Lightbody’s foul shot at buzzer sinks Melrose, 74-73

Published January 18, 2019

By JENNIFER GENTILE

MELROSE—The tension couldn’t have been higher on Tuesday night in Melrose when the Melrose High girls’ basketball team found themselves facing double overtime with zero seconds left on the clock, praying that the two foul shots awarded to Reading standout Haley Lightbody would miss. Had they, the two teams (both 7-3 on the season) would have gone into double overtime. While’s Lightbody’s first shot bounced off the rim, inducing loud cheers and groans from the stands, her second shot was an easy swish, causing Reading to erupt on the court and Melrose to walk off disappointed (but battle tested) against one of the stronger teams in the Middlesex League. 

Melrose Sam Dewey and Peri MacDonald were enormous forces for the Lady Raiders, who generated the most offense of the season with a massive 74 points. Macdonald had 21 points overall, scoring the first 4 Raider baskets to help Melrose take a quick 8-6 lead. Dewey was a beast across the board, with 25 point, double-double effort including 5 blocks, three steals, numerous assists, and drawing five “and-ones” that proved a headache for Reading. For the Rockets, Lightbody led with 21 points, including the game-winner. 

DEWEY V. LIGHTBODY. Melrose’s Sam Dewey (25 pts) and Haley Lightbody (21 pts) battled it out during Melrose’s game against Reading, but the Rockets prevailed in overtime, 74-73. (Steve Karampalas photo)

Melrose held a 11-6 early lead, thanks to a trey by Mary Kate Mahoney, and at the end of the first were up by a slim 13-12 margin. Melrose fell to turnovers in the second but solid shooting from Sam Smith, Abby Cunningham and Peri MacDonald kept Melrose in the game. A tough Rocket defense tripped Melrose up, and at halftime, Melrose was down, 36-30. But coach Bill Hirschfeld’s halftime talk spurred a huge third quarter effort led by Dewey, who scored 6 straight points, and Sam Smith, who hit a three to give Melrose a lead of 52-49 at the end of the third. Dewey hit four straight points to extend Melrose’s lead to 60-55, while MacDonald made it a 62-58 game. Abby Cunningham’s 2-2 on the foul line kept Melrose ahead 64-59 but Reading’s Lightbody scored again and a three pointer by Reading’s Jackie Mallie tied it up, 64-64, forcing overtime. 

Reading scored the first overtime points on the foul line during the 4 minute frame. Sam Smith was a strong presence in the OT minutes, scoring a basket that drew a foul. Melrose held a 70-66 lead with a minute left. A turnover forced by Lightbody made it a 70-68 game. Dewey went to the foul line and made it a 71-68 before Reading’s Nakeya Carr hit a shot that made it 71-70. Lily Cunningham scored and drew a foul to make it 73-70 with 22 seconds left. But Reading’s Mallie struck again, wide open to deliver her third trey of the night that tied it up with 12 seconds left.

When Lightbody drew a foul with no time left, and then hit her second foul attempt, the rest was history. 

Melrose hopes to rebound when they face a competitive Wilmington team on the road tonight at 5:15.