Dedham High Drops Game to Milton Thursday Night

Even with a tournament berth out of reach, the girls basketball team saved their best performance for last against Dedham.

Senior co-captain Abby MacComber and Sam Curley led a balanced attack, knocking down nine points each as the Wildcats pulled away in a 47-39 win over Dedham in Thursday night’s Bay State Conference match-up on senior night at the Copeland Field House. Also contributing in the win for the Wildcats included point guard Nikki Regan with eight followed by Katie Krauss (five points) along with Liz Murphy and Kate Phalen, who knocked down four points apiece.

With the win, the Wildcats finished the season at 8-12 overall while the Marauders fell to 6-14.

“The seniors really stepped it up and did a fantastic job,’’ said first-year coach Bill Donovan, whose team finished with a five game improvement from last year. “We just came up a game short from our goal to reach the tournament. We played a lot better the second half of the season, and we were able to put things together. This was by far one of the best performances we put forth on the court this season.”

Despite the loss, the Marauders will now prepare for the Division 3 South tournament via the Sullivan Rule. The Sullivan Rule allows teams, who finish the regular season with a losing record, to be tournament eligible if they manage at least a .500 mark against Division 3 teams.

In the losing effort, the Marauders were guided by junior Jenna Savi, who recorded a game-high 24 points while Ellen Masalsky added six.

“We didn’t take advantage of our opportunities,’’ said Marauders’ coach Don Savi. “They (Milton) out rebounded us on the boards and their size and physical presence was a factor. They frustrated us with their defense, and they were able to make some key shots late in the game when it counted the most.”

After both teams traded leads in the early going, the Wildcats emerged on a 5-1 run to close out the first quarter. Following a Curley free throw, Krauss nailed a runner before MacComber knocked a jumper en route to an 11-5 lead.

Kicking off the second quarter, the Wildcats emerged on a 12-5 run, transforming an 11-8 lead into a 23-13 margin. After a Curley put-back, Krauss and MacComber knocked down consecutive three-point shots before a Krauss runner increased the Wildcat lead to eight with a drive.

On the play, Krauss grimaced in pain, clutching her knee before being helped off the court. She would later be transported to Children’s Hospital where she would undergo a series of tests.

Closing out the first half, the Marauders engineered a 6-0 run. Savi knocked down four consecutive free throws and also nailed a jumper, trimming the lead to 23-19.

“It was very tough to see (Krauss) our co-captain and second team all-star go down like that on senior night,’’ said Donovan. “The girls really rallied around her and left it all out on the court.”

Led by Regan, the Wildcats roared out with an 8-0 run to start the third quarter. After a pair of Regan drives to the basket, Curley nailed a pair of free throws, before MacComber drained a jumper from the top of the key, increasing the lead to 31-19.

Capitalizing on several turnovers, the Marauders ended the quarter on an 8-2 run. Emily Hill nailed a pair of free throws before Savi knocked down a pair of jumpers. Renee Glasser capped the run with a runner to the basket, pulling the Marauders within 33-27.

A pair of Hill free throws trimmed the lead within four (33-29), and the Marauders continued to remain well within striking distance. After a three-pointer by Ellen Malasky brought the Marauders within 39-36, Savi connected on her second three of the night, cutting the lead to 41-39 with 2:02 remaining in the contest.

Following a time out, the Wildcats regained their composure and delivered a game ending 6-0 run. After a runner by Regan, Phelan secured the win on a pair of runners, increasing the lead to 45-39 with 17.2 remaining.

“(Phelan) hit some key jumpers down the stretch,’’ said Donovan. “We had a lot of different people step up and it was a team win."

"Next year it’s tournament or bust for us," Donovan said. "The stakes have been set very high now, and we expect to qualify for the tournament next year.”

As for all-stars, Curley, despite missing half of the season, earned first team Bay State Conference All-Star honors while Krauss was named to the team’s second list.

Earlier in the week, the Wildcats suffered a tough 73-36 loss to Wellesley on Tuesday night. Leading the way in the losing effort was Curley with a team high 16 points.

In a 50-35 win over Madison Park, Curley once again delivered a solid performance, earning a game high 23 points.