For a fleeting moment, it looked like the Newton North girls basketball team might just do the improbable and upset Westford Academy in their MIAA Division 1 round of 32 playoff matchup on Friday night.

The 20th-ranked Tigers had withstood some early offensive miscues against the Ghosts, who came in as the tournament’s 13th seed. Newton North had countered Westford’s shot-making with some timely buckets of their own, three different players converting three-pointers in the first quarter. They had survived the sensory assault of a raucous and relentless Westford Academy crowd. And there they were, down 20-17 midway through the second quarter, when the ball settled into the hands of senior guard Allie Danis, just beyond the three-point arc.

She let the shot fly. Tie game.

North’s bench erupted. Timeout, Westford Academy. Could an upset be brewing?

Alas, for the Tigers, there would be no fairytale ending on this night.

When play resumed, the Ghosts kicked their offense into high gear, responding with a definitive 15-4 run to seize momentum going into halftime. The Tigers continued to scratch and claw throughout the second half but never threatened in earnest as Westford ended North’s season by a final tally of 64-50.

North’s Danis led all scorers with 25 points. Captains Nikki Rao (14 points) and Nina Bakal (8 points) were also big contributors for the Tigers, who finished their 2025-26 season with a record of 10-11.

Head coach Todd Sundstrom was proud of the Tigers’ effort on the evening.

“They competed. They played hard. They did everything I asked them to do,” he said.

“Westford Academy is talented team…We had to play a pretty near perfect game to beat them. At times we were playing to that level, and at times we weren’t. We just didn’t have enough.”

When the shots were falling, North looked like they could go toe to toe with the hosts. But they were also plagued by an inability to come up with big baskets or defensive stops in critical moments.

One such stretch came with 1:23 left in the third quarter. North had cut the Westford lead to 9 on an Anabelle Wardly free-throw. But on their ensuing trips up the court, the Tigers turned the ball over, were called for an offensive foul, and missed two shots. Westford, meanwhile, had used their size advantage to score four points in the paint.

North got the ball back with 3.8 seconds remaining but couldn’t get a shot off in time. Westford went into the fourth quarter up 13 points, in full control. Wardly, a sophomore guard, credited Westford for playing a strong game—“they hit some crazy shots,” she said—but thought that North’s lackluster shooting and communication lapses on defense doomed the squad. Despite the loss, she enjoyed the feeling of playoff basketball, even in such a hostile environment.

“It was really exciting, obviously very nerve-wracking to start off, with the student section and everything,” she said. “But as soon as the first quarter ended everyone was back in their groove.”

Check out these photos from the game.

Head coach Todd Sundstrom talks to his team before tip-off. Seeded 20th, North visited 13th Westford Academy in a MIAA Division 1 Round of 32 playoff game on February 27, 2026. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Tiger guard Nikki Rao (1) defends Westford Academy’s Alexa Coward (5) in the first quarter. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Tiger players cheer on starting guard Annabelle Wardly (2) during player introductions. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Allie Danis (24) takes a shot in the first quarter. Danis closed the opening frame with a three-pointer at the buzzer, pulling North within 3 points, 14-11. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Westford Academy forward Kaitlyn Pepin (25) elevates for a shot attempt in the first quarter. The Ghosts relied on strong outside shooting and a size advantage on the interior to break down the Tiger defense. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Nina Bakal (25) lines up a three-point attempt. Bakal had 5 points in the first quarter, giving the Tigers a needed offensive spark. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Annabelle Wardly (2) drives to the basket. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Westford Academy’s stout defense made things difficult for Allie Danis (24) and her Tiger teammates. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Tiger players and fans cheer after North tied the game at 20 in the second quarter. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

A swarm of Westford Academy Ghosts haunt Allie Danis (24) in the third quarter. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Aubrey Ufland (14) tries to box out a Westford Academy player during a free throw attempt. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Westford Academy’s student section tries to distract North’s Nikki Rao (1) during a shot attempt in the third quarter. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Tiger fans cheer after a made basket. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

A sad Mia Mescher (23) walks back to the bench after the Tigers were defeated by Westford Academy, 64-50, in a MIAA Division 1 Round of 32 playoff game on February 27, 2026. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon

Nikki Rao (1) settles herself before a free-throw attempt in the second quarter. Westford Academy blew the game open with a 15-4 run after North had knotted the contest at 20. (c) Burt Granofsky/Newton Beacon