BROCKTON, Mass. ---- Tatiana Dias (Brockton) sank a free throw with 5.2 seconds left as the Massasoit women's basketball team upset No. 7 Gateway, 69-69, at the Asiaf Field House on Saturday afternoon.
The win for the Warriors (6-12) avenged a 30-point loss the Lions (9-3) in the season opener back on Nov. 10.
Gateway had one final chance following Dias' made free throw, but missed two shots in the paint as the Warriors escaped with the biggest victory in head coach Taryn Johnson's career at Massasoit.
"It was a very, very big win for us today, against a very well coached Gateway team," Johnson said. "We went in the game knowing that they are a great offensive rebounding team, so we wanted to try and shut them down inside. We listened as a team both on offense and on defense."
Dias finished with 15 points, 13 assists and eight steals as four Warriors reached double figures in the victory.
"Big game for Tati Dias, coming up clutch with the free throw at the end, but she was our floor general throughout the game," Johnson said.
Geornaisha Silva-Moore (Brockton) topped Massasoit with 22 points, featuring a trio of 3-pointers and finished 5-for-5 at the line. She added 10 rebounds for the double-double.
As a team, the Warriors went 16-for-24 at the free throw line, while Gateway shot just 4-of-19.
Massasoit led 38-34 at the break and saw its lead balloon to double figures in the third quarter. But the nationally ranked Lions did not go away quietly, as Katrina Depugh netted 12 in the third as the score went to the final quarter knotted at 56-all.
In the fourth, the Warriors made some big stops on defense and Dias made a clutch free throw to give Massasoit the upset victory.
"Our defense really stepped up," Johnson said. "We didn't want Gateway to the ball to get inside. Our guards did a great job of doubling down and helping our posts out. It was a great team win and everyone had each other's back and we needed it in crunch time. More than happy for the girls they earned it and put a 40 minute game together."
Natascha Elias (Brockton) scored 18 points, featuring four 3s in the first quarter, and Laura Malley (Halifax) chipped in with 11. Gabby Boutin (Middleboro) grabbed nine boards, while fellow post player Deja Houston (Taunton) tallied seven rebounds.
Massasoit hosts Quinsigamond on Tuesday at 5 p.m.