LEWISTON — Bates’ Jenna Berens didn’t score a single point but still made an impact with one of the biggest plays of Tuesday’s game against Husson.
Berens blocked a 3-point attempt by Carly Price in the final seconds to secure a 64-61 victory for the Bobcats in a nonconference women’s basketball contest at Alumni Gym.
“We were up three and we talked about the one thing we didn’t want to do is foul a 3-point shooter,” Bates coach Alison Montgomery said. “But we wanted to contest, we were switching off screens, we had two bigger players (Berens and Elsa Daulerio) in, and their bigger player (Bailey Donovan) had fouled out. We thought there were mismatches. Obviously, they needed a 3; we had the length to contest.”
Husson coach Kissy Walker said the Eagles designed a play for Price during a timeout with six seconds remaining in the game.
“(Price) is our 3-point shooter, and we were trying to get a shot off quick,” Walker said. “I thought one of our other kids might have had the shot, but we made that one last pass (to Price). I think they were thinking of the play we talked about (in the timeout).”
The Bobcats (3-2) trailed for most of the game, and took only its second lead when Morgan Kennedy hit a 3 with 3:55 remaining in the final quarter for a 59-58 advantage.
A Vanessa Duarte trey gave Husson (3-3) a 61-59 lead. Bates’ Meghan Graff scored a layup tying the game at 61 with 2:07 to play. She later hit a foul shot with 48 seconds left, giving the Bobcats a 62-61 lead. Kennedy added a pair of free throws with 14 seconds remaining to make it 64-61.
Kennedy led the Bobcats with 25 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter.
“My teammates (and coaches), they mean the world to me,” Kennedy said. “No matter (if shots) go in or out, they are always behind me and have my back. No matter what, they are going to believe in me and that the next shot is going in.”
Donovan paced the Eagles with 24, including 14 in the third quarter.
“She’s a special player,” Walker said of Donovan. “Every game, she’s pushed and shoved — she’s working through that.”
Graff gave the Bobcats a 2-0 lead with a layup off the opening tip, but then Husson went on a 17-5 run. Hannah Richards led the Eagles with five points, including a 3-pointer, in the first quarter. Duarte and Roxanne Sasse also hit treys in the first.
The Bobcats struggled from the field in the first quarter, going 3 for 17, while the Eagles made 7 of 12 shots.
Kennedy (19 points, five rebounds, four assists) helped Bates open the second quarter with a 16-8 run. She notched a four-point play, getting fouled on a 3 from the corner and making the foul shot. She added another 3 and finished with nine points in the quarter. Davina Kabantu came off the bench for the Bobcats and contributed six points in the second.
Kabantu had 13 points, five rebounds, and three steals in the game. She said the rebounds and steals were as important as putting up 13 points.
“It’s really important because at the end of the day it comes down to how hard you want that rebound, and defense leads to that great offense we have,” Kabantu said.
Montgomery said Kabantu and Kennedy helped the Bobcats get back into the game.
“Davina was a huge spark with fearlessness on both ends (of the floor); she challenged on both ends,” Montgomery said. “She’s super strong and tough, a good rebounder. Morgan was steady all game, especially in the first half when we couldn’t get anything going. She was really steady, not only in the plays she was making but her confidence. She did that all game for us.”
Bates cut the deficit to 30-28, but a 3 from Jordyn Lengle and a Sydney Loring jump shot that beat the buzzer gave the Eagles a 35-28 lead at halftime.
“It was a game of runs,” Walker said. “I am proud of my kids, they have a seven-day layoff, and we had kids who were sick. I was really worried about our conditioning tonight, but the kids really competed tonight.”
Duarte finished with 12 points for Husson.
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