Both teams opened the night with similar intentions, looking to control the pace in the half court and pack the paint with zone defenses. Mill River struck first, but Bellows Falls answered quickly when Avery Maxfield knocked down a three-pointer to briefly give the Terriers their first lead of the night.

The opening quarter played out at a deliberate pace, with Mill River holding a slim 11–9 advantage after eight minutes. The score was not indicative of a lack of effort from the Terriers. Offensively, Bellows Falls was able to generate quality looks by getting shots off in the paint as well as collapsing the defense before kicking out to open shooters, but shots were slow to fall early. Defensively, Veronica Moore set the tone, notching a pair of steals and consistently pressuring ball handlers into turnovers and hurried decisions.

The game was tied at 8–8 late in the period before Mill River connected on a three with 30 seconds remaining. Maxfield responded with an aggressive drive to the basket, drawing contact and converting one of two free throws to keep the Minutemen lead at two heading into the second.

Bellows Falls found its rhythm in the second quarter, opening the period on a 10–2 run over the first three and a half minutes. Mill River responded by knocking down open jumpers and running its offense effectively, finding a couple of clean looks inside to trim the BF lead to two midway through the quarter.

Still, the Terriers’ offensive balance began to shine. The backcourt duo of Gracie Patterson and Maxfield paced the surge, combining for 16 points in the quarter as Bellows Falls carried a 29–23 lead into the halftime break.

Mill River opened the third quarter with a Stella Migliore three, followed by a brief scoring lull on both sides. A timeout at the 6:00 mark proved pivotal, coinciding with Abby Nystrom’s return to the floor after missing time due to illness and a defensive adjustment by the Terriers, who shifted into a full-court press.

Nystrom made her presence felt immediately, recording a steal on her first defensive possession before finishing a basket on the other end moments later. Bellows Falls continued to show patience offensively throughout the quarter, swinging the ball side to side and refusing to settle for the first decent look in favor of high-quality opportunities. That discipline paid off, while the defense limited Mill River to just five points in the period as the Terriers pushed the lead to 39–28 entering the fourth.

The final quarter mirrored much of the third, with Bellows Falls maintaining its composure on both ends of the floor. One possession in particular highlighted the team’s discipline, as the Terriers ran nearly a full minute off the clock not by exploiting the absence of a shot clock, but by executing their offense to perfection — moving the ball, staying patient, and waiting for the best possible shot.

Mill River found some offensive success in the closing minutes, but Bellows Falls never let the momentum shift. The Terriers closed out the night with a convincing 55–37 victory.

Patterson led all scorers with 23 points and was relentless defensively, recording a game-high six steals. Maxfield added 19 points, pulled down eight rebounds while battling inside against bigger bodies, and set the tone early with her aggressiveness. Moore anchored the defensive effort throughout the night, finishing with five steals and constant pressure on the perimeter.

Bellows Falls closes out the calendar year with a road trip to Mount Anthony on December 30th, with tip-off set for 7:00 PM.