The second annual Westbrook-Gorham Rotary Club Girl’s Winter Hoop Festival took place last week with Massabesic and Windham squaring off in Gorham and the record book already needs to be re-written.
Windham’s Ally Noble set two new records during the game. Her 16 points in the first half bested the previous mark set in 2005 by Gorham’s Rachele Burns. And Noble’s five three-pointers in the game also set a new record. As for the outcome, Windham picked up the victory, 42-41.
Massabesic opened the game with a 5-0 run before the Eagles got on the board. Noble tied the game at 7-7 when she hit her first shot from beyond the arc. The Mustangs scored next and Noble tied the game once again when she hit two free throws. Massabesic’s Caitlin Dunn hit a three-point shot herself near the end of the quarter that helped give her team the edge, 14-11, after one quarter.
The Eagles took control in the second quarter with a 15-5 run. Ashley Corkum got Windham within two points when she hit two free throws. It was Noble hitting another shot from beyond the arc that gave Windham the lead. That three-pointer touched off a run where Noble scored eight straight points including another from three-point range. Noble tied the festival record with her fourth three-pointer just before halftime. That gave Windham the biggest lead of the game, 26-19.
The Mustangs inched closer in the third quarter when they scored six straight points. Trailing by seven, Dunn kicked off the run with a jumper. On the next possession Georgia Boisse hit a three-pointer. Allison Gamble pulled Massabesic within one with a shot from the line.
Windham ended the quarter with a 9-3 run to get back the breathing room they had lost. Noble once again gave her team a seven-point lead when she hit the record-breaking three at the end of the quarter. She finished with 21 points, just six points shy of that record.
Massabesic made a game of it in the fourth quarter. Rebecca Mondor kicked things off with a three-pointer to get the Mustangs started. Six straight points from Boisse, Brittany Benton and Samantha Leach tied the game at 39.
Riley Graves gave the advantage back to Windham with a jump shot. But with just 25 seconds remaining in the game, Gamble tied it again.
The game seemed destined for overtime, but a foul with one second left sent Graves to the line. She hit her first shot but missed her second giving the Eagles the one-point victory.
The Mustangs launched a shot as time expired but the ball fell short and the Eagles had the victory.
Noble led all scorers with 21 points. She was followed by Corkum who had 12. Other Windham scorers included Taylor and Riley Graves with three points each. Kelsey Babb, Brenna Clauson and Ashley Blanchard each had two points. Rhonda Cole had one point.
Windham resumed their regular season at Scarborough on Wednesday night and the Eagles visit Bonny Eagle this evening.
Send questions/comments to the editors.