-0-9, Senesombath 0-0-0, Palasciano 0-0-0. Totals: 15-6-37.
Epping 8 10 6 15 — 39
Newmarket 6 4 8 19 — 37
3-point goals—Epping, none. Newmarket 1 (Jordan).