NORTH ADAMS, Mass - - Olivia Cavanaugh scored 10 points, and Hannah Rickert hit two big fourth-quarter 3-pointers as Smith Academy held on for a 34-33 win over McCann Tech Tuesday night.
For Smith Academy (6-9), Ashley Higgins and Rickert chipped in with eight points each, but it was Rickert’s 3-point shooting in the fourth quarter that led the team to the win.
With the score tied at 31 late in the fourth, Rickert hit a 3 from the wing to put the Falcans up, 34-31. After Kelly Dobbert scored with 37 seconds left to cut the lead to 34-33, Smith Academy found itself inbounding the ball under its own hoop, with 6 seconds left. McCann’s Alanza Quinones stole the ball and found a teammate open on the wing for the game-winning jumper, but the shot was just off.
For McCann (4-10), Allie Gibeau scored 12 points, all in the first half, and Aimee Dowling chipped in with six points. The Hornets went into half-time with a three-point lead, 21-18, but they were outscored in the third quarter, 10-6, which ultimately led to the loss.
“We got outscored in the third quarter, that is our history. Call it a third quarter jinx,” McCann head coach Mike Dowling said. “We were ahead at halftime and got outscored 10-6 in the third quarter. I can’t say we didn’t play hard or they didn’t play good defense. We just didn’t win the game. We need to get out of that jinx.”
McCann heads to Mount Greylock Thursday night and Smith Academy will head home to host Pioneer Valley Friday night.
