BETHEL – The Jay High School girls’ basketball team battled back from adversity in the Mountain Valley Conference on Friday night.
Sophomore guard Kaylie DeMillo scored a game-high 25 points by slicing and dicing through the defense as the Tigers posted a 56-50 win to complete a season sweep against Telstar. The Tigers beat the Rebels by 17 points last month, but the rematch proved to be extremely competitive.
There was a lot on the line because Jay (10-5) and Telstar (9-6) are ranked fifth and third, respectively, in Class C Heal Points. The teams remain in the running for a trip to the Augusta Civic Center.
“This was big for us,” Jay coach Chris Bessey said. “Especially after we had lost at Boothbay Thursday night. The girls took it hard, but tonight we bounced back. That says a lot about the character of this team.”
Telstar tied the game in the fourth thanks to Jillian Kimball (10 points, three steals and a pair of free throws) and Abby Wentworth (19 points). Unfortunately, the Rebels (30 percent in game) missed their last six shots. Chea Davis added nine points.
The Jay offense proceeded to take charge, with DeMillo (nine steals) running the show.
DeMillo scored three straight baskets to give the Tigers a 51-45 lead. Jessica LeBrecque and Angela Courchesney grabbed clutch rebounds in the final minutes.
“We wanted to do two things in the fourth quarter,” Bessey said. “The first was to concentrate on our defense and then be patient with the ball on offense. Kaylie DeMillo has the ability to take over a game and went wild after (Liz) Rosenberg had to sit with four fouls.”
Jay shot 35 percent from the floor and committed one turnover, but the Tigers made 22 of 32 from the free-throw line. Sara Fetterhoff scored 15 points and Katie Mastine added 11 points and seven rebounds.
Telstar had jumped ahead 17-11 after one quarter, but Jay crept back in the second quarter. Fetterhoff tied the game at 21-all as the Tigers went on a 10-0 run.
“Jay has our number,” Telstar coach Aaron Bean said. “We’ve played them five times in the last two years and they are 4-1 against us. They are a better team and we were outcoached again. We did make a couple costly turnovers in the second quarter that let them back in the game.”
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