WHITMAN – When it was needed most, Whitman-Hanson junior guard Dylan Hurley stepped it up.

She hit three clutch free throws at the end of the third overtime to give her Panthers a 78-75 victory over Patriot League rival Duxbury in the second round of the Division 2 girls basketball state tournament.

The marathon game looked out of hand at many times for the Panthers as Duxbury led until the latest stages of regulation and held late leads in each overtime period. However, the Panthers wouldn’t quit and that was something Hurley said was a testament to her team’s attitude.

“I’m in shock,” Hurley said. “We got punched in the beginning but we always find a way to come back.”

Head coach Michael Costa said the lack of leads made the job harder but securing the victory showed how mentally tough his squad is.

“Honestly, I don’t know what just happened, it was a whirlwind,” Costa said. “We just chipped away and it took three overtimes but we got what we needed to get done. We are tired but we are glad we are moving on.”

The two teams played to an 11-11 tie after one quarter but a strong push from Duxbury gave the Dragons a 32-22 halftime lead. They carried this lead into the fourth quarter but the Panthers turned it on late in regulation to force the extra time.

That dagger came in the final seconds when sophomore Maliah Pierre sunk a huge three-pointer. She said that the execution from her teammates was perfect and set her up for the big moment.

“I was really hyped,” Pierre said. “We ran a hand-off, they said shoot it and I shot it. It was huge.”

Whitman-Hanson would grab their first lead since the opening quarter in the first overtime period but Duxbury quickly reclaimed the lead. They built a 4-point lead in the final seconds of the fourth but that’s when Hurley had her first clutch moment.

The junior hoisted a deep three-pointer and sunk it with 4.5 seconds left. She also drew a foul on the attempt and sunk that shot too, extending the game.

“It was such an in the moment thing,” Hurley said. “We had to run, we had to push the ball. I hit the three and the rest is history.”

The second overtime brought another challenge as Pierre fouled out. She led all scorers with 28 points and had been the heartbeat of the team. However, Costa said the depth of the team was ready to step up.

“We are deep and we have multiple girls who can come in and play a role,” Costa said. “It’s a testament to the girls and how hard they work. They stay ready and it came up huge.

The team’s would finish the second overtime period tied at 67-67, necessitating another four minutes. Duxbury would also grab a late lead in this one but strong play from Hurley and Leah Daley helped the team secure the win.

“The student section and the crowd, this is what I love,” Hurley said. “Games like this and playoff season, it is my favorite time of the year.”

As the Panthers prepare for a date with Dartmouth in the quarterfinals, Pierre and her teammates are soaking up the epic win.

“I was feeling excited,” Pierre said. “Obviously it came in a very extreme manner but I think we did a great job.”