Girls’ basketball fell to Braintree 61-58 at home Tuesday, Jan. 13 in an intense matchup that remained tense until the final minutes. 

“We competed with a really good team,” said head coach Todd Sundstrom. “We’ve been in a little bit of a slump here, so I’m glad that the girls came together today.”

When the first whistle sounded, Braintree started off strong, with exceptional defence that allowed them to find an early lead.

“Braintree went on a 7-0 run in the first quarter. I’m really proud of how we came back from that, and didn’t let it deter us,” said senior Nina Bakal, a captain alongside senior Nikki Rao and junior Mia Mescher. 

Down by seven points, the Tigers took a timeout that paid off when they came back to play with a newfound fire.  

Less than a minute later, Rao and junior Makenna Kelley both made clutch baskets, raising the Tigers’ confidence and bringing them back into the game.

The rest of the first quarter was a seemingly even matchup, ending in a 14-14 draw as both North and Braintree fought for the lead.

In the second quarter, the Tigers continued to shut down Braintree’s attacks and create opportunities of their own.  

“Braintree is a ranked team, and I think we really came in with the mindset that we can play with anyone. We showed that today,” said Bakal.

Despite North’s efforts, Braintree’s defense acted as a brick wall, hindering the Tigers’ ability to find success.

The first half, ending with the Tigers down 26-27, saw exceptional performances from Mescher and sophomore Annabelle Wardly, who worked together to keep the score within one point at the break.

The Tigers began the second half with novel confidence, as they connected passes and broke past Braintree’s defense.

With three minutes remaining in the third quarter, Braintree took a timeout, coming back out to play even more energetically than before. As a result, Braintree regained its lead and continuously won rebounds due to their relentless attacks and pressure.

“We really needed to rebound and that showed today. That was the difference between winning and losing the game,” said Bakal.

Mesher continued to stand out throughout the game, weaving between Braintree players and keeping the score close.  

“Mia Mescher was an absolute beast today,” added Sundstrom. “She does all these little things to help you win. She’s active, she’s rebounding, she’s playing hard. She was fantastic.”

As the fourth quarter concluded with a 40-45 score, the game went into overtime. 

With thirteen seconds remaining, Wardly intercepted a pass and flew down the court, closing the gap to only three points. Despite her last-minute efforts, the ball narrowly missed the hoop and the game ended with a final score of 61-58. 

“We’ve definitely gone through our ups and downs as a team, with illness, travel, and team relations,” said senior Allie Danis. “I think it’s impressive that we’ve been able to battle back against top ranked teams even with those issues.”

The Tigers, 3-7, triumphed against Peabody Jan. 15, and will play Walpole Jan. 23.