GRAY — Maria Valente didn’t pout or shake her fists in the air at the foul line when she missed the front end of a crucial 1-and-1 opportunity that could have sealed Wells’ fate late in the fourth quarter.
The undefeated Warriors were breathing down Gray-New Gloucester’s neck with a couple minutes left in a girls’ basketball game that featured stalling tactics, stifling defense and a round of missed opportunities on both sides of the court.
But seconds later, an offer of redemption came Valente’s way at the charity stripe. She stepped to the line and dropped in both shots without any fanfare, helping hand the Patriots a slow-going 28-24 victory Thursday evening.
And Valente, who scored six points, didn’t let on that she was feeling pressure at the foul line.
“Well, I was nervous, but you just have a clear mind, clean slate,” the junior forward said. “I knew that I was nervous but I knew that I had to step up, and once I got those two foul shots, I think we gained more confidence, set back in our defense, which is really essential.”
Zoe Adams had the Patriots’ backs. She was strong underneath and was force in final quarter, scoring five of her team-high nine points. Alicia Dumont helped out when she hit back-to-back baskets to bring her total to eight points in the fourth quarter.
“Zoe Adams did a great job,” said Gray-new Gloucester coach Mike Andreasen, who added that Adams also turned in a fine second-half performance against York the night before.
But with 2:02 left in the game, the Warriors (4-1) made it a 25-24 game when Nicole Moody scored.
Valente shook herself off after missing the 1-and-1 opportunity and sank the next two foul shots, giving the Patriots (3-2) some leeway with a 27-24 lead. Julie Martel was later fouled and sank one from the free-throw line.
That’s when the Patriots’ defense put the kibosh on the Warriors’ offense in those last few tense seconds.
“The defense was great. So tonight we said we had to slow Wells down. They are a high-powered machine,” Andreasen said. “Let’s slow the game down and give ourselves a chance to win. Every possession matters. But defensively, they didn’t get a good look all night. All their points they had to work for.
“I told the girls late in the game that I felt more comfortable on defense than on offense. If the defense stays like that, we can compete.”
For Wells, senior forward Alison Furness threw in the game-high 10 points and hit the only 3-pointer of the game.
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- The Patriots’ Maria Valente tries to get the ball back after it was swatted away from her control by Wells’ Sophie Lamb in the second quarter of their game Thursday in Gray. A foul was called on Valente and possession of the ball was given to Lamb after a brief struggle.
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- Izzy Detroy pushes to get around Alison Furness in the second quarter of their game Thursday in Gray. Detroy was able to get around Furness to take a shot at the net.
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- Nicole Moody, left, and Stephanie Woods foul up Skye Conley’s shot in the second quarter of their game Thursday in Gray.
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- Wells’ Nicole Moody moves in from the left as Stephanie Woods moves in from the right to try and steal the ball from Gray-New Gloucester’s Alicia Dumont in the second quarter of their game Thursday night in Gray. Dumont was able to keep control of the ball.
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- Grace Ferguson pushes to get around Wells’ Jordan Agger after getting pressure in the back from Kaitlyn Tufts, left, in the first half of their game Thursday. Ferguson was able to slide past Agger and make an attempt at the net.
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