Mahar Tops Mount Everett in OT Despite 49 from Carpenter

CHESHIRE, Mass. -- The Mount Everett girls basketball team battled back from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime, but Mahar hung on for an 81-74 win on Saturday afternoon in the first game of the 10th annual Coaches vs. Cancer Berkshire County Showcase at Hoosac Valley High School.

 

Mount Everett sophomore Gwendolyn Carpenter scored 49 points, including 21 in the fourth quarter, but Mahar’s Kenzie Tenney scored 26 with 31 rebounds as the Senators used a significant advantage on the glass all afternoon.

 

Mahar was up, 50-38, to start the fourth when Jazmyn Vantour (12 points) knocked down a 3-pointer on the quarter’s opening possession.

 

But Mount Everett went on a 15-4 run to cut the lead to 54-53 on a Carpenter 3-pointer with 3 minutes, 40 seconds left in regulation.

 

From there, the teams traded baskets and trips to the foul line. Mahar pulled ahead by four, 63-59, with 41 seconds left. But Carpenter got to the line five seconds later and hit both free throws.

 

Then, after she stole the ball, she went to the charity stripe again, hitting one to make it 63-62. Madison Ullrich got the offensive rebound and went to the line, where she tied the game, 63-63, with 23 seconds left.

 

At the other end, Cassidy Verheyen (22 points) got to the line and hit both shots to put Mahar up, 65-63, with 14 seconds left.

 

Mount Everett tried for the final shot, but it rimmed out and Mahar got the rebound, but the Senator stepped on the baseline, giving Mount Everett the ball under its basket with 1.9 seconds on the clock.

 

After a timeout, Mount Everett inbounded the ball to Ullrich, who scored in the post at the buzzer to send the game to OT.

 

But Mahar, which amassed a 31-18 rebounding edge in the first half, again asserted itself on the glass in OT, when Mount Everett lost Ullrich to foul trouble. Mahar outrebounded Mount Everett, 11-4, in the extra session, and Tenney and Verheyen scored six points apiece.

 

The Eagles took their first lead since midway through the first quarter when Carpenter hit a triple to make it 68-67 early in OT, but Mahar scored the next five points and never looked back. The Eagles got within two twice, but Mahar used a 7-0 run to open an 81-72 lead with 30 seconds left.