Mystic Valley Girls’ Basketball Team honors two seniors in dominant 55-22 win over Northeast

By Emily Brennan

The Mystic Valley girls’ basketball team welcomed the Northeast Tech Knights on Friday (Feb. 14) night, with Senior Night festivities taking place before the game. The Eagles (11-8) dominated the Knights, securing a 55-22 victory. Prior to the tip-off, the Eagle girls’ basketball program took a moment to honor and express gratitude to senior players Bailey DeLeire and Abby Ssewankambo for their contributions to the team.

Once play began, Mystic Valley wasted no time taking control. DeLeire opened the scoring with a three-pointer, setting the tone for a fast-paced first quarter. The Eagles’ defense, spearheaded by Ssewankambo, kept the Knights at bay, allowing just two points in the opening frame. DeLeire was unstoppable, scoring the first 10 points for Mystic Valley and finishing the quarter with 12 points total. By the end of the first quarter, the Eagles held a 16-2 lead.

By halftime, the Eagles were comfortably ahead, 30-10, with contributions across the board: LaFeber (5 points), Emily DeLeire (4 points), Bailey DeLeire (3 points) and Ssewankambo (2 points). In the third quarter, the Eagles’ lead ballooned to 26 points, with DeLeire adding 8 more points, LaFeber adding 3 and Emily DeLeire with 1 point. The defense continued to stifle Northeast, holding them to just 6 points in the quarter. Mystic Valley entered the final frame with a 42-16 advantage.

The Eagles didn’t let up in the fourth quarter. Their defense again shut down the Knights, limiting them to 6 points. On offense, Bailey DeLeire scored 4 points, while freshmen Vayla St. Louis and Ella Mangone each scored their first varsity points, contributing 4 points apiece. Ssewankambo also added 1 point to the total. Bailey DeLeire sealed the victory by scoring the final 3 points, giving the Eagles a 33-point lead.

Bailey DeLeire finished with a game-high 27 points; LaFeber added 12 points and Emily DeLeire grabbed 8 rebounds to go with 5 points. Ssewankambo contributed 3 points and 13 rebounds, while St. Louis and Mangone each recorded 4 points in their varsity debuts.

Mystic Valley will conclude its regular season at home on Tuesday, February 18, hosting Neighborhood House Charter School at 5:30 p.m.