CHESHIRE, Mass. — Anika Helmke scored 18 points, and Addie McLaughlin hit a key 3-pointer late to lead the Monument Mountan girls basketball team to a 49-46 win over Auburn on Saturday afternoon in the Hoosac Valley Holiday Tournament.
Auburn took a 42-40 lead with 1 minute, 6 seconds remaining. But on the Spartans’ next trip, Helmke fed McLaughlin for a go-ahead triple, and Monument never looked back.
Hallie Hassett made a steal on Auburn’s ensuing possession. She then was fouled and knocked down both ends of a one-and-one to make it 45-42 with 34 seconds on the clock.
The Rockets pulled back within one, but Meridith Powell drove the lane to build the lead back to three, 47-44.
Again, Auburn’s Emily Sarkasian (15 points) had the answer, and for a moment it looked like she might get the game to overtime. Her jumper from the left wing was called a 3 by one official, but after the referees got together, they decided her toe was on the line, and it was 47-46, Monument, with four seconds left.
Auburn pressed hard on the ensuing inbound, but Helmke took an outlet pass at midcourt and drove to the basket to sink and uncontested lay-up and provide the final margin of victory.
Monument (1-2) overcame a shaky start that saw Auburn take a 17-8 lead into the second quarter.
In that quarter, Helmke scored eight points — six from the foul line — to send Monument to the locker room down just four, 27-23.
The Spartans cut that deficit in half in a third quarter that saw the teams combine for just two field goals and 16 turnovers. McLaughlin knocked down a 3 and set up Lily Cormier for a bucket to account for all of Monument’s scoring in a 5-3 quarter.
The Spartans were much more efficient to start the fourth, breaking a 5:39 scoring drought with a 12-7 run to take a 40-37 lead when Helmke scored in the pot midway through the quarter.
Auburn then ran off the next five points to take the 42-40 lead and set the stage for McLaughlin’s late heroics.
Monument Mountain takes on Lenox on Monday at Lee High in the first round of the South County Tournament.
