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# Windham girls basketball stifles Portsmouth to hang on for win (video)
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/windham-girls-basketball-stifles-portsmouth-to-hang-on-for-win-video/
- Published: 2026-02-13T22:32:39.000Z
- Updated: 2026-02-13T22:32:39.000Z
- Description: WINDHAM - All season, the Windham High School girls basketball team hasn't panicked if its struggled on offense, not with the way the Jaguars can play defensively. Windham showed that Thursday night against Portsmouth, going through long stretches without scoring, but at the same time, holding down
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, girls basketball, Portsmouth, slider, Windham, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

WINDHAM - All season, the Windham High School girls basketball team hasn't panicked if its struggled on offense, not with the way the Jaguars can play defensively.

Windham showed that Thursday night against Portsmouth, going through long stretches without scoring, but at the same time, holding down the Clippers at the other end.

The Jaguars allowed five points in the first quarter and just two free throws over the game's final seven minutes to pull away for a 39-30 win over Portsmouth in a Division I contest.

After the Clippers made it a two-point game seconds into the fourth quarter, they wouldn't score again for almost five minutes. Although Windham's offense struggled at times during that stretch, the Jaguars (9-5) did enough to stay in front.

“Sometimes you don’t shoot well,” Windham coach Todd Steffanides said. “Sometimes you turn the ball over, even though we don’t want to, but the defense has been pretty consistent throughout. I was really happy with us being able to stick with the intensity for 32 minutes.”

Rileigh Finneran had six of her team-high 11 points in the fourth quarter, as she went 9 of 10 from the free throw line for the game. Colbie Cushman added seven points while Madelyn Begley hit two 3-pointers for six points and Elizabeth Grasso had six points on her senior night.

But it was the defense that pulled the game out for Windham, as the Jaguars held Portsmouth (8-7) just five points for almost 12 minutes to start the game, using a zone defense to force 19 turnovers in the first half.

“We talk about deflections and steals, just being alert and aware, playing defense with urgency,” Steffanides said. “We’re not letting teams do what they want with the basketball, trying to make them as uncomfortable as possible. The girls have been buying in since day one, and that’s really been their identity. I’m really proud of that.”

The players have taken pride in their defensive prowess as well.

“I think that’s our main strength on the team is our defense,” Finneran said. “That really gets us to win a lot of games. I love playing defense. I want to give it my all every time I’m on defense.”

Jolie Robichaud led Portsmouth with 10 points while Jenna Lucy scored nine points and Leiana Cory recorded six points.

“They just executed the stuff they wanted to execute better than we executed ourselves,” Portsmouth coach Tim Hopley said. “We dug ourselves a hole early. We have ourselves a chance, we got it back to two (points). We haven’t figured out how to win.”

Portsmouth had a 5-3 lead late in the first quarter, but a pair of free throws by Finneran and a 3 from Begley put Windham up 8-5 after one. Grasso added a free throw with 5:51 left in the second, but that would be the game's only point for the first half of the quarter.

Robichaud finally ended the Clippers' scoreless streak, and Portsmouth started to solve Windham's defense, getting back-to-back baskets from Reese McCauley and Robichaud to take an 11-9 lead.

But the Jaguars came right back, retaking the lead on a 3 by Molly Welby, and Windham closed the first half on an 8-2 run to go up 17-13.

Taylor Procek hit another 3 for the Jaguars early in the second half to make it a five-point game and two free throws by Cushman gave Windham a 26-20 lead with 2:43 remaining in the third.

Robichaud gave Portsmouth a spark, hitting two free throws, then getting a steal on and turning it into another basket for cut the lead to two. The Clippers forced another turnover and had a chance to tie, but turned the ball back over to the Jaguars.

Breleigh Vischer scored in the final seconds of the third for Portsmouth and Robichaud opened the fourth with a basket to cut the Clippers within two, 30-28, but the offense dried up after that and the Jaguars were 5 of 6 at the line down the stretch to hang on for the win.