ATTLEBORO — In the first half of Wednesday night’s Catholic Central clash, the Bishop Feehan girls’ basketball team found itself out of sorts and unable to find a rhythm against a formidable St. Mary’s defense.
Even when it looked bleak, the Shamrocks never stopped believing in one another or their game plan. Undeterred and unflappable, Bishop Feehan responded with a signature third quarter and withstood every St. Mary’s surge in the fourth to send the game to overtime.
In the extra period, the Shamrocks turned defense into offense and lived at the free-throw line to cement a gutsy, 57-53, triumph at Bishop Feehan High.
“We knew what we had to do,” said Bishop Feehan junior Avery Teixeira. “This is what we play for. We love games like this.”
Teixeira posted a game-high and career-high 19 points, along with 12 rebounds, to power the No. 2 Shamrocks (12-2). Senior Mollie Mullen added 16 points and five steals, junior Shannon LaMorticelli scored 8 of her 12 points in overtime, and junior Addie Frenette played her best in the clutch.
Sophomore Charleigh Green paced the No. 8 Spartans (13-2) with 13 points, and freshman Sysy Emmanuel and senior Sky Watson contributed 11 apiece. St. Mary’s put themselves in prime position before the Shamrocks snatched it away.
“The kids never quit,” said Bishop Feehan coach Amy Dolores. “They were excited to get after it and have a chance to chip away at it. The defensive effort was what got us back in it.”
St. Mary’s led 11-9, through 1, and 24-13, at halftime. Bishop Feehan trimmed it to 31-29 through three, then Teixeira hit two timely free throws to help send the game into overtime.
With Emmanuel and freshman McKenna O’Connell fouled out, the Spartans turned even more to Green in overtime. A Green putback and block vaulted St. Mary’s ahead, 51-50, then LaMorticelli banked one in, Frenette nailed two free throws, and Teixeira found LaMorticelli for two with 24.5 seconds left.
“Her style of play fits so nicely with this up-tempo game,” Dolores said of Teixeira. “Once she got a little bit of advantage going to the basket, she really used it. She plays off the energy.”
Teixeira, who had a limited role last season, has maximized her opportunity and then some.
“We graduated a lot of starting players, so the shoes had to be filled,” Teixeira said. “My teammates and I are getting the job done.”
For the Spartans, it was a tough outcome to digest, as they watched everything they worked for slip away.
Coach Jeff Newhall believes his team went from “all in” to “playing a little bit timid” as the game progressed.
“They came back on us,” Newhall said. “There’s no question about it. But I think a lot of it was self-inflicted.”
Trevor Hass can be reached at trevor.hass@globe.com. Follow him on X @TrevorHass.