As they arrived at school and geared up for a memorable trip to TD Garden early Sunday morning, members of the Fontbonne girls’ basketball team braced themselves for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
There was just one problem: They had no bus, and thus, no way to get to the game. Eventually, they squished into two school vans and made their way into Boston, but it wasn’t exactly the opening act they envisioned.
As the Ducks showed Sunday morning, though, it’s not about how you start, but rather, how you finish. Fontbonne used a decisive fourth quarter to turn a 4-point deficit into a 49-43 triumph as part of the Andrew James Lawson Foundation Invitational.
“You’re playing where your heroes play and have played,” said Fontbonne coach Clare Murphy. “Sometimes you get caught up in that a little bit, but I love the fight, I love the grit, I love the fact that we didn’t hang our heads. We just kept going, and the fourth quarter was really special. We really had to bring it.”
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Junior Alana MacLean led the way with 20 points, including a dagger corner 3-pointer with 37 seconds left. Sophomore Kailey VonHandorf added 16 points, senior Emma Jolley contributed 6 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks, and Kelsey and Leah Hanley stabilized the Ducks (7-3).
Fontbonne’s Alana MacLean (left) scored a game-high 20 points in Sunday’s win over Malden Catholic at TD Garden.Taylor Coester for The Boston Globe
Sophomore Lily Martinez and junior Lyla Hollingsworth paced the Lancers (4-5) with 11 apiece. Malden Catholic turned a 28-19 halftime deficit into a 38-34 lead through three before the Ducks responded to find a way in the clutch.
“Being able to play in the Garden was such an amazing experience, but knowing that we’re here playing for something bigger than ourselves is definitely a big honor,” said Fontbonne senior Kate MacLean.
The Lancers, who made a point to arrive at 8 a.m. to watch the unified games, soaked it all in and are proud of the way they competed on a grand stage.
“It’s an amazing event,” said Malden Catholic coach Jay Keane. “We’re so happy to be a part of it. We made sure we got all our players in, so everyone got to experience being on the Garden floor. At the end of the day, that’s the most important thing.”
Westford 58, Acton-Boxborough 38 — After falling to A-B by 4 points Friday night, the Ghosts didn’t have to wait long for a chance at redemption.
When the opportunity came Sunday at TD Garden, they didn’t squander it. The Ghosts, who would gladly take this win over that one if they could only choose one, caught fire to run away with a resounding triumph.
“I think the whole town of Westford was here,” said coach Cammy Desrochers. “Honestly, it felt like a home court to us. To be able to perform, and turn it around from Friday, was a huge, huge testament to how hard these girls have worked.”
Sophomore sharpshooter Phoenix Philbrick carried the Ghosts (6-3) with 15 points, versatile senior Kaitlyn Pepin tallied 11, and sophomore Grace Trahan and senior Hannah Lupien notched 10 each.
Westford extended a 29-25 halftime edge to 42-31 through three and pulled away from there despite 10 points from Maura Quirk and 8 from Avery Terry for the Revolution (6-4).
“It’s hard to beat a team twice sometimes, especially in the same league,” said Acton-Boxborough coach Jesus Rodriguez. “They’ve seen you five or six times, they’ve scouted you. Playing in a place like this changes a lot. At the end of the day, it’s a great experience.”
As Desrochers, Pepin, Olivia Pillsbury, and Maddie Smith traversed through the bowels of TD Garden afterward, they beamed with pride as they asked themselves if Jayson Tatum had walked the same path.
“As little kids, we all looked up to NBA players and WNBA players,” Pepin said. “To play on the big court and the big stage was huge.”
Trevor Hass can be reached at trevor.hass@globe.com. Follow him on X @TrevorHass.
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