MCC Overcomes 20-Point Halftime Defecit To Upset Massasoit CC

Women’s Basketball:
Manchester CC 59 Massasoit CC 54

BROCKTON, MA – Arianna Rivera (Manchester) gave Manchester CC (5-9) its first lead of the game with 1:29 left on the clock …to cap a dramatic, come-from-behind, 59-54 road victory over Massasoit CC (7-8).

The Cougars trailed by 20 points at the half, but induced Massasoit’s Ashley Andrade (14 points) to foul out with less than 3:47 elapsed in the second half, leaving the Warriors with just four players.

“We had a game plan to close down number four (Andrade) who had 32 points on us the first time around,” MCC head coach Katie DaCosta said from the team bus. “And the girls executed that. When we closed her down, we were able to pull out from a 22 point deficit.”

Rivera scored 16 points in the second half and finished the afternoon with 22, while Haley Cole (Hebron) was the game-leader with 28 points. Cole, who set a school record with 44 points against Bristol CC in December, made a game saving defensive play with 29 seconds left.

“I think she may have missed the layup, but then sprinted down the court and just blocked the girl,” the 27 year-old, first year head coach said of Cole. “It was a huge block with 29.2 seconds left on the clock that could have made it a one point game.”

Rivera and Cole did most of the offensive damage, along with sophomore Janell Smith (Malone, NY) who checked with seven points, but it was clearly a team victory with all seven players contributing.

“In order to get (Andrade) in foul trouble, I had to switch back and forth between a box-in-one and try different things,” DaCosta said. “Everyone had to work. Janell came out with a big rebound and huge put-back and Kailee (Doerfler/Tolland) made a big basket, Ally (Nuccio/Tolland) was just a spark on defense. Haley just got hot, Ari had her moments when she was driving to the hoop and Brittany (Barber/East Hartford) had four big stops.”

Nine days ago, Massasoit ran out of Manchester with a 72-43 victory, but on Saturday it was MCC’s turn to run away with victory.

Saying that DaCosta was proud of her team is an understatement.

“We have kids who have never played before and could have easily just thrown in the towel before we stepped on the bus,” said DaCosta.

MCC travels to UConn-Avery Point on Wednesday (Feb 6) for a 7pm game and hosts CC of Rhode Island on Saturday (Feb 9) at the Great Path Academy gym at 1pm.