Ashley MacCalla scored 23 points to lead Middletown past top-seeded Pine Bush, 40-32, in the Section 9 Class AAA girls basketball championship Saturday at Monroe-Woodbury High School.

Middletown slowly pulled away in the second half after trailing for much of the game. Pine Bush led 11-9 after the first quarter and took a 22-19 advantage into halftime. MacCalla helped shift the momentum in the third, scoring six points as Middletown edged ahead 28-26 heading into the final period.

Ketura Rutty paced Pine Bush with 20 points in the season finale, capping off a stellar career in which she surpassed 1,000 career points. She became only the fourth player in program history to achieve the milestone, leaving a lasting legacy for the Lady Bushmen.

Mya Watson and Kayanna Coulter each added four points for Pine Bush, while Leticia Watson and Jayla Ireland chipped in two apiece.

Pine Bush (18-3) had won both regular-season matchups against Middletown, defeating the Middies 34-30 at home on Jan. 23 and earning a 53-41 road victory on Feb. 3. The Bushmen reached the championship game with a 76-64 win over Monroe-Woodbury in the semifinals Thursday.

Middletown’s victory secured the Section 9 Class AAA title and avenged its two earlier losses to Pine Bush this season.