The St. Mary’s Spartans of Lynn spoiled the home debut of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School girls varsity basketball team Saturday night in Oak Bluffs. The visitors overturned a four-point deficit in the final three minutes, scoring the final 11 points in a 58-51 victory.
The Vineyarders, who started the season on the road with a 48-39 win over Cathedral of Boston, and a 59-54 loss in Abington, were sluggish at the start on their home court. After St. Mary’s scored the first two buckets, Erin Hill finally put the hosts on the board 4:07 into the first quarter.
Martha’s Vineyard played its most consistent and aggressive basketball in the second quarter. The Vineyarders moved the ball around the perimeter effectively, feeding Erin Hill, who crashed the paint for nine points.
The third quarter was defined by runs. St. Mary’s controlled the first half, dominating the glass at both ends to reel off a 13-2 run and take a 35-29 lead. The Vineyarders fought back with an 11-2 run of their own. Molly deBettencourt capped off the quarter by draining consecutive three-pointers to give MV a 40-37 lead.
The Vineyarders maintained a slim lead well into the final period but struggled down the stretch. Molly deBettencourt sank the last of her five treys and Erin Hill scored what proved to be the last Vineyard basket, slicing through two Spartan defenders to scoop the ball off the glass for a 51-47 lead with three minutes left in regulation.
Molly deBettencourt and Erin Hill led the Vineyarders with 19 points apiece. Sam Hargy scored nine and Emily Turney added four.
