MILTON — Trailing by one with the ball late, Fontbonne Academy’s Alana MacLean did not hesitate.

The junior guard went coast to coast with nine seconds left in the game, breaking the press and creating space for a right-handed floater. She hit the shot, giving Fontbonne the lead, 33-32, against visiting Oakmont at Curry College. With only three seconds remaining, Oakmont did not get off a shot before the end of regulation, making MacLean’s basket the game-winner.

“We didn’t have much time, so I took it right to the hoop,” said MacLean, understanding the urgency of the moment. “It’s what I had to do. It was a frustrating game, but it felt good when it went in.”

Scoring came at a premium in this early-season afternoon tilt. Fontbonne (2-0) did not register a first field goal for the first three minutes of the game, and it took more than five minutes for Oakmont to get on the board. The second half was no different, with five minutes passing before Fontbonne scored, while Oakmont (2-1) didn’t score until the final minute of the third.

With neither team able to take advantage of their opponent’s shooting woes, the game close stayed close from start to finish. Fontbonne had the early advantage, taking a five-point lead, 11-6, after one. The Ducks, however, were unable to expand upon it. Given the scarcity of offense, Oakmont received a boost of momentum right before the end of the half with back-to-back threes to even the score at 14.

Fontbonne finally seized control in the third, ending the quarter on 9-2 run to take a 28-23 lead. A combination of missed shots and turnovers prevented either team from running away with it in the fourth, and victory was up for grabs in the final minute.

Oakmont sophomore Grace Hill drilled a corner jumper to give the Spartans a late lead, then tenacious junior guard Jada LeBlanc hit the second of two free throws with 11 seconds to go for what appeared to be the winning point. But that was when MacLean (8 points, 3 assists) made her full-court game-winning sprint.

“Oakmont is a very sound team,” said Fontbonne coach Clare Murphy. “We stuck together, and I’m proud of Alana for getting that shot off at the end.”

A critical component in Fontbonne’s victory was the all-around play of senior center Emma Jolley (10 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists, 1 steal). She repeatedly disrupted Oakmont’s flow on offense, and she was a constant threat on offense as a scorer, rebounder (8 offensive rebounds), and passer.

“That’s my role and I do it the best I can,” said Jolley. “If I don’t have the shot, I don’t mind who scores. This is a great group of girls, and we love being together on the court. And when we win, it’s even better.”

Oakmont coach Tina Seabury was proud of her team’s resilience. But she also knew that this game was there for the taking.

“We were tough defensively, but we couldn’t get it going offensively,” said Seabury, who has only one senior on the roster. “We’re young, so that last play where Fontbonne scored the winning basket is a situation where we can learn. Knowing to step up and take that charge or pick up the ball handler, that’s a good game time learning situation. Still, you want to win the game. Credit to Fontbonne.”

Fontbonne also fell behind in its season opener, then stormed back to defeat Acton Boxborough. After graduating a talented group of seniors, Murphy is pleased that her team has used its grit to capture their first two games.

“This was a tough one,” said Murphy. “We got good shots, they just didn’t drop. Sometimes basketball is like that. We have a lot of new girls on the team, so we’re growing through practice–and experience in games. This was the type of game that will build character as the season goes on.“