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# Nashua North girls basketball needs overtime to beat Londonderry (video)
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/nashua-north-girls-basketball-needs-overtime-beat-londonderry-video/
- Published: 2017-12-13T18:56:34.000Z
- Updated: 2017-12-13T18:56:34.000Z
- Description: LONDONERRY - The Nashua High School North girls basketball team learned a valuable lesson Tuesday night. Even when the Titans aren't at their best, they can find a way to win a game. North struggled to shoot for large stretches against Londonderry, and despite letting a five-point lead slip away in
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, girls basketball, Londonderry, Nashua North, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

LONDONERRY - The Nashua High School North girls basketball team learned a valuable lesson Tuesday night.

Even when the Titans aren't at their best, they can find a way to win a game.

North struggled to shoot for large stretches against Londonderry, and despite letting a five-point lead slip away in the final 30 seconds of regulation, the Titans were able to outlast the Lancers, 37-36 in overtime, in Division I action.

Danielle Upton led North (1-1) with 13 points, including all four of the Titans' points in overtime, while Arianna Motivala was also in double figures with 10 points and Jaden Smith added seven.

"We had our ups and downs, but they gutted it out in the end," North coach Christina Bean said. "They figured out how to close a game after kind of giving it up a few times. Londonderry is a tough team and they gave us everything we could handle. We found a way to hit some free throws at the end and get some big stops at the other end."

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/jmnnlongbball121217-n23l12l2-wm.jpg)

Nashua North's Jaden Smith drives to the basket as Londonderry's Katie Sullivan, left, and Colleen Furlong defend.

After tying the game at 14 going into halftime, North went on a 9-0 run early in the third quarter to take control of the game, but Londonderry (0-2) kept it close the rest of the way.

Courtney Shay led all scorers with 15 points and Delaney McGurn added seven points, as both hit key 3-pointers in the final minute to force overtime. Shay's 3 with 26.4 seconds left made it 32-30 North, and after Upton made one of two free throws, McGurn hit a triple with 4.4 seconds to go to tie the game.

"First half, I thought we were lackluster," Londonderry coach Nick Theos said. "I didn’t think we were focused or very energetic, and we turned the ball over a ton. But in the second half, I saw more right things than I did in the first. Any time you can fight back down five points with 30 seconds left and force overtime, you know you have the right mix of kids who aren’t going to quit on you. They’re going to find a way to get it done."

The Lancers almost did, as McGurn made a layup to open overtime and give Londonderry just its second lead after halftime, 35-33\. But a putback by Upton, followed by two free throws from the North senior, gave the Titans a 37-35 lead with 1:46 left in the extra session.

Londonderry was just 2 of 9 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter and overtime, after shooting 4 of 7 through the first three quarters. North was 8 of 16 at the line for the game, but them down the stretch when it needed to.

"I think they finally understood that we can’t just keep jacking up shots with no one on the weak side to rebound," Bean said of the second half. "I gave them a couple of minutes at halftime and they talked among themselves to discuss what was going well and what wasn’t. They started doing it and you get excited, and then we let up a little bit and it gives them that way back in."

McGurn scored to open the second half, giving Londonderry a 16-14 lead, but Smith answered right back for North, tying the game and starting the Titans on a 9-0 run. North went up 23-16 on a jumper by Motivala, forcing the Lancers to take a timeout with 4:35 left in the third quarter.

Charlotte Sullivan hit a 3 for Londonderry out of the break to get the Lancers back within four points, and a three-point play by Shay made it a one-point game, as North took a 25-24 lead into the fourth.

Baskets by Smith and Motivala got the Titans' lead to five points, 31-26, with 2:45 to play, and North was still up five when the Lancers made their move in the final minute.

"Young team, tight games, they get excited and want to do so many things," Theos said. "That’s awesome, but eventually they’ll learn all they have to do is relax and execute. We took a good step."

North is back in action on Friday, when it hosts Merrimack in its home opener, while Londonderry travels to Spaulding on Dec. 19.