SOUTH HADLEY — Entering the fourth quarter trailing by 17, the Frontier boys basketball team saw the writing on the wall. Coming back from that deficit against South Hadley is no easy task, especially on the road in a hostile environment.

The Redhawks played the Tigers tough through three quarters, but the hosts slowly opened up their lead.

However Max Millette wasn’t ready to quit.

The Frontier junior erupted for 18 points in the fourth quarter, and got Frontier back within eight (59-51) midway through the frame. Millette scored 29 of the Hawks’ 34 points in the second half en route to a career-high 39 points.

It still wasn’t enough to defeat South Hadley, who pulled back ahead by 15 shortly after and ultimately won 73-62 on Monday night.

“Once we got down big, I knew that the team needed me to step up,” Millette said postgame. “I’m a guy that will do whatever the team needs. I don’t care what it is. I’ve played with these guys for a while, and I recognized they needed me to score, so I flipped that switch.”

Twenty nine points in a game is rare enough in western Massachusetts high school hoops. Millette did that in one half. His 39 points are a Franklin County season-high.

Not only was Millette knocking shots down from all over the floor, he also hustled his tail off for loose balls and rebounds — all while pumping up his teammates trying to lift the Redhawks’ spirits during dry spells.

Frontier head coach Josh Morse lauded his captain’s ability to the little things that coaches so often preach in practice.

“He establishes our great culture,” Morse said. “If your best player isn’t your best teammate, then you’ve got a problem. And he’s our best teammate. He gives us the ability to compete and be in every game… We’re in every game, and we compete because of him. He has a killer mentality. He likes to win, and he’s super competitive… Tonight was his best game against one of the best teams we’ve faced.”

The Redhawks may not have been able to overcome the hole they dug themselves heading into the final eight minutes of Monday’s contest, but they did go on a 12-3 run — 10 of those points coming from Millette — to give themselves a chance.

During that stretch, Morse leaned on his youth, playing whoever he felt was giving their best effort out on the floor. Even eighth grader Landon Lavallee knocked down a 3 in the fourth quarter. The bench was into it the entire frame, something Morse hopes sticks moving forward.

“We’re going to go with the best five that gives us the best opportunity to win on any given night,” Morse said. “It doesn’t matter to me who it is. I thought we showed a collective team effort. Our bench came in and gave us electric moments, and the energy from guys on the bench was amazing. Nobody hung their heads if they weren’t playing. We can build on that.”

Alex Ellis and Rowan Modestow each tallied eight points for Frontier, Garrett Dredge tossed in four and Lavallee chipped in three to round out the Redhawks’ scoring on Monday.

Frontier (8-5) welcomes Greenfield to Goodnow Gymnasium on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.

Pioneer 78, Lenox 34 — The Panthers built a 42-17 lead at the half to move to 11-0 with a Hampshire League South victory at Messer Gymnasium Monday. 

Alex McClelland led the way with 21 points, Kurt Redeker scored 17 points, Will Glazier tallied 14 points while Brayden Thayer finished with 13 points in the victory for Pioneer. 

Girls basketball

Franklin Tech 44, Athol 24 — Brayleigh Burgh led the way with 11 points, lifting the Eagles to a Franklin County League South triumph over the Bears in Turners on Monday. 

Tech led 28-5 at the half. 

Lili Inman scored six points and pulled down 10 rebounds, Abi Dobias recorded six points while Haleigh Benoit added four points and 10 rebounds in the victory. 

Ware 40, Pioneer 35 — Natalie Rios recorded a 16 points, 10 rebound double-double for the Panthers in a road loss to Ware Monday. 

Ware led 29-27 going into the fourth. 

Maggie Tsipenyuk tallied 12 points and six rebounds while Kiara Gruszkowski had four points and five rebounds in the loss. 

Frontier 59, Hopkins 24 — Harper Modestow scored 14 points to help the Redhawks run away with a Franklin County League North victory in Hadley Monday. 

Addie Harrington finished with 12 points, Whitney Campbell tallied 10 points while Skyler Steele added eight points in the win for Frontier. 

Weekend results

Hockey

Greenfield 4, Minnechaug 2 — The Green Wave quickly avenged their Thursday loss to the Falcons, as Jake Jurek potted a pair of goals and dished an assist in Greenfield’s victory at Collins-Moylan Saturday. 

Brady Poreda tallied a goal and an assist, Chase Zraunig found the back of the net while Shawn Beckwith, Luca Siano and Cam Hopkins provided the assists for the Wave. 

Wrestling

Gloucester 53, Mahar 15 — Asher Williams (113) and Joshua Mazza (144) earned victories via pin for the Senators in a loss to Gloucester over the weekend. 

Dedham 42, Mahar 20 — Abduli Gilmore (106), Orion Whitehouse (126), Mazza (144) and Cody Preisch earned individual wins for the Sens in a meet against Dedham over the weekend. 

■ Competing at the Mount Greylock Tournament over the weekend, Frontier’s Jocelyn Antes took fourth, Konnor James placed fifth and Thomas Bagdon earned eighth.