BOSTON – With the game on the line for South High, there was no doubt who was taking the next shot.
Trailing by one with only 15 seconds remaining, Gianah Estevez sliced past the right elbow straight to the block, converting her layup and scoring the winning basket.
That hoop provided South High a lead they would not relinquish, and an extra pair of free throws by Estevez (21 points, nine rebounds, five steals, three assists) gave South the victory, 42-39, over Whitman-Hanson to punch its ticket back to the Division 2 girls basketball championship game.
“When I had the ball, all I remember thinking is, ‘We’re not losing this game,’ ” said Estevez, who was a menace on the glass with eight offensive rebounds. “I wanted another practice. I wanted another game. I wanted another opportunity to play in the championship. I wasn’t going to stop until we got it, and that’s what we’re getting.”
The victory sets up a rematch against No. 1 seed Medfield. No. 6 seed South (19-4) will seek redemption after losing to Medfield in last year’s championship, earning the right to play for the title after a tremendous defensive effort against a loaded Whitman-Hanson squad.
Turnovers were the difference. South only committed 11 turnovers, while forcing Whitman-Hanson into 23.
“We grinded and grinded until we closed it out,” said South High coach Diego McClain. “That Whitman-Hanson team is extremely good and they’re very well coached, so we needed to get stops to give ourselves a chance. Our whole culture is defense. That’s what won us the game.”
South’s unrelenting defensive effort caused No. 7 Whitman-Hanson (17-8) to struggle to find any sort of consistent flow on offense. Despite Whitman-Hanson taking a three-point lead, 11-8, after one, South was ahead 24-21 and dictated the pace by the half. The pride of Worcester basketball, South put forth a sensational feat when it forced seven straight turnovers to start the third quarter.
Whitman-Hanson coach Michael Costa knew the turnovers were costly, but his team remained stingy on defense, making South fight for each possession.
“We only gave up 42 points, but we just didn’t make enough plays,” said Costa. “It’s hard coming out on the short end of it. We never got into a good rhythm, and credit South for that. But I’m proud of our effort and our fight.”
Whitman-Hanson fought to tie the game, 28-28, after three. Yet they encountered a new obstacles when the talented Maliah Pierre (11 points, five rebounds, one steals) fouled out with 2:42 to play. Compounding Whitman-Hanson’s problems were the playmaking skills of Bryan Bascones (11 points, four rebounds, four steals), who carried the load offensively with six points in the fourth, while Lydia Charlonne was everywhere she needed to be on the defensive end.
“We’re known for our defense,” said Charlonne (three points, four rebounds, six assists). “And this is what we worked for all year. This was the plan. Now we get another chance, another game, and a rematch from last year. I’m hoping for a better outcome, too.”
“The lights are still on,” said McClain. “That means it’s not over. We’re getting another chance and we want to make the most of it.”