The Milford girls basketball team celebrates at the final buzzer of their Division II title win over Oyster River Saturday at UNH's Lundholm Gym. (Courtesy photo by Betsy Hansen)

DURHAM – The four seniors on the Milford High School girls basketball team had a goal of winning a championship from the first day of practice this season.

Alexia Bausha wanted to do anything she could to help her teammates see that become a reality, and in Saturday’s Division II title game, the sophomore did.

Bausha scored a game-high 21 points, including seven in the third quarter, as No. 2 Milford rallied in the second half and held off No. 4 Oyster River for a 43-36 win at the Lundholm Gymnasium at the University of New Hampshire.

It’s the Spartans (18-3) first girls basketball title since winning back-to-back Class I championships in 1978-79. Milford was playing in its first title game since falling in the Class L final in 1981.

“So much adrenaline is running through my head right now, it’s insane,” Bausha said. “I’m so happy. I’m so proud. It’s just incredible. I think that we felt confident. We went in here (to) get our job done, working hard through everything.”

Avery Fuller added 10 points and grabbed 16 rebounds and Shea Hansen had seven points, four assists and three steals. Bausha was also 8 of 9 at the free throw line and the Spartans were 15 of 21, while the Bobcats were just 6 of 16.

Milford started the game by making its first seven free throws to counter Oyster River hitting its first two 3-pointers of the game.

“It was really clutch that we came in and made those free throws,” Fuller said. “You can crack under pressure like that, and I’m glad we tuned out the audience and made out foul shots when we needed them.”

Vivian O’Quinn led the Bobcats (17-5) with 13 points, including three 3-pointers, while also grabbing eight rebounds. Olivia Andersen had seven points and eight rebounds and Caitlin Klein had six points and nine boards despite being in foul trouble.

The Bobcats outrebounded the Spartans 45-41 yet had twice as many turnovers as Milford (16-8). After the opening 3-point barrage, Oyster River struggled offensively.

The Spartans focused on making the Bobcats uncomfortable on offense and that started by first defending against the outside shot.

“We had to take care of the 3-point line,” Milford coach Mike Davidson said. “We knew (O’Quinn), she’s not going to be bashful about taking 3s. She’ll take them from five feet behind the line if she wants. I think we got enough pressure on her to make her feel uncomfortable. That seemed to work out.

“That was kind of the goal. That’s what we talked about at practice, don’t let them get comfortable. Keep putting the pressure on them and taking away the drives and it all worked out.”

The Spartans led 11-9 late in the first quarter, but a free throw and a jumper by Klein put the Bobcats up 12-11 after one. Bausha gave Milford the lead back with a 3 to open the second, but the Spartans scored just one point over the next six minutes.

Oyster River took a 20-15 lead but two free throws by Bausha made it a three-point game going into halftime.

But those two shots started a 10-4 run by the Spartans that carried over into the second half, as Milford took a 25-24 lead with just over six minutes left in the third.

Milford’s Alexia Bausha drives to the basket against Oyster River’s Olivia Andersen during Saturday’s Division II girls basketball championship at the University of New Hampshire. (Photo by Joe Marchilena/NH-HighSchoolSports.com)

Baskets by Fuller and Bausha helped extend the run to 14-4, giving Milford its largest lead to that point, 29-24, with 2:14 left to go until the fourth quarter. Bausha scored before the end of the quarter to make it 31-25 before a buzzer beater by O’Quinn made it a four-point game through three.

“She brings it all,” Fuller said. “She’s like a little cheetah in a way, she always has so much energy. She’s always getting the ball, she’s driving to the hoop.”

The Spartans held the lead throughout the fourth quarter, with the Bobcats twice getting within three points on 3s by Wren Horne and O’Quinn. But Milford closed the game on a 5-1 run for the win.

“It feels so great being able to win it all,” Fuller said. “We’ve been wanting this since freshmen year. It’s impossible to think that we won it now.”