Second half spark lifts MVRCS over Whittier, 46-42

  Bailey DeLeire scored a game-high 18 points as Mystic Valley Regional Charter School (MVRCS) used a scoring run early in the second half to take control of an eventual 46-42 win over Whittier on Friday afternoon. The Eagles (7-5) posted 61 total rebounds on the day over the Wildcats.

  Mystic Valley got off to a slow start offensively by scoring nine shots answered by seven shots from Whittier to grab a slight 9-7 lead. DeLeire and Breana Nansamba helped get the Eagles going with three points each during the run. Nansamba ended her day with 15 points and 24 rebounds. Aya Abbassi gave a boost off the bench as well, scoring two points in the first half on her way to finishing with four points and 12 rebounds. Defensive changes after the first quarter gave the Wildcats a 23-19 advantage into the halftime break.

  The Mystic Valley scoring run began with Nansamba early in the second half as the Eagles built their largest lead of the game at 40-30. DeLeire scored 15 of her points during the scoring run. Mystic Valley never trailed the remainder of the game and held the lead for the final quarter. Whittier answered with an offensive stretch where it made consecutive shots after trailing by 10 to make it a seven-point game with 7:10 to go. The Eagles were held without points for over four minutes during the stretch with Whittier trimming its deficit to three. After exchanging scoring runs with 3:29 to go, Mystic Valley knocked down multiple free throws before Abby Ssewankambo made it a nine-point game with 1:27 on the clock. The Eagles finished the day from the free throw line to bring the game to 46-42.

  The Eagles host Lowell Catholic on Tuesday night at Eastern Avenue at 5:30 p.m. For complete coverage of the Mystic Valley girls’ basketball team, follow the Eagles on Twitter at @MVAthleticNews, on Instagram and Facebook at @MysticValleyRCS and online at www.mvrcs.com/athletics.