HINGHAM — Whenever Hingham makes the five-minute trip over to Notre Dame Academy for a game in any sport, bragging rights are on the line.

In the latest matchup between the two schools in girls basketball Monday night, Eileen Lowther turned in one of her best games of the young season. The junior captain finished with 21 points to go with 17 rebounds and five blocks, as the Harborwomen (5-1) kept their fantastic start going with a 45-33 road win over the Cougars (3-3).

“I think it gives us a lot of confidence going into the season,” Lowther said. “After a difficult season last year, we needed more confidence. I think we’ve pulled it together this season. We really united as a team. We pulled it together because of the community we have, and the ability to work together.”

Hingham’s Tatum Lane and Kate McBride surround Notre Dame Academy’s Elle Orlando during the first half of a girls basketball game. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

The two neighboring rivals struggled to find a tempo in the first few minutes of play, before the Cougars began to heat up in the opening frame. Powered by senior captain Elle Orlando, NDA closed the first quarter on a 13-3 run to construct a 15-8 lead.

However, Hingham responded in the following stanza. After switching to a full-court press defensively, the Harborwomen slowly chipped away at their deficit with ferocious play. With three seconds remaining in the second quarter and the ball at midcourt, Sienna Powers corralled an inbounds pass along the baseline, then drove to the cup for two as she was fouled. The junior hit the ensuing free throw with 0.1 seconds left in the frame, as Hingham cut it to a 23-19 game at intermission.

“We went into half at 23-19, and we held them to 10 points in both of those (late) quarters,” Hingham coach Roland Millien said. “It was all about being in good position, being in great help position, and then talking. Talking on screens, and jumping up.”

The game turned into a defensive chess match to start the second half, as neither team was able to sink a bucket for the initial 4:42 of action. Then Lowther took the game over, willing Hingham right back into things. The junior banked home a layup with 2:30 to go in the third quarter, as her team drew even at 23-all.

The two programs entered the final stanza tied at 28-28. Hingham flipped a switch, and was able to pull away late. Lowther tallied seven points in the fourth, sinking 5-of-6 free-throw attempts as the Harborwomen closed things out with a 17-5 run offensively to ice things.

“Since Perry Blasetti (was here), that is the best start we’ve had in a few years,” Millien said. “I think we’ve done it by doing the little things. Doing the little things in practice, in terms of boxing out, in terms of talking, and in terms of being physical with each other. So we can see, once a team gets physical with us, we know how to handle it.”

Hingham’s Lila Sweeney jumps up in celebration against Notre Dame Academy during the first half of a girls basketball game. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Orlando finished with 12 points to pace the Cougars.

Since Millien took over as coach of the Harborwomen in 2021, the two schools have met three times. It was the first victory over NDA in his tenure.

“It feels really sweet to pull out a win against them,” Lowther said. “We haven’t won a game against them in a while. It feels sweet to know that our hard work paid off.”