Milford girls basketball holds off Portsmouth to improve to 10-1

PORTSMOUTH – The Milford High School girls basketball team was in need of a basket.

With 3:35 remaining in Thursday’s game, Portsmouth had cut the Spartan’s 13-point halftime lead down to four points on a free throw by Abby Salvadore.

The Clippers pressed after the made basket, as they had for most of the half, but this time, Milford broke it. Jennifer Dupuis got the ball near midcourt and threaded a perfect pass to Adelle Pitsas, who was streaking to the basket, and Pitsas laid the ball in for a 45-39 lead.

That started Milford on a 13-6 run to end the game and leave the Stone Gymnasium with a 56-45 victory over Portsmouth. The win moves the Spartans (10-1) into a first-place tie with Souhegan, while the Clippers drop to 9-2.

“It’s always Jen who makes those awesome passes,” Pitsas said. “They zip right through. When you’re open, you’re just like kind of praying that it hits the back of your thumbs and thinking ‘I hope I make this.’ Her passes are awesome.”

Milford coach Steve Signor let Pitsas know before the play that the Spartans needed her to make one.

“I pulled Adelle over on one of the free throws and said ‘I need a basket,’ ” Signor said. “Then she came in off that high-post screen and made the layup. And then we got the and-one from Rebecca (Cleary) after that. That was huge. I ask a lot out of these kids and (Pitsas) seems to step up when it matters.”

Pitsas scored five straight points for Milford to start the game-ending run and finished with 11, while Dupuis had 14 points and Cleary came off the bench to add 12.

Salvadore led Portsmouth with 11 points, despite sitting most of the first half in foul trouble. Heather Durand and Hannah Stevens each had nine for the Clippers.

After falling behind in the first quarter, Milford outscored Portsmouth 21-5 in the second and held a 30-17 lead at halftime. It could have been worse for the Clippers, as they had just three field goals in the first half, but they made 10 of 12 free throws to stay within striking distance.

Portsmouth was able to cut the lead down to six, 36-30, late in the third quarter, but Milford scored twice to go up by 10 at the start of the fourth. The Spartans led 41-30 when the Clippers started chipping away.

A 3-pointer by Salvadore made it an eight-point game and started Portsmouth on a 9-2 run that also featured a three-point play by Durand. The Clippers had forced Milford to turn the ball over 10 times in the second half, but the Spartans were able to close out their sixth win in a row.

“We’ve had a hard time finishing out games,” Pitsas said. “(Signor) has us run and run and run in practice, not just running, but running plays. Making us comfortable with being uncomfortable and that shows at the end of games, we’re really uncomfortable, but we still have to push through.”