CHESHIRE, Mass. -- Delaney Babcock just missed a double-double and Maddie Ross made six steals to lead the Mount Greylock girls basketball team to a 30-28 come-from-behind win over Palmer in the first game of the Coaches vs. Cancer showcase on Saturday at Hoosac Valley.

 

Fittingly for a defensive battle, the game ended on a strip when Emma Stevens knocked the ball out of a Palmer player’s hands in the waning seconds after Palmer got possession on its baseline with 8.8 seconds left.

 

The Mounties came back from a nine-point first-half deficit and took their first lead of the game with about five minutes left when Brook Masse banked in a 3-pointer on an assist from Babcock to make it 28-27.

 

From there, both teams traded empty possessions -- save an Olivia Coughlin free throw to tie it -- for about three minutes.

 

With 1:40 on the clock, Babcock drove the baseline for a basket to give Mount Greylock the final margin of victory.

 

The Mounties forced three more turnovers and got a Babcock rebound at the defensive end in the closing 1:30 to ice the game.

 

Babcock finished with nine points and 10 rebounds. Ross scored nine, and Ciera Schwarzer pulled down a team-high 13 boards.

 

“Rebounding was key,” Mount Greylock coach John Jacobbe said. “We’re not super tall, but we’re athletic. Ciera, for her size, is one of the best rebounders I’ve had. For her to get the boards in a meaningful game, a two-point game, is huge for us. She’s been playing well the last couple of games.”

 

But the story was Mount Greylock’s defense, keyed frequently by Ross.

 

“I have two Maddies, and they cover both ends of the floor,” Jacobbe said. “Maddie Ross is a tremendous athlete. Maddie Albert is just another tremendous athlete who has the heart of a warrior. She defends as hard as anybody I’ve had.

 

“Theriault is an outstanding player. I can’t believe she’s just a freshman, and Maddie Albert did a great job in the second half of calming down her first half.”

 

Thereault finished with 14 points -- 10 in the first half -- for Palmer.

 

Palmer led by as many as nine in the first half when Theriault hit a mid-range jumper to make it 18-9 midway through the second quarter.

 

But the Mounties closed the half on a 6-1 run to get back in the game

 

First, Babcock set up Masse for a jumper from the right wing. Moments later, Ross got a steal and a lay-up to make it 18-13.

 

After Palmer hit a foul shot, Ross closed the half with a hoop assisted by Maddie Albert in transition to send Mount Greylock to the locker room down, 19-15.

 

Mount Greylock (5-7) has won three of its last four and heads to Lenox on Monday.