POLAND — The Poland girls basketball team ig-knight-ed its offense in the third quarter, which propelled the Knights to a 39-29 Class C South victory over Sacopee Valley on Saturday.

The 10-point margin is familiar to both teams, as Sacopee Valley (5-4) beat Poland (5-5) 28-18 in their Dec. 29 meeting.

“It feels amazing, I’m very happy we worked as a team,” Poland senior Thea Thornton said. “Earlier this season, we lost to them, and we really needed this win.”

Thornton was the game’s top scorer, contributing 13 of the Knights’ 39 points.

She said she was happy with how well the team worked together on the court, despite being down in the first quarter.

Poland and Sacopee Valley each tallied seven points in the first quarter. Thornton was first to put points on the board with a basket followed by a free throw. Nicole Rioux also added a bucket for the Knights.

The Hawks, who were led in the first by Emma Boulanger’s four points and several rebounds, put a lot of pressure on Poland in the opening period. They logged three steals, which they turned into points, keeping the first quarter tight.

Phoebe Paradis countered for Poland at the end of the quarter, stealing a Sacopee Valley pass and taking it down the court for a shot. She was fouled, but made a free throw. She also snagged a Sacopee Valley rebound in the last few seconds, keeping the score at 7-7 at the end of the first.

Poland outscored Sacopee Valley 11-6 in the second quarter, thanks to Rioux making all four of her free throws and Charlotte Grenier landing two 3-pointers.

“The big 3 by Charlotte at the end of the second really pulled us together at halftime, and we really got back together,” Thornton said.

Boulanger remained a force in the second quarter for the Hawks, scoring three points and pulling down more rebounds.

The momentum picked up for the Knights in the third quarter. Thornton credited the team’s mentality in the locker room before the second half started.

“I think we all knew we weren’t playing as good as we have and as we can,” Thornton said. “We just recognized that we need to work better and be more aggressive, because we’re a very aggressive team.”

Poland added another 15 points in the third quarter, while holding Sacopee Valley to eight, and built a 33-21 lead.

“I think that we just went over what we needed to do, and the girls just responded,” Poland coach Jake Webb said of the halftime adjustment. “Nicole Rioux was fantastic for us on the boards all day. They just kept playing, and it’s a fantastic win for these girls.”

Although Thornton scored 10 of her 13 overall points in the third quarter, she said Saturday’s win came down to the team working together.

“We had more intensity, way more intensity, from everyone today,” Thornton said about Saturday’s game compared to the Dec. 29 matchup. “We all played together, everyone had their own input individually. We had a lot of point scorers throughout our team. Last game, we only had two players score.”

Thornton said the key difference was waiting for the right shot, instead of “settling for 3s, which is something we have been working on.”

“I know that I need to contribute to the team, and I know my mom told me I need to calm down and just get my shot,” Thornton said. “I think that’s just what helped me, I focused on the front of the room and just played my game.”

Boulanger finished with 10 points in the game for the Hawks. Three of those came in the third quarter. She also was called for her fourth foul in the third, and the Knights capitalized on her absence by adding to their lead.

Laura Landry, the Sacopee Valley head coach, declined to be interviewed after the game.

Rioux said the win felt good, as it marks the fourth win in a row for Poland. The Knights were 0-18 last season, and Rioux said the shift to winning this season stems from the players believing in themselves.

“I think we’re getting to, like, a really good spot in our program where we’re all working together,” Rioux said. “We all are starting to trust each other, and there’s no ball-hogging. We’re definitely spacing out the court better and we’re trying to execute plays when we’re given like timeouts. The trust is way better.”

Rioux agreed with Thornton, that the offensive success in Saturday’s game was attributed to less forced shots, and “a lot of passes up to a shot, instead of just a prayer.”

“Being a team that’s went from 0-18 to where we are now, I think the girls are starting to believe in themselves, and they’re playing a much better brand of basketball,” Webb said. “Our defense has been just tremendous.”

Both defensives were aggressive, which resulted in a lot of foul shots, as well as many players hitting the court and fighting for 50-50 balls.

“When you’re against someone that’s a lot taller than you, and you’re a shorter post, you have to compensate with your quartering and definitely not losing your ground when you’re getting shoved around,” Rioux said. “Basketball is an aggressive game, it’s a sport, and the competitiveness is shining through, so you’re not going to lose.”

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