North Attleboro’s 4th Quarter Rally Beat Milford, 47-43

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

[Excerpts from hockomocksports.com article]

North Attleboro could’ve let down and allowed the night to continue getting away, but for the second straight game the Rocketeers found a second wind in the final minutes. The visitors answered with a 10-0 run of their own, regaining the lead and the momentum. Sparked by a seven-point fourth quarter from senior Ava McKeon, North was able to get the stops it needed and made several clutch shots for a come-from-behind 47-43 victory and a sweep of the season series.

North went 8-for-10 at the line in a foul-filled opening quarter that saw both teams reach the bonus. Sam Sweeney (game-high 16 points, eight rebounds, and four steals) provided an early boost for North offensively, scoring off an offensive rebound and taking a nice pass from Katie Corsetti (12 points, six rebounds, and six steals) for a layup. Corsetti also hit a short jumper after a steal for one of North’s four made baskets in the first.

[Coach Nikki] Correia said, “To start the season, if we did have a lead, then to break the press we thought if someone is ahead we have to throw it up, but we said we don’t have to force it. Sam Sweeney’s gotten better at being able to read that. Let’s just set up the offense, calm it down, and finding nice sweet spots for her.”

The second quarter was almost a mirror image of the first. This time it was the North offense that stalled, as Sweeney’s jumper was the lone basket for the visitors, who also went just 1-for-6 from the line.

North started the second half quickly to extend the lead back to as many as six points (28-22). Sweeney knocked down a jumper and turned a steal into a layup. Khatrina Leger answered with four straight points for the Hawks, but Corsetti got a steal and short jumper and Maryellen Charette, who battled foul trouble in the first half, scored on a put-back.

“They all work hard, but she’s somebody who can keep her composure and realize that she needs to a leader,” Correia said about [Ava] McKeon. “She said to me on the sideline, ‘I got this coach’ and I just said, ‘Settle down, watch the reaching, and play your game.’ When she plays her game, she plays under control and takes what they give her.”

Photography by Hockomocksports.com