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JAY — The Spruce Mountain girls basketball team was looking for a strong start to its second half in its Class C South showdown with Winslow.

The Phoenix responded with a 13-0 run in the third quarter, forcing 11 turnovers during that stretch on the way to a 60-30 victory Friday night.

Maddie Grimaldi led Spruce Mountain (8-0) with 21 points and seven rebounds, while Natasha McDonald added 20 points. Lilly Bellerose had seven points and five rebounds.

“At the end of the second quarter, we got excited and energetic,” said Grimaldi, a junior. “We told our team that we needed that going into the second half. We just came together, stayed energetic and stayed up.”

Winslow (5-2) was led by forward Blanca Sanchez-Aviles scored 18 points to lead Winslow (5-2). Tenley Nadeau added six points.

Spruce Mountain forced 33 turnovers.

“It’s good to get a win, especially at home,” said McDonald, a junior. “It’s good to come back here and get another win, against a good team.”

How did they get there?

Lots and lots of defense. Spruce Mountain led from the get-go and stayed on top thanks to a pressure defense that forced numerous errors. Grimaldi scored eight of her 21 points in the first quarter, sparking the Phoenix to a 13-8 lead.

“We just talk a lot and we’re on the same page with what we’re trying to do,” Grimaldi said. “Our zone press came together today. We just all connected.”

“We do that to a lot of teams,” said Spruce Mountain coach Zach Keene. “Generally, teams will break (the press) once or twice, but over the course of 32 minutes, it’s a tough way to play and we stick to it. With the athletes that we have, it’s hard to go against for the whole game.”

Winslow fought back in the second quarter, pulling to within seven points with the help of a 6-0 run. Sanchez-Aviles, a sophomore forward, was strong both in the post and in transition, and the Black Raiders broke the press at times with long passes down the court.

The Phoenix, though, started the third quarter with 13-straight points and entered the fourth with a 46-22 lead.

“We started making shots, which allowed us to get into the press more,” Keene said. “We have a lot of depth of athletes that can get on you quick once we get rolling. After a slow start, to come out in the second half like that is a big deal, it was good to see.”

What does this mean?

Both Spruce Mountain and Winslow entered Friday night near the top of the Class C South Heal point standings. The Phoenix are ranked No. 2 behind Maranacook (6-2). However, Spruce Mountain is the lone undefeated team remaining in the region and beat Maranacook 51-42 on Wednesday at the Augusta Civic Center.

Winslow has already doubled last season’s win total, and even with Friday’s loss, the Black Raiders are No. 3 in the C South standings.

Black Raiders coach Trevon Butler has been happy with the progress of his team early in the season.

“Coming back from last year and being 2-16, there’s a big growth there,” Butler said. “We’re learning our culture and what we’re trying to build. The biggest thing is just believing in each other … We showed some heart tonight, showed some grit. We just need to play for four quarters.”

Statistical leaders

Spruce Mountain: Maddie Grimaldi (21 points, 7 rebounds), Natasha McDonald (20 points, 4 rebounds), Alaina Kachnovich (9 points), Lilly Bellerose (7 points, 5 rebounds)

Winslow: Blanca Sanchez-Aviles (18 points), Tenley Nadeau (6 points)