Lenox Rallies in Fourth Quarter to Catch Lee
LEE, Mass. – Facing a 10-point deficit going to the fourth quarter of their Division 5 State Tournament game at rival Lee, the Lenox Millionaires took things one step at a time.
And, largely, one point at a time.
Lenox went 11-for-13 at the foul line in outscoring Lee, 25-8, in that fourth quarter to earn a 64-57 win on Wednesday night.
Grace Julieano scored 22 points to lead four Millionaires in double figures. She also hit two crucial foul shots with 37 seconds left to give Lenox a 60-55 lead.
Her sister, Evelyn (18 points), then iced the game by going 4-for-4 at the stripe in the final 12 seconds to send 12th-seeded Lenox (7-13) into the Round of 8 against St. John Paul II of Hyannis, a 53-30 winner over Pioneer Valley Christian on Wednesday night.
“We work on it a lot,” Grace said of the Julieanos’ foul-shooting prowess. “After practices, we stay after. Our last practice, I stayed after for 30 minutes working on foul shots because I was a little bit off.
“And it seemed to pay off tonight.”
It was no surprise to Lenox coach Nicole Patella that it did.
“We practice pressure foul shooting every day,” she said. “I have a special drill. I can’t give you my secrets.
“But Evelyn was after practice the other day, Grace was after practice the other day for 20 minutes, trying to make 30 out of 30. That’s just dedication, right? Wanting the will to win. I said, it’s going to be on the foul line. It’s going to be on rebounding. And we did it.”
Grace Julieano finished with a double-double with 13 rebounds to go with her game-high 22 points. Claire O’Brien and Katie Shove each finished with 10 points and seven boards.
Nevertheless, fifth-seeded Lee (18-5) led most of the night and built a double-digit lead late in the third.
Giana Carlino scored 16 points, and Mika Diller finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds in a balanced Wildcat attack.
Diller’s putback early in the first quarter gave Lee a 7-5 lead, and they maintained that lead until midway through the fourth quarter.
Lenox stayed within a couple of baskets most of the first half, but Diller hit a 3-pointer to spark a 7-3 spurt late in the second to open a 34-27 lead at half-time.
A triple from Carlino late in the third gave Lee its first double-digit margin at 47-36, and a Tamia Andrade putback put the score at 49-38 before a Shove free throw got Lenox within 10 with eight minutes left to play.
“I just said, ‘Lock in,’ “ Patella said. “You know, down 10, you’ve got to lock in. You’ve got to get some stops. Claire [O’Brien] with that 3 was huge. She just lifts our team when she makes those 3s. They just want to play so hard for her and Grace [Julieano].”
Julieano started the quarter with a conventional three-point play to get Lenox within seven, but Simmons answered with a bucket in transition to make it 51-42.
Lenox then scored the next 10 points to take its first lead of the game.
O’Brien (10 points) had two triples during the run, including the last points of the rally to make it 52-51 with 3 minutes, 47 seconds on the clock.
Kenzie Garrity answered at the other end for Lee, and the teams traded points until Grace Julieano scored in transition to give Lenox a 56-55 lead with about two minutes on the clock.
Layla Soules then got her second bucket of the quarter to put Lenox ahead by three points.
The Millionaires then forced turnovers on Lee’s next two possessions and got a team rebound on the defensive end with 1:04 left to play.
After a timeout, Lenox took its time, running clock, until Grace Julieano was fouled on the sideline with 37.1 seconds remaining. Like the former Knights of Columbus free throw shooting star that she is, she sank both foul shots to put her team ahead, 60-55.
Lee ran its press break to set up Carlino for a basket and then turned up its press again Lenox, but a loose ball out of bounds in the front court went to the Millionaires with 13.9 seconds on the clock.
The Wildcats fouled Evelyn Julieano after the inbound with 11.6 seconds left, and she again made it a five-point margin. Evelyn was then fouled grabbing a defensive rebound at the other end and scored the game’s last points with .7 seconds remaining.
“At the beginning of the season, we started with a bad record,” Grace Julieano said. “No one had faith in us. We were rebuilding. But we really made sure to never give up and come together as a team.”
Team unity also was a hallmark of the Wildcats, who went to the Western Mass Championship Game and state Sweet 16 one year after their Final Four run.
“The girls really had ups and downs throughout the season,” said Lee coach Brianna Hawley, who took over the squad during the season. “They battled with frustration with each other, frustration with other things – and to be where we are at today, I couldn’t be more proud of them for coming together as a team and learning to love basketball again. I feel like they lost the love of basketball, and they found it. And they showed it.”
As always, when seasons conclude, it’s hardest for the seniors.
“Being a former Wildcat player, I’ve played with some of these girls’ sisters,” Hawley said. “I’ve seen them come up playing. So just being able to coach their final season was a real, real blessing. It was fun, and they had fun, and it was the best experience I’ve ever had.”