TURNERS FALLS — Points were hard to come by in the championship game of the Franklin Tech Girls Summer Basketball League between Frontier and Franklin Tech on Thursday.
That was until about two minutes left in the second overtime, however.
The Redhawks and the Eagles went to overtime with the game tied, 24-24. Franklin Tech’s Trinity Doane made a free throw with 30 seconds left in overtime to tie the game at 29, and neither team scored from that point on to go to a second five minute OT period.
With under two minutes to play in the second overtime Frontier’s Skyler Steele knocked down a 3 to give the Redhawks a 34-33 lead.
Lea Chapman answered with a bucket on the other end to give Tech a 35-34 lead. With just under 30 seconds to play Frontier’s Ashley Taylor got the ball a few steps back from the three point line and hoisted up a shot that banked in, giving the Redhawks a 37-35 lead. Frontier got a stop at the other end to take home the championship with a 37-35 victory.
“I was wide open so I just shot it,” Taylor said. “I knew I hadn’t scored all game so I said I might as well test my luck. We needed points.”
Despite missing a few players, the Redhawks were able to lift the championship trophy for the second straight year. It wasn’t easy, as the Tech defense made Frontier work for each basket it earned.
“It was a really rough game,” Taylor said. “We’re missing a few key players so we’re a little off balance without them. Somehow we pulled it off. It feels really good to win this championship.”
Taylor says she hopes this win can help give the Redhawks a boost heading into next season.
“I’m really excited for the upcoming season,” Taylor said. “I think we’re going to be a pretty good team. We’re pretty young.”
Hailey Hutkowski and Steele tied for a team-high 11 points for Frontier. Olivia Machon finished with five points, Jazzy Hayes scored three points while Harper Modesto and Ashlie Golenski each had two points in the win.
Hannah Gilbert led the Eagles with 13 points while Lea Chapman scored eight points and came out of nowhere to block what looked like a wide open layup at the buzzer to force overtime.
Rounding out the Tech scorers were Kait Trudeau with five points and two points from both Cordelia Guerin and Kyra Goodell.