Foxboro senior Brandon Borde gives a thumbs up to the crowd after scoring his 1,000th career point in the fourth quarter against North Attleboro. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Foxboro senior Brandon Borde was certainly happy when he scored his 1,000th career point, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. And how it happened was pretty cool, too.
The Warriors’ once 14-point second-half lead had dwindled over the third quarter and the Red Rocketeers were threatening early in the fourth, getting within five.
Just three points away from the milestone, Borde instead recorded an assist to Will Morrison for a three-pointer, and two possessions later, the senior guard got within one point when he converted down low on an inbound pass from Donald Rogers.
The next possession up, Borde (21 points, four rebounds, four assists) used a screen to break free from his man, taking a pass from Ryan Hughes in the corner and hit nothing but net from three-point range, surpassing the milestone with 5:55 left. The shot also proved to be the dagger the Warriors needed to fend off North Attleboro.
Foxboro went on to pick up a 68-57 win, clinching a share of the Davenport division title alongside Stoughton and Milford, who also won on Friday night.
“It means a ton to me, since I was a little kid, I’ve pictured this,” Borde said. “I came to the high school games, shooting around in the gym, watching all the guys ahead of me. It means a lot to represent the town in that way, and I wouldn’t have gotten here without all of the guys I’ve played with since my freshman year to now.
“We had a lot of adversity, dealing with injuries, so [the division title] means a lot. We had two big things happen besides the 1,000, we won a share of the division and we qualified for the state tournament so it was a big night for the team. And it was nice to hit it on a three, kind of cooler than a layup.”
For Foxboro, it was the punctuation of a run that sealed the win, a division title, and a playoff spot. The Warriors had an 11-point lead at halftime (39-28) and pushed the lead to its peak at 44-32 with 6:43 to play on a layup from Borde.
But North Attleboro refused to go away, getting six straight from sophomore Brody Rosenberg — three from deep, three the traditional way — and two more from senior Josh Porter. Junior George Ladd, who was the focus of the North offense for most of the night, got going in the post, scoring through contact to make it 46-42.
Borde stemmed the tide with a finish through traffic and Morrison (15 points, three assists) set up Rogers (15 points, five rebounds, four assists) for a triple, one of 10 made from downtown from the Warriors.
Edan Kelley answered from deep and Ladd (20 points, seven rebounds) added a traditional three-point play but Hughes (eight points, nine rebounds) had four points for the Warriors in the final minute to keep the visitors ahead 55-48 through three quarters.
“In the second half, they really went inside to Ladd and take advantage of their size to get some easy baskets,” Gibbs said. “We had to make some adjustments on how we were defending the post. I was just really proud of the resiliency of our guys. The first half went pretty smoothly for the most part but then they cut it down to four, and the momentum had totally turned.
“Given the circumstances, the pressure of what was at stake, the way the game was going on the road, we could have folded but we didn’t. I thought we really locked in, we got some big stops, got some big rebounds, and we came down and executed on offense and guys made some big shots. I was just really proud, that’s what you hope your team is going to do with a lot of seniors and they did that tonight.”
Ladd sank a pair of free throws to get the Rocketeers within 11 with just under five minutes to go and North’s defense got back-to-back stops but the offense couldn’t cut into the deficit any further. A long possession from the Warriors ended in a three from Rogers on a pass from Dylan Barreira.
“They were the better team tonight, I thought their kids played really hard,” said North Attleboro head coach Sean Mulkerrins. “Brandon Borde is a really tough player, it’s a great achievement to get 1,000 points. He’s a tough matchup. I thought our kids fought hard we just had too many breakdowns, especially on defense. To Foxboro’s credit, when we made a mistake, they generally finished. That was probably the difference.
“It’s frustrating because our guys are better than some of the breakdowns we had. [Foxboro] had a good game plan, they wanted to get us into help, get us into rotation and our rotation was just not where it needed to be. It’s basic fundamental things that we need to be better at and stuff that I have to do a better job of getting them to the level they need to be defensively in the Hockomock League.”
Rogers got Foxboro off to a strong start, getting to the basket three times for six points in the opening quarter while Borde and Hughes each had four, and Morrison hit the first of his five three-pointers. North Attleboro senior Ethan Friberg hit three three-pointers to keep the Rocketeers close, down 17-13 after one.
Borde had a steal and layup to push Foxboro’s lead to nine in the second, and Barreira finished off a three-point play at the midway point of the second to push the Warriors’ lead to 28-17. Tommy Whalen, Rosenberg (13 points, six rebounds), and Ladd kept the Rocketeers in it but Liam Devlin scored off his own miss and then beat the buzzer from three-point range to give Foxboro its 39-28 halftime edge.
With the win, Foxboro earns a share of the Davenport division title, the program’s third since 2016. The Warriors share the crown with Stoughton and Milford, the Warriors split the season series with both teams. Foxboro had to win its final two games to earn a share.
“I just said to them in the locker room, out of the three league championship teams I’ve been fortunate to coach, I’m most proud of this one because of the adversity that they’ve had to overcome,” Gibbs said. “A lot of things in the team with injuries and illnesses that have made it tough for us to have competitive practices at times, made it hard to establish roles and rotations.
“And we’ve had some tough, heart-breaking losses to good teams over the course of the season and every time that happened, they bounced right back. I think throughout the season, we showed a lot of resiliency and that was on full display tonight when North made that run. I’m just really proud of them.”
Foxboro boys basketball (9-7 Hockomock, 11-8 overall) will wrap its season up with three non-league games, starting with a first-round matchup in the Warrior Classic against Holliston on Monday at 2:45. North Attleboro (4-12, 5-14) will close the season with a trip to rival Attleboro for a non-league game on Wednesday.
Boys Basketball
Oliver Ames, 55 @ Attleboro, 79 – Final – Attleboro senior Bryant Ciccio poured in 31 points, including his the 1,000th of his career, as Attleboro earned an impressive win over division rival Oliver Ames. The Bombardiers scored 21 first quarter points and added 24 more in the second to seize a 45-31 lead by halftime. Attleboro outscored the Tigers by four in the third and six in the fourth to extend its lead. Ciccio scored 10 points in the opening quarter, hit the milestone with eight points in the second, and added three more threes in the second half, hitting a total of seven on the night. Qualeem Charles added 15 points in the win and Tim Callahan chipped in with 12 points. OA senior Jay Spillane led the Tigers with 12 points while Amari Brown and Evan Craig each added 11 points.
Stoughton, 62 @ Canton, 56 – Final – Stoughton doubled up on Canton in the second quarter to create a double-digit advantage, riding that lead to a win on the road at Canton. The Black Knights led by two, 15-13, after a quarter but tacked on 20 second-quarter points to create a 35-23 lead at the halftime break. Senior Ahmad Jahed scored 11 of his 14 in the second quarter while Obinna Ugwuakazi (21 points), Jake Queeney, and Tahkwan Gates Brown (12 points) also scored in Stoughton’s big second quarter. Myles Grigalunas-Powell scored six of his 10 points in the fourth to keep the Black Knights ahead. Canton’s Eric Mischler (22 points) and Will Keefe (eight points) each hit a pair of fourth quarter threes to help shrink the deficit late.
Milford, 51 @ Foxboro, 57 – Final – Foxboro senior Brandon Borde took over in the third quarter, scoring 13 of his team-high 20 points as the Warriors poured in 20-points in the the frame to turn a two possession game into a nine-point advantage. Foxboro led by five after one (15-10) and took a four-point lead (28-24) into halftime before using the third quarter to create separation, pulling into a tie for first place in the division with three games to go. Kevin Gallagher hit a three and had five of his 15 points in the third while Donald Rogers hit a pair of free throws to put the hosts ahead 48-39 going into the final quarter. Foxboro held the Hawks without a three-point field goal in the second half. Milford’s Ben Blanchard hit a trio of first half three-pointers for a team-high 15 points while junior Dom Schofield added 10 points.
Taunton, 74 @ King Philip, 76 – Final (OT) – Taunton erased a 13-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter, taking a late lead but King Philip scored in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime and beat the buzzer for the winner in overtime. King Philip lead 45-29 at halftime and took a 59-46 lead into the fourth before the Tigers poured in 21 points, taking 67-64 lead late. KP’s Alex Fritz (34 points) hit his first three of the second half with 10 seconds left to force overtime. In the extra period, tied at 74-74, senior Tommy Donahue (10 points) set a screen for Fritz and rolled to the basket, taking the pass and laying it up to beat the buzzer to give KP the win. Fritz scored KP’s first seven points of the overtime period before assisting on the game-winner. Andrew McKinney scored 11 of his 15 points in the first half for KP, which scored 28 second quarter points. Taunton sophomore Trent Santos scored nine of his career-high 25 points in the fourth quarter while classmate Faisal Mass added six of his career-high 18 points in the final frame to get the Tigers back into it. Tyler Stewart added 16 points and Josh Lopes chipped in with 11 points for the Tigers.
North Attleboro, 57 @ Sharon, 73 – Final – Tied at halftime, Sharon outscored North Attleboro 18-6 in the third quarter and added 25 more points in the fourth quarter to pull away and earn the win, the Eagles’ first league win since February 2018. In snapping a 29-game winless streak in Hockomock action, the Eagles drained 10 three-pointers, including six in the second half. Senior Aidan Kane connected from downtown in each quarter, including three in the final quarter to finish with a team-high 22 points. Matt Baskin (12 points) added the other third quarter three while Andrew Burton scored six of his 16 points in the third. North Attleboro, who was without its top two scorers in George Ladd and Edan Kelley, were held to just one field goal in the third. Senior Josh Porter went 11-for-15 from the free throw line and finished with a team-high 17 points, junior Tommy Onorato hit four three-pointers for a career-high 12 points, and both Jared Vacher and Brody Rosenberg finished with 10 points.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 32 @ Oliver Ames, 60 – Final – OA jumped out to a 15-point lead at halftime and extended the lead with a strong second half to stay two games back of Franklin in the league standings. Caroline Peper scored 18 points and added five assists and Caroline Flynn marked her return from injury with 15 points and six rebounds.
Canton, 68 @ Stoughton, 45 – Final – Canton got a big win on the road to split the season series with the Black Knights and to move within two wins of qualifying for the postseason with five games to go. The Bulldogs had a balanced attack with three players scoring in double digits. Sydney Gallery paced the offense with 17 points and she added eight boards and three assists. Kiara Cerruti (eight rebounds and three assists) scored 16 and Samya DaSilva recorded a double-double of 15 points and 10 boards. Fay Gallery scored eight and had four assists for Canton. Stoughton was led by the tandem of Shyanne Trinh (game-high 19 points) and Aliyah Wright (15 points).
Mansfield, 41 @ Franklin, 67 – Final – The Panthers remain unbeaten on the season and moved within one win of clinching at least a share of the Kelley-Rex division title. Olivia Quinn was the top scorer for the Panthers, finishing the night with 23 points. Ali Brigham added 14 in the win. Abby Wager led the Hornets with 12 points and Kayla Vine chipped in with eight.
King Philip, 65 @ Taunton, 57 – Final – KP led by 10 points heading into the fourth quarter, but the Tigers were able to rally and cut the lead to as low as five before the Warriors pulled it out and ended their three-game losing streak. Faye Veilleux scored 20 points to power the Warriors and Faith Roy scored 18. Caroline Aaron also got into double digits in the win, scoring 10 points for KP. The Warriors made 12 threes as a team. Kameron St. Pierre continued her strong rookie campaign with a team-high 20 points, while Jaelyn Fernandez (15 points) and Sonya Fernandez (11 points) both hit double digits. Taunton coach Amy Siggens said, “We’re starting to play a complete game. They’re really fast but we tried our best to keep up with them and the girls played their butts off tonight.”
Sharon, 29 @ North Attleboro, 39 – Final – North edged out a defensive battle against Sharon to keep its hold on second place in the Davenport. Summer Doherty scored nearly half of North’s points, with a career-high 19 on the night, and Eliza Dion added nine in the win, including eight in the fourth quarter. The Rocketeers scored 16 points in the first, thanks to 11 from Doherty but then added only nine in the next two quarters combined. Sharon allowed only one point in the second, but only managed five of its own and went into the break down 17-13. Both teams scored eight points in the third to keep North up by four and then the Rocketeers exploded for 14 to pull out the win. North coach Nikki Correia also highlighted the play of point guard Olivia Forbes for playing tough on both ends of the floor the entire game. Leah Fandel and Kaitlyn Wallace each scored eight points in the loss.
Canton, 39 @ North Attleboro, 54 – Final – North Attleboro’s defense limited the visiting Bulldogs to single digits in each of the first two quarters and finished strong in the fourth to pick up a win. The Rocketeers had their best offensive quarter to start the game as four players found the scoring column to build a 17-5 lead. North junior George Ladd scored 15 of his team-high 17 points in the first half while Edan Kelley added seven of his 10 points in the first two quarters. Josh Porter, Tommy Whalen, Brody Rosenberg, Jared Vacher, and Ethan Friberg (eight points) all scored in the fourth to help the Rocketeers secure the win. Matt Giglio and Eric Mischler each scored eight points for Canton.
Foxboro, 70 @ Sharon, 50 – Final – Foxboro scored 18 or more points in three quarters on its way to a big win on the road over Sharon. The Warriors exploded for 23 points in the opening eight minutes and responded well when the Eagles closed the deficit to five points early in the third quarter. Foxboro led 34-24 at halftime and extended that advantage to 52-40 after three quarters. Senior Brandon Borde scored all of his team-high 20 points in the first three quarters while senior Ryan Hughes closed the game strong with nine of his 17 points in the fourth quarter. Donald Rogers added 14 points and Kevin Gallagher chipped in with nine for Foxboro. Caleb Gayle paced Sharon with 16 points.
Oliver Ames, 54 @ Franklin, 57 – Final – Senior Chris Edgehill scored a season-high 26 points and the Panthers held off a late rally from Oliver Ames to get the win. Oliver Ames held a 17-11 lead after a quarter of play and took a 24-23 advantage into halftime but Franklin used a big third quarter to take the lead for good. The Panthers poured in 23 points in the third with senior Brayden Sullivan scoring nine of his 11 points in the frame and both Edgehill and Steven Karayan hit from three to give Franklin a 46-37 lead heading into the fourth. OA had a shot to tie it at the buzzer but it was off the mark. Evan Craig scored a team-high 13 points for OA, Owen Friel added 12 points, Jay Spillane chipped in with 11 points, and Ryan Burkett added 10 points for the Tigers.
Mansfield, 71 @ King Philip, 66 – Final – Mansfield closed the third quarter on a 12-5 run to turn a deficit into a lead and held on for a close win on the road at KP. The Warriors took a 45-40 lead in the third quarter but the Hornets got three-pointers from Sam Stevens (30 points), Jason See (eight points), and freshman Chris Hill to seize a 52-50 lead after three quarters. Stevens added two more threes in the fourth quarter and TJ Guy scored half of his 12 points in the final frame to help the Hornets close the door. KP senior Robert Jarest scored a career-high 22 points, including 13 in the first quarter. Chris Roy added a career-high 16 points for KP while Alex Fritz finished with 13 points.
Stoughton, 67 @ Milford, 60 – Final – Stoughton led at the end of each quarter and five Black Knights scored in the fourth to help secure a key division win on the road. Stoughton led 19-16 after a quarter, took a 33-31 edge into halftime, and held a 49-43 advantage through 24 minutes of action. In the fourth, senior Obinna Ugwuakazi scored six of his team-high 22 points in the fourth, Myles Grigalunas-Powell added three points in the fourth, Tahkwan Gates Brown added half of his eight points in the fourth, Tommy Sanda (eight points) drained a three, and Brett Pendenza scored a basket. Pendenza scored a career-high 15 points to give Stoughton a big boost, including three three-pointers between the second and third quarters. Jordan Darling led Milford with 17 points, Ben Blanchard added 16 points, and Colby Pires finished with 11 points.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 66 @ Taunton, 62 – Final (OT) – Meghan Gordon scored a career-high 20 points to power the Bombardiers to an overtime win at Taunton. In a game that went back-and-forth right to the final whistle, Nyah Thomas scored 19 and Liv McCall scored 10 for the visitors. Attleboro shot 7-of-9 from the line in the extra period to pull out the win. Kameron St. Pierre scored a game-high 22 points for the Tigers and Jaelyn Fernandez added 20, but Taunton wasn’t able to make enough plays down the stretch of regulation or OT to pull out the victory.
North Attleboro, 53 @ Canton, 48 – Final – North used a big third quarter to grab control of the game heading into the fourth and then held off Canton to pull out a big road win. The Bulldogs led 20-15 at the break, but North won the third quarter 25-12 to take a 40-32 lead into the final eight minutes. Amanda Kaiser was the star for the North offense. Kaiser wasn’t feeling well coming into the game and had only two points at halftime, but she exploded for 19 of her team’s 25 points in the third, burying five threes in a row. She scored 24 of her game-high 26 in the second half. “She was in a zone and we just let her go with it,” said North coach Nikki Correia. “When a shooter gets that hot you just create space for them and give them the green light.” Summer Doherty was clutch at the line in the final quarter, hitting 7-of-7 down the stretch to help North hold on.
Sharon, 24 @ Foxboro, 66 – Final – Foxboro made it three straight wins with another strong defensive performance and four players scoring in double digits. Lizzy Davis paced the offense with 14 points and Katelyn Mollica scored 12. Forwards Yara Fawaz and Abby Hassman each scored 10 points in the win.
King Philip, 55 @ Mansfield, 59 – Final – Neither team led by more than four points at any point in a game that was back-and-forth throughout. Becca Hottleman knocked down a free throw that put the Hornets up by two with less than a minute to play and then a Mansfield steal turned into a Kayla Vine layup for a four-point edge with 20 seconds to play. Vine led the way for the Hornets with another 20-point night. Ashley Santos added nine and Brooke Berube scored eight. Claire Keswick was the top scorer for KP with 12 points. Faith Roy and Emma Glaser each scored eight for the Warriors. Mansfield led by a single point after one quarter and at halftime, extended it two by the end of the third quarter and then scored 19 points in the fourth to pull out the win.
Milford, 31 @ Stoughton, 57 – Final – Stoughton used a balanced attack to pick up a key win over a division foe in visiting Milford. Shyanne Trinh had 14 points, Aliyah Wright added 13 points, and Jess Maddalena finished with 11 points. Kyla Sheedy-Goff was a force defensively with six blocks for the Black Knights.
Boys Swimming
Attleboro, 35 @ Taunton, 59 – Final
Stoughton @ Canton, 7:00
Milford @ Foxboro, 7:00
King Philip @ Franklin, 7:00
North Attleboro, 49 @ Sharon, 74 – Final
Girls Swimming
Attleboro, 53 @ Taunton, 41 – Final – Attleboro’s Ella Lynch-Bartek and Brenna O’Connell finished first and second, respectively, in both the 50 free and 100 free to help the Bombardiers pick up a win over Taunton. Lynch-Bartek qualified for sectionals with her time in the 100 free. Faith Morrison added a win in the 500 free and Jackie Lynch-Bartek took first int he 100 breaststroke. Attleboro’s 200 free relay team of Jackie Lynch-Bartek, Ella Lynch-Bartek, Brenna O’Connell, and Rachel Priestley placed first.
Stoughton @ Canton, 7:00
Milford @ Foxboro, 7:00
King Philip @ Franklin, 7:00
North Attleboro, 73 @ Sharon, 85 – Final
Girls Gymnastics
Attleboro @ King Philip, 7:30
Canton @ Taunton, 8:00
North Attleboro @ Mansfield, 7:00
Attleboro’s Bryant Ciccio (left) and Qualeem Charles (35) double team North Attleboro’s Edan Kelley (15) in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – For three quarters, not much could separate rivals Attleboro and North Attleboro on the hardwood inside Kenneth Pickering gymnasium.
A two-point lead for the visitors after a quarter, a tied game at the halftime break, and just a one-point advantage for the Bombardiers made it anyone’s game heading into the final frame.
And even two minutes into the final quarter, just one basket separated the rivals with Attleboro holding onto to a 45-43 lead.
But just like that, the Bombardiers flexed their muscles on both ends of the court. Attleboro hit six of their next seven attempts from the floor with the lone miss hauled in for an offensive rebound that resulted in two free throws. And defensively, the Rocketeers missed three shots while committing four turnovers.
The result was an 18-0 run that turned the game on its head and a close contest into a comfortable 63-46 win for the Bombardiers.
“We made that run because we played defense,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Houle. “You can’t score 18 straight if you’re giving up baskets on the other end. We talk about being consistently good on defense and during that segment, we were very good.
“We went to a little different look on offense and we were able to spread them out a little bit. Obviously, when you make shots it changes everything. But we were stagnant on offense but it was because their defense kind of made us play like that.”
North Attleboro junior George Ladd (eight points, five assists) finished off a tough layup through contact to bring the hosts within 45-43 with 6:01 left on the clock.
Nick McMahon (nine points, seven assists) penetrated the North Attleboro zone and kicked it out to classmate Tim Callahan (17 points) for his fifth trifecta of the game, a shot that sparked the Attleboro offense.
Attleboro got a stop on the other end and senior Bryant Ciccio (15 points) sank a difficult baseline jumper before the Rocketeers had an empty trip. Ciccio took a pass from Jason Weir at the top of the key and sank another three for the Bombardiers, putting the visitors up 53-43 with just under four minutes to play.
North’s turnover woes (16 in total) factored in as Ciccio came up with a steal, the play resulting in two made free throws from Qualeem Charles (16 points, nine rebounds). It was near deja vu on the ensuing Rocketeer possession as Ciccio stripped the ball free and went in for an uncontested layup.
“We have to have more urgency at all times,” said North Attleboro coach Sean Mulkerrins. “When the moment gets big, we can’t change our focus level or let the scoreboard dictate how we play. It’s a hard lesson for our guys to learn but that’s back-to-back games, five minutes to play against a quality team…we’re not about moral victories, we have to be better. We have to do a better job coaching too.
“Credit to their better players, Ciccio stepped up in that fourth quarter, McMahon had a nice play, they hurt us inside on the glass. But selfishly from my end, we can’t turn the ball over and then have a breakdown defensively, it’s a double whammy. And then look up at the scoreboard and feel bad for yourself and let that dictate how you play. It certainly snowballed. Ultimately we have to step up and have more urgency.”
A travel gave the visitors the ball back, and despite their first miss of the stretch, Charles hauled in the board and was fouled going back up. He hit two more free throws while North’s cold stretch continued with a missed corner three.
McMahon capped the run with back-to-back strong takes to the rim sandwiched around a Rocketeer turnover after a double team from Ciccio and Charles.
“I thought Nick started feeling more comfortable towards the end,” Houle said. “He’s been terrific for us this year and against a zone, you can’t just pass it around the whole time you have to slip and look to attack a little bit. And then he started hitting wide open guys. So it was a win-win when you knock them down, you get a paint touch on the dribble penetration then kick it out.
“And for us in the second half, every time Q touched it we wanted him to score it. He’s a very unselfish player, he’d rather pass to his teammates but for us to be successful, we need him scoring in there.”
While the Bombardiers finally pulled away in the fourth quarter, they were on the verge of doing so in each of the previous two quarters but the Rocketeers continually made timely shots and stops to stay in it.
Callahan (twice) and Ciccio both connected on early threes for the Bombardiers but Brody Rosenberg (eight points), Edan Kelley, and Ethan Friberg (11 points, eight rebounds) were equal to the task. A bucket from Lorenzo Wilson and two free throws from Ciccio had Attleboro up 15-13 at the end of one.
Another triple from Callahan opened the second quarter, Charles finished off a three-point play, and Callahan sank yet another three as Attleboro started the frame strong. But a triple from Rosenberg and another from Friberg kept the Rocketeers in the game.
After a Callahan putback, the Rocketeers closed the first half on a 7-0 run with Ladd scoring down low, Friberg connecting on his third trifecta of the half, and Tommy Whalen finishing off a nice pass from Josh Porter to make it 26-26 at the break.
“They shot very well tonight, they had nine threes,” Houle said. “When they hit them back-to-back, you can’t get over that hump to pull away. They started to miss some shots but I think our defense started forcing some different things. And then they started over-penetrating a little bit and we swallowed them up.”
Timmy carried us in the first half, he was terrific. And he needed that because he’s had some good looks throughout the season and he really stepped up tonight.
Attleboro created some room with a 9-4 run capped by a Ciccio three to start the second half but Whalen answered with a triple and Jared Vacher hit back-to-back threes as North Attleboro surged ahead for the first time, 39-37.
But North closed the quarter with a pair of misses and three straight turnovers, the latter turning into a bucket from Alvin Harrison that gave Attleboro a 40-39 lead heading into the fourth.
“I think it was a combination of them having a concerted effort on where to attack us,” Mulkerrins said of the fourth. “We were mixing up man and zone, I have to see it but my feeling is that we got a little tired and got stuck watching. You can’t be late against that quality of a team.”
Attleboro boys basketball (4-1 Hockomock, 5-2 overall) will host King Philip on Friday. North Attleboro (2-3, 3-5) will try to bounce back when it hosts Milford on Friday.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 61 @ Oliver Ames, 52 – Final – After a close first half, Attleboro created its separation between the third and fourth quarters before holding off a late surge from Oliver Ames. A three-point lead at halftime (30-27) ballooned to 45-34 as the Bombardiers held the hosts to seven points in the third quarter. The Tigers went on an 11-0 run late to cut into Attleboro’s 17-point lead but ran out of time as the visitors took care of business at the free throw line. Qualeem Charles got Attleboro off to a strong start with 11 of his 20 points coming in the first quarter, giving Attleboro a 20-15 lead after eight minutes. Senior Bryant Ciccio hit a pair of threes in the third, finishing with 10 of his game-high 25 points in that quarter to help create the needed cushion. Tim Callahan added a big three in the fourth quarter while Nick McMahon had a strong game defensively. Jay Spillane paced OA with 15 points while classmate Owen Friel added 13 points and Ryan Burkett finished with 12 points.
Canton, 42 @ Stoughton, 61 – Final – Stoughton built a double-digit advantage in the first quarter and never looked back to pick up a win over neighboring Canton. The Black Knights jumped ahead 15-5 after the first and were able to double the lead heading into the fourth quarter with a 46-26 lead. Stoughton senior Obinna Ugwuakazi (five steals) scored seven points in the opening quarter to help build the lead and added eight more in the third to help expand it, finishing with a game-high 25 points to pace the Black Knights. Tahkwan Gates Brown added 11 points and Myles Grigalunas-Powell chipped in with eight points. Eric Mischler had a team-high 11 points for Canton while senior Mike Dorcelus scored 10 points.
Foxboro, 37 @ Milford, 61 – Final – In what was a close contest for the majority of the game, Milford’s defense limited Foxboro to just five fourth-quarter points to pull away for a large margin of victory. “We did a good job defensively against a very good opponent,” said Milford head coach Paul Seaver, noting the balanced offensive attack and timely shots on the offensive end of the court. Milford had five players score in each quarter, increasing its lead each frame. Milford expanded its 14-12 lead after one to a 28-20 advantage at halftime. A strong third quarter pushed the lead to 44-32 going into the fourth. The Hawks hit five of their six threes after the break with Ben Blanchard (eight points) and Tyler Wetherbee (12 points) each responsible for a pair. Colby Pires had a team-high 13 points while Ralph Franklin Jr. added 12 points. Jordan Darling added eight points and Dom Schofield, who also had a second half three, finished with six points. Senior Donald Rogers scored 14 points for Foxboro, who was limited to just one made three-pointer in the contest.
King Philip, 62 @ Taunton, 73 – Final – Taunton pushed its three-point halftime lead to a 55-47 lead through three quarters, and finished strong with 11 points in the final three minutes to secure a key division win over King Philip. The Tiger trailed by one after a quarter (16-15) but held a 37-34 lead at the halftime break. With just under three minutes to go, the Tigers led 62-56 and went on to close out the win. Junior Tyler Stewart scored 12 of his team-high 20 points in the first half while sophomores Tristan Herry and Trent Santos along with junior Josh Lopes came up with key buckets in the second half to secure the win. Stewart and sophomore Faisal Mass (10 points) helped the hosts create the lead at the break. Herry added six of his 10 points in the second half, Santos scored 10 of his 15 points after the break, and Lopes added eight of his 15 in the second half for Taunton. Andrew McKinney scored a team-high 21 points for the Warriors while Alex Fritz added 19 points.
Sharon, 37 @ North Attleboro, 46 – Final – The Rocketeers buckled down defensively in the second half, limiting the visitors to 14 points over the final 16 minutes, while exploding for their best quarter of the game in the fourth to secure a win. North held an early 13-8 advantage after one period of play but Sharon took a 23-22 lead into the locker room and a 29-28 advantage into the fourth. Senior Ethan Friberg came up big on the offensive glass, scoring eight of his 10 points in the fourth quarter to help the Big Red get the win. Junior George Ladd added 10 points while senior Josh Porter chipped in with nine points. Sharon senior Andrew Burton scored a game-high 15 points and junior Matt Baskin added eight points for the Eagles.
Girls Basketball
Oliver Ames, 44 @ Attleboro, 27 – Final – Tate Hadges scored 12 points and Caroline Flynn (eight rebounds) added 11 as the Tigers pulled out a tough win on the road with a strong defensive performance. Nyah Thomas and Liv McCall scored seven points apiece for the Bombardiers.
Stoughton, 43 @ Canton, 35 – Final – Stoughton’s Aliyah Wright recorded a double-double, Shyanne Trinh led the team in scoring, and Kyla Sheedy-Goff gave the Black Knights a big boost to deliver a key division win on the road at Canton. Wright had 10 points and 10 rebounds, Trinh recorded a team-high 14 points to go along with four steals, and Sheedy-Goff finished with eight points and 11 rebounds.
Milford, 14 @ Foxboro, 86 – Final – Katelyn Mollica bounced back from a tough shooting night against Canton on Thursday with a 26-point night against Milford on Friday. Shakirah Ketant added 15 points and Lizzy Davis chipped in with 12 for the league-leading Warriors. Ten players scored for Foxboro.
Franklin, 67 @ Mansfield, 39 – Final – Franklin controlled the paint to earn the big road win. Ali Brigham scored 20 points to lead the way and fellow forwards Olivia Quinn (16 points) and Meghan O’Connell (11 points) also had big nights. The Panthers jumped out to a 22-3 lead after one quarter and also held the Hornets to just four points in the third, as they built a 34-point advantage heading into the fourth. Mansfield was paced by Kayla Vine’s 17 points and freshman Abby Wager’s 11. Mansfield coach Mike Redding said, “Their post players were just too much for us. They dominated the paint and got a bunch of second chance points.”
Taunton, 33 @ King Philip, 60 – Final – The Warriors got back into league play with a bounce back victory over Taunton. The game remained close until the third quarter when KP’s high-tempo style started to wear the Tigers down and allowed the Warriors to pull away. Faye Veilleux was the top scorer for KP, pouring in 17 points in the win. Claire Keswick and Emma Glaser each scored 10 points in the win. Sonya Fernandez led the Tigers with nine.
Boys Swimming
Attleboro, 75 @ King Philip, 92 – Final – Derek Whyte and Jake Hokanson each won a pair of individual races and made up half of the winning 200 medley relay team to help King Philip pick up a division win over Attleboro. Whyte touched first in both the 500 free (4:59.72) and 100 backstroke (1:01.15) while Hokanson earned first place in both the 100 breast (1:10.89) and 200 IM (2:14.58). Whyte and Hokanson were joined by Andrew Pham and Jackson Klein to win the 200 medley relay (1:53.95).
Results: 200 Medley Relay – 1. King Philip (Derek Whyte, Jake Hakanson, Andrew Pham, Jackson Klein) – 1:53.95 | 2. Attleboro (Matt Marcil, Alex Harrop, Brett Wortham, Colton Mangion) – 2:06.03 | 3. Attleboro (Robert Winkler, Damien Geltrude, Kyle Norman, Zack Moore) – 2:09.39 200 Yard Free – 1. Cam Stringfellow, KP – 2:04.30 | 2. Dylan Nisbet, Att – 2:22.51 | 3. Brett Wortham, Att – 2:39.33 200 Yard IM – 1. Jake Hokanson, KP – 2:14.58 | 2. John Donis, KP – 2:35.06 | 3. Alex Harrop, Att – 2:38.97 50 Free – 1. Matt Marcil, Att – 25.46 | 2. Jackson Klein, KP – 25.49 | 3. Andrew Pham, KP – 26.56 100 Yard Butterfly – 1. Andrew Pham, KP – 1:03.82 | 2. Alex Harrop, Att – 1:09.34 | 3. Kyle Norman, Att – 1:19.85 500 Yard Free – 1. Derek White, KP – 4:59.72 | 2. John Donis, KP – 6:32.20 | 3. Colton Mangion, Att – 6:50.13 200 Yard Free Relay – 1. King Philip (Morrsion, Donis, Hokanson, Klein) – 1:44.03 | 2. Attleboro (Matt Marcil, Alex Harrop, Dylan Nisbet, Brett Wortham) – 1:49.47 | 3. Attleboro (Zack Moore, Damien Geltrude, Kyle Norman, Zach Dorrance) – 1:56.33 100 Back – 1. Derek Whyte, KP – 1:01.15 | 2. Robert Winkler, Att – 1:24.02 | 3. Andrew Greaves, Att – 1:24.70 100 Breast – 1. Jake Hokanson, KP – 1:10.89 | 2. Matt Marcil, Att – 1:13.35 | 3. Damien Geltrude, Att – 1:17.53 400 Free Relay – 1. King Philip – 3:55.28 | 2. Attleboro (Colton Mangion, Zach Dorrance, Kyle Norman, Dylan Nisbet) – 4:24.77 | 3. Attleboro (Robert Winkler, JR Sarcione, Andrew Greaves, Brandon Sanford) – 5:09.89
Canton, 88 @ Oliver Ames, 71 – Final
Foxboro vs. Norton, 7:00
North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:00
Sharon, 68 @ Milford, 94 – Final
Girls Swimming
Attleboro, 77 @ King Philip, 87 – Final – King Philip’s Megan Campbell won a pair of individual races and helped a relay team win another as the Warriors took a win over Attleboro. Campbell was first in both the 100 yard butterfly (1:11.44) and the 200 yard free (2:07.17) and was part of the 200 medley relay team that won in 2:09.71 along with Abby Lyons, Morgan Sachleben, and Olivia Bailey.
Results: 200 Medley Relay – 1. King Philip (Lyons, Sachleben, Bailey, Campbell) – 2:09.71 | 2. King Philip (Lauren Klein, Lia Burns, Emily Campbell, Bri McMaster) – 2:11.13 | 3. Attleboro (Ella Lynch-Bartek, Jackie Lynch-Bartek, Faith Morrisson, Rachel Priestley) 2:11.52 200 Yard Free – 1. Megan Campbell, KP – 2:07.17 | 2. Jackie Lynch-Bartek, Att – 2:08.07 | 3. Abby Lyons, KP – 2:29.31; 200 Yard IM – 1. Morgan Sachleben, KP – 2:28.75 | 2. Lia Burns, KP 2:49.34 | 3. Shanise Tolliver, Att – 3:08.02 50 Yard Free – 1. Brenna O’Connell, Att – 28.88 | 2. Cate DiGiacomo, KP – 28.94 |3. Bri McMaster, KP – 28.91; 100 Yard Butterfly – 1. Megan Campbell, KP – 1:11.44 | 2. Emily Campbell, KP – 1:11.60 | 3. Lily Scheurger, Attleboro 1:30.75 100 Yard Free – 1. Ella Lynch-Bartek, Att – 1:00.09 | 2. Lauren Klein, KP – 1:03.63 | 3. Cate DiGiacomo, KP -1:05.33 500 Yard Free – 1. Olivia Bailey, KP – 5:50.98 | 2. Faith Morrison, Att – 6:47.34 | 3. Bri McMaster, KP – 6:54.31 200 Yard Free Relay – 1. King Philip (DiGiacomo, Freese, McMaster, Klein) – 1:57.31 | 2. Attleboro (E. Lynch-Bartek, F. Morrsison, R. Priestley, J. Lynch-Bartek) – 1:58.83 | 3. King Philip (E. Campbell, B. Avignon, Burke, Foster) – 2:06.69 100 Yard Back – 1. Olivia Bailey, KP – 1:08.19 | 2. Ella Lynch-Bartek, Att – 1:08.38 | 3. Abby Lyons, KP – 1:17.44 100 Yard Breast 1. Jackie Lynch-Bartek, Att 1:15.52 | 2. Faith Morrison, Att – 1:26.52 | 3. Rachel Priestley, Att – 1:28.39 400 Yard Free Relay – 1. Attleboro (Brenna O’Conell, Tolliver, Cronin, Danho) – 5:05.34 | 2. Attleboro (Schuerger, Torres, Masandrea, Sutherland) – 5:23.78
Canton, 73 @ Oliver Ames, 95 – Final
Foxboro vs. Norton, 7:00
North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:00
Sharon, 92 @ Milford, 78 – Final
Girls Gymnastics
Attleboro vs. Norton, 4:30
King Philip, 127.70 @ Franklin, 136.50 – Final
Oliver Ames @ North Attleboro, 7:30
Boys Basketball
Canton, 38 vs. Bishop Feehan, 62 – Final – The Bulldogs stayed within striking distance for a half but scored just 13 points in the second half as Bishop Feehan pulled away for the win. Robbie Gallery scored nine of his team-high 13 points in the first half and Eric Mischler had six of his nine points in the opening two quarters as Canton trailing 38-25at halftime. Gallery and Mischler were the lone Bulldogs to score in the third as the Shamrocks pulled away 51-32 heading into the fourth.
Foxboro, 47 @ Westwood, 54 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Foxboro erased an early 18-point deficit, taking a one-point lead into the final quarter but ran out of gas in the fourth as Westwood picked up the win. The Wolverines raced out to a 10-0 lead and pushed it all the way to 20-2 late in the first. Foxboro clawed its way back with a strong second quarter to go into halftime down 31-24, and then won the third quarter to go up 38-37. Brandon Borde (10 points, seven rebounds) scored to put the Warriors up 40-39 but the Wolverines responded with a 9-0 run, with Foxboro going 0-for-7 in the stretch. Borde and Donald Rogers (eight rebounds) brought Foxboro within four, down 48-44, but the Wolverines hit their free throws down the stretch to pull away. Kevin Gallagher had a team-high 13 points, Liam Devlin added six points, and Dylan Barreira had a strong all around game for Foxboro.
King Philip, 71 @ Xaverian, 69 – Final (OT) – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – King Philip senior Alex Fritz scored half of his game-high 30 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, hitting key free throws down the stretch, to help the Warriors pull out a win over Xaverian. Fritz (10 rebounds, four assists) netted seven points in the fourth and added eight more in overtime, hitting two free throws with 25 seconds left to break the tie and adding one more in the final seconds. Senior Tommy Donahue scored all 13 of his points in the second half for KP, who overcame an eight-point fourth quarter deficit. Robert Jarest (six points, four rebounds), Andrew McKinney (12 points, five rebounds, three assists), and Chris Roy all had key points down the stretch in the fourth quarter to help KP force the extra period.
North Attleboro, 46 @ Lincoln-Sudbury, 59 – Final – North Attleboro faced an 18-point deficit at halftime but clamped down defensively out of the break, limiting L-S to just three third quarter points to make a four-point game heading into the fourth, but the Warriors controlled the final quarter to get the win. Trailing 18-8 after one and 36-18 at half, the Rocketeers outscored the hosts 17-3 in the third to make it 39-35 entering the final quarter. Senior Josh Porter scored eight of his career-high 17 points in the third and Brody Rosenberg (12 points) hit a big three in the third to bring North back into the contest. Junior George Ladd finished with 11 points.
Oliver Ames, 77 @ Barnstable, 55 – Final – Oliver Ames Ryan Burkett and the Tigers dominated from start to finish, pouring in 50 first-half points and rolling to their second win over Barnstable this season. Burkett scored a career-high 28 points on 12 two-point field goals to pace the Tigers. Burkett scored 13 points in the first half, added eight more in the third quarter, and added seven more in the fourth quarter. Junior Amari Brown scored 19 of his 21 points in the first half and senior Jay Spillane added 14 points in the win.
Stoughton, 66 @ Randolph, 67 – Final – Stoughton erased a 16-point deficit but fell just short in the championship game of the Blue Devils Holiday Classic against host Randolph. Senior Obinna Ugwuakazi scored a career-high 34 points to pace the Black Knights.
Taunton, 73 @ New Bedford, 67 – Final – Taunton let a seven-point lead slip in the fourth quarter but the Tigers controlled the overtime period to earn their fifth straight win. Tied 18-18 after one and trailing 28-27 at halftime, Taunton dropped 22 points in the third quarter to take a 49-42 advantage but the Whalers scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to tie the game. Junior Tyler Stewart dominated the second half for Taunton, finishing with a career-high 28 points including six points in overtime. Sophomore Tristan Herry added three of his 13 points in the extra period and sophomore Faisal Mass added a free throw to help Taunton pick up the win. Sophomore Trent Santos added 15 points for the Tigers.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 45 @ Cumberland (R.I.), 35 – Final – The Bombardiers turned up the defensive pressure in the second half and got clutch baskets down the stretch to grab an out-of-state win. Attleboro held Cumberland’s leading scorer Madi Zancan to just two baskets after halftime, following a 16-point first half. After the hosts cut the lead down to just three points late in the game, Emma Reilly and Hailey Perry knocked down big shots to extend the lead. Nyah Thomas was once again the top scorer for the Bombardiers, continuing her impressive start to the season with 21 points.
Canton, 47 @ Nauset, 54 – Final
King Philip, 64 @ Bishop Feehan, 70 – Final
Stoughton, 40 vs. Hanover, 39 – Final – Stoughton picked up an important win in the consolation game of the Rockland Holiday Tournament, edging out Hanover. Shyanne Trinh led the charge for the Black Knights with 22 points and four steals while Aliyah Wright added 16 points and 15 rebounds in the win. Kyla Sheedy-Goff gave Stoughton a big boost with six blocks and eight boards.
Taunton, 51 @ New Bedford, 79 – Final – Kameron St. Pierre scored 21 points, her second straight game with 20-plus, to pace the Tigers in a tough road loss. Jaelyn Fernandez added nine points for Taunton.
Girls Hockey
Franklin @ Methuen – Postponed to Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 11:00.
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 1 vs. Algonquin, 5 – Final – MOA freshman Reese Pereira scored the lone goal for the Warriors, burying a rebound on a shot from Melissa Shanteler.
North Attleboro junior George Ladd puts up a shot from in close against Framingham in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Coming off a big loss to division rival Stoughton, North Attleboro boys basketball head coach Sean Mulkerrins was encouraged with how his young squad bounced back on the road at Oliver Ames.
But the Rocketeers, filled with a roster still getting its feet wet at the varsity level, let a double-digit lead and a win slip through their fingers on this past Friday night against the Tigers.
Fast forward to Monday night and the Rocketeers were deadlocked with visiting Framingham, tied at halftime and again after three quarters of action inside Kenneth Pickering Gymnasium.
The growth of the young Rocketeers, even just one game later, was on display as North Attleboro dominated the final eight minutes of the contest to earn a 51-38 win over the Flyers.
“We talked a lot after the last game about playing for 32 minutes,” Mulkerrins said. “I’m proud of the guys for coming out in those final eight minutes and lock it in mentally. We’re a young group, and that’s not an excuse, but experience does count for something.
“I thought our guys made a concerted effort on the defensive end and I thought we rebounded pretty well all night. In that fourth quarter, we got the ball inside to George [Ladd] a lot, and defensively I think we did just enough.”
Junior George Ladd poured in a career-high 26 points to go along with 14 rebounds and four assists while sophomore Casey Poirier chipped in with a career-high 15 points to pace the Rocketeers. Ladd (10) and Poirier (seven) combined to score all of North Attleboro’s fourth quarter points, a frame it won 17-4.
Poirier opened the fourth by taking a pass from senior Ethan Friberg and draining his third triple of the game, having hit two in the opening quarter. A steal from junior Edan Kelley led to another three attempt from Poirier, and even though it was off the mark, Ladd battled for one of his six offensive boards for an easy putback.
Poirier used a nice take to the basket for two and Ladd followed with a two of his own off a nice post move, turning to his left to finish. Framingham sophomore Dante Kikuba snapped the Rocketeers 9-0 run with a nice finish in traffic but Ladd came right back down and scored off a feed from Kelley for a 45-36 lead.
North’s defense got another stop, forcing a turnover and turned it into points on the other end. Poirier got around his man then used a nice behind-the-back dribble and hesitation move before sinking a floater. Kelley came up with another steal on the other end, senior Josh Porter hauled in an offensive rebound and then found Ladd in the post for another bucket and a 49-36 lead with two minutes to play.
“We made an effort to get [Ladd] the ball more [in the fourth],” Mulkerrins said. “Framingham does a good job of crowding the paint and I thought early on, guys were forcing it a little and they were almost surprised there were four guys there to defend. We ran a set that we had run against them last year, we did it a little in the first half and I knew I wanted to go back to it. I was expecting a counter in the third quarter so I waited until the fourth. And we ran a lot of our offense through him.”
The Rocketeers had a lead after eight minutes of play thanks in part to three-point shooting. Despite finishing 4-for-16 from downtown in the game, North Attleboro his three of those in the opening quarter. Poirier sank his first off a feed from Ladd with 4:37 left and then his second off another pass from Ladd with 1:06 to go.
“Casey is a sophomore but he has varsity speed,” Mulkerrins said. “What’s exciting tonight is that we played against a team that is extremely disciplined at being inside the paint and I thought he made a lot of good decisions in the second half. He made plays in tight windows and knocked down some shots.”
Friberg gave the hosts a little bit of a cushion, 13-9, at the end fo the first when he sank a triple with Ladd assisting once again.
Framingham came to life in the second quarter with senior Jack Murphy draining a corner three early, and senior James Allen hitting two from deep after coming off the bench for the Flyers. Senior Sam Whiting completed a traditional three-point play and scored four straight points to push Framingham’s lead to 25-17.
Kelley had a nice up-and-under finish to keep North close. Ladd then sparked an 8-0 run to close the quarter with a layup plus the harm, Poirier sank to free throws, and Friberg converted late to make it 25-25 at the break.
In the second half, the Rocketeers’ extended their defense to a three quarter press. While it only resulted in a pair of turnovers, North was able to slow Framingham down and limited the visitors to nine points in the third and four in the fourth.
“I thought our press did a pretty good job of just taking them out of their rhythm, giving them less time,” Mulkerrins said. “[Dante Kikuba] is a sophomore, I really like his game but I thought we were able to slow him down with that press. But it was really about triggering us defensively, trying to get us more involved.”
North Attleboro boys basketball (1-2 Hockomock, 2-2 overall) is back in action on Monday when it travels to Lincoln-Sudbury for a 6:30 tip.
2018-2019 Record: 18-5 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Mark Houle
Attleboro fulfilled high expectations last year with a terrific regular season but had its postseason run cut short in the opening round of the tournament. With an experienced, battle-tested, and deep group of seniors, the Bombardiers are hoping to take the next step during the 2019-2020 season.
The Bombardiers have seven seniors on the roster with six having plenty of valuable minutes at the varsity level. It all starts with a pair of four-year varsity players and captains Bryant Ciccio and Qualeem Charles. Both have played over 60 games for head coach Mark Houle and earned HockomockSports.com First Team honors a year ago. Ciccio (14.7 ppg, 3.2 apg) is like a coach on the floor and Charles (13.8 ppg, 11.2 rpg) is a matchup nightmare and one of the most dominant post players in recent years.
But there is much more to the Bombardiers, such as senior captain Tim Callahan. Callahan had a strong junior season with 7.7 points per game and can change a game with his outside shooting. He will also be relied upon to anchor the defense. Guard Nick McMahon and forward Lorenzo Wilson provided a spark off the bench last season and will be key pieces this season. And senior Jason Weir is back in the mix after missing last year due to injury. Weir showed flashes during his sophomore season, a versatile player that can play in the post or step outside and knock down a three.
Attleboro has a variety of weapons on the offensive end and that will make them difficult to defend. They have a couple of good weapons that can score down low and then a handful of shooters, so the inside-out game will be a big part of the game plan. Charles gives the Bombardiers protection around the rim while all five players are the court will have to contribute on the boards to eliminate second-chance points.
“We will rely on a battle-tested group of seniors, but we will need our underclassman to continue to develop and be ready to step in and play important roles on the team,” said head coach Mark Houle. “We have a hard-working group of players who compete and challenge each other every day in practice.”
2018-2019 Record: 14-10 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round Coach: Ryan Gordy
After winning back-to-back Davenport division titles, the Bulldogs know it will be a grind to try and get a third with a big target on their backs.
Gone is the program’s all-time leading scorer and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Devin Foster, who was one of the most dynamic offensive players in the league over the past two seasons. That means there is going to be a lot of opportunities for new players to step up for the Bulldogs. Canton head coach Ryan Gordy said this year’s team will be a “much more space and paced” orientated team. Gordy is expecting a more spread out opportunistic approach that will feature contributions from anyone who checks in.
While Foster graduated, the Bulldogs do have a handful of talented and experienced players back on the roster. Senior Kyle Fitzgerald is the top returning scorer from a year ago, netting double figures in six contests. He is also a workhorse on defense and will be one of the leaders on the court. Robbie Gallery, Matt Giglio, and Eric Mischler were all starters at some point during the 2018-2019 season so Gordy will have some veterans to lean on during the year. Gallery, Giglio, and Mischler all showed the ability to come up with a big shot at any time and will help space the floor.
Defensively, the Bulldogs are looking at their versatility and depth to give them flexibility. Gordy believes he has a strong mix of players that will allow him to switch things up and adjust each and every game. Sophomore Lanse Dorcelus earned minutes for the final month of last season and could be a key piece this season.
“We feel like our program is healthy and players have made a commitment to growth,” Gordy said. “This season we are going to focus on the process and maximizing the strengths of our players. Our culture and direction has been a bright spot as we focus on the player person and team development each practice and game. We’re excited to see where we are and where we can get too.”
2018-2019 Record: 14-9 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round Coach: Jon Gibbs
There is good news and bad news when it comes to the Foxboro boys basketball team this season. The good news is that the Warriors expect to once again be one of the toughest defensive teams in the league. The bad news is for the rest of the Hockomock League as Foxboro boasts an improved offense, and combined with their traditional tough defense, has the Warriors in position for a Davenport division title.
With four of their five top scorers back this season, including senior Brandon Borde (team-high 15.3 ppg) and junior Kevin Gallagher (12.9 ppg), the Warriors are looking to ride a balanced approach on offense to improve their scoring after finishing 10th in scoring in the Hockomock League last season (54.4 points per game). Borde is one of the most experienced players back in the league and has the ability to create his own looks as well as lead the team as the floor general. Gallagher had a breakout sophomore season and can really fill up the scoring column, especially from deep.
Borde and Gallagher will also get help from senior Will Morrison, who can catch fire from deep, and senior Ryan Hughes, who can give opponents trouble in the paint. All four players are returning starters from a season ago, so that gives Foxboro an advantage, especially defensively. Head coach Jon Gibbs called the defense the “foundation” of the team. Foxboro has consistently been very fundamentally sound and disciplined on the defensive end.
Seniors Dylan Barreira, Michael Devlin, Liam Devlin, and Donald Rogers all played important minutes last season and will provide a lot of depth for Foxboro.
“We have been making progress each day,” Gibbs said. “Practices have been very competitive so far as guys work hard to carve out a role for themselves by earning the trust of their teammates and coaches. If we stay hungry, humble, and unselfish, it has the potential to be a very successful season.”
2018-2019 Record: 17-6 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 Central Quarterfinal Coach: CJ Neely
Ever since the Hockomock League split into two divisions, Franklin has entered each season as one of the top teams in the Kelley-Rex and that looks to be the case yet again this year.
As it does each and every season, defense comes first for the Panthers. Franklin was the best defensive team in the Hockomock League last year, allowing just 48.9 points per game. Not only did the Panthers lead the league in that category, they were the lone team to keep opponents under 50 points on average. It’s the second straight year they’ve had the best defense in the division and third straight year they are in the top three. There are a lot of talented individual defenders on the team but year in and year out, Franklin’s team defense gives them a chance to win.
Offensively, the Panthers boast the top returning scorer in the league in three-year starter Chris Edgehill. Edgehill, who eclipsed the 1,000-point mark last season, is an absolute handful to deal with on the offensive end of the court. He can score in a variety of ways, and on top of that, he is very good at getting teammates involved (four assists per game last year). Seniors Jack Rudolph and Steve Karayan are also back after playing valuable minutes last season and will be relied upon on both ends of the floor.
“We have a lot of guys who worked really hard in the offseason to improve and are excited to get on the court,” said head coach CJ Neely. “It’s a great group of people who have a lot of fun together. We need to stay aggressive and share the ball. We hope that strong team defense will continue to be something that defines our program.”
2018-2019 Record: 7-13 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Dave DeStefano
With a solid group of players returning from last season, second-year head coach Dave DeStefano is hoping to guide his Warriors back to the state tournament for the first time since 2015.
The Warriors showed flashes throughout last year, including an upset win of Kelley-Rex champions Mansfield on the road. But they were also on the wrong end of a handful of close games, losing five games by five or fewer points. With a year of experience in DeStefano’s system, and for a lot of players their first year of varsity under their belts, King Philip is hoping to turn those close games into wins.
KP boasts two returning starters in Alex Fritz and Andrew McKinney, both standing at 6’3. Fritz had a breakout junior campaign and was the fourth-highest scorer in the Hockomock League with 15.5 points per game. He was able to score in a variety of ways, including through contact at the rim, and will be a vital piece this year. McKinney was fifth on the team in scoring last year, scoring in double-figures in five contests, including a career-high 19 points at Stoughton. Senior Tommy Donahue looks to give the Warriors a strong presence in the post while classmates Owen Conlin and Chris Roy look to be in the mix. Seniors Robbie Jarest and Tom Weir are back in the mix after a year away from the program.
Defensively, King Philip will be relying on its size and physicality. While Donahue (6’5) will be the main rim protector, having long guards and forwards will help KP make life difficult for opponents. The Warriors will need to improve on the defensive end after surrendering a division-high 63.7 points per game last year. DeStefano is looking to get some contributions from junior juniors Donte Barros, Cole Breen, Joe Cullen, Evan Stephens, Will Kinney, and Jake Silveria while sophomores Charlie Grant and Braeden Sottile will likely be in the mix too.
“The boys have really worked hard this offseason,” DeStefano said. “The practices have been really competitive and physical. For us to be successful we will need to make a big commitment on the defensive end of the floor. We want to make our opponents uncomfortable and focus on working together to get stops. On offense we are looking to have a balanced attack and create great scoring opportunities as a team.”
2018-2019 Record: 22-5 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 South Final Coach: Mike Vaughan
The Hockomock League continues to run through Mansfield.
The Hornets have won the Kelley-Rex division title in eight of its nine years, and it looks like Mansfield will be the team to beat again this year. Three players that burst onto the scene last year – Sam Stevens, TJ Guy, Matt Boen – are now three of the top players in the Hock heading into this season. Mansfield certainly graduated a lot of talent in Tommy Dooling, Damani Scott, and Khristian Conner, but with those three starters back plus seniors Drew Rooney and Makhi Baskin, as well as a handful of newcomers ready to make an impact, Mansfield is poised for another deep tournament run.
Stevens (11.2 ppg) will be one of the toughest players to stop with his ability to finish around the rim as well as deadly three-point shooting, Guy (10.9 ppg) is very good in the post on both ends of the floor, and Boen (9.5 ppg) can score in a variety of ways. All three are capable of filling up the stat sheet on any given night. Baskin provides a lot of energy and can change the game with his effort while Rooney showed last year that he can matchup with some of the top players in the league on the defensive end.
Juniors Brian and Jason See are both strong shooters that work tirelessly on both ends of the floor and should be in the mix for the Hornets this year. Juniors Jack Colby and Brendan Foley will be looking to bring a spark off the bench while sophomore Matt Hyland and freshman Chris Hill are promising young players that could contribute right away.
“I think our depth and ability to play different styles will be a strength of this team,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan. “I’m excited to see where this team can get to as they continue to work hard in practice and mix their individual talents to form our team identity. Transition play, scoring inside and out will be strength on offense. Playing solid man to man and uptempo defense with our depth could create some issues for our opponents.”
2018-2019 Record: 9-12 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Paul Seaver
After a season of ups and downs, the Milford Scarlet Hawks are hoping last year’s growing pains transition into a playoff berth this season.
With a large group of returnees, the Hawks will certainly be in the mix for the Davenport division title. While head coach Paul Seaver returns the majority of his team, he will need some of the those players to step up on the offensive end the fill the void left by graduation. The Hawks graduated its top three scorers, including the second-highest scorer in the league in Brendan White (18.2 ppg). That means there will be a lot of opportunities for new players to step up and contribute.
Junior Jordan Darling (7.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and senior Colby Pires (6.1 ppg) are the top two point producers back this year while junior Dom Schofield also returns after starting as a sophomore. Darling started 19 games this year and was selected to the HockomockSports.com All Underclassman team after a strong season on both ends of the court. Pires is a leader both on and off the court and plays well in all aspects of the game, and Schofield gives Milford a strong post presence on the defensive end, recording a team-high 38 charges taken last season.
Ralph Franklin Jr., Matty Varteresian, Tyler Whetherbee, and Ben Blanchard all saw time throughout last season and could all be in line for bigger roles this season.
“Our depth will matter, our balance will matter, our chemistry is this group’s most important attribute,” said Milford head coach Paul Seaver. “We were the youngest team in the league last season and this group has a lot of players back who are attacking this year with a chip on their shoulder. This group defines what Milford basketball is and that’s a testament to who these kids are hard workers and higher character individuals. I could not be any more excited to coach and work with these kids on a daily basis.”
2018-2019 Record: 9-11 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Sean Mulkerrins
There are going to be a lot of new faces dawning the Big Red uniform this winter. After losing nine seniors to graduation, head coach Sean Mulkerrins has just three players back from last year’s nine-win squad.
With a large amount of new players comes a large amount of opportunities. The Rocketeers graduated its two top scorers but bring back senior Ethan Friberg (7.0 ppg) and junior George Ladd (7.4 ppg) to lead the charge offensively this year. Friberg, standing at 6’5, can cause problems in the paint but also van step out and play along the perimeter. Ladd had a breakout sophomore season and was named to the HockomockSports.com All Underclassman team. He is a little of a throwback player that is very fundamentally sound on the offensive end. Senior Josh Porter, the third returner, saw an expanded role at the end of last season and played well.
Defensively, the Rocketeers will be focusing on limiting opponents to one shot per possession. With some size in the frontcourt, North will try to make it difficult to finish at the rim, and with all five players committed to rebounding, try and minimize second-chance points.
“There will be a lot of new faces with opportunities to make an impact on this year’s team,” Mulkerrins said. “There will definitely be some growing pains and the sooner the new faces adjust to the rigors of varsity basketball, the better we will be.”
2018-2019 Record: 10-12 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Don Byron
Last season, Oliver Ames came up just one game shy of the state tournament. Goal number one for the 2019-2020 season is to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.
With a strong mix of experienced players and hungry new additions, Oliver Ames is ready for the grind that is the Kelley-Rex division and the Hockomock League.
“The expectation is to always get [to the tournament], that’s our first goal,” said Oliver Ames head coach Don Byron. “We’re pretty optimistic but we know it’s going to be a grind, you have to show up every night, you can’t take a night off.”
Byron has been impressed with his guard play so far this preseason, and that will likely mean featuring three guards in the lineup for the majority of the time. Senior Jay Spillane is a returning starter while classmate Owen Friel and junior Amari Brown were top options off the bench a season ago. Spillane can score in bunches, especially from the outside, while Friel combines a solid shooting game with a hard-nosed defensive approach. Friel’s ability to guard a variety of position makes him a valuable piece in the lineup while Brown is a crafty player that does a nice job getting teammates involved.
Senior center Evan Craig (6’5) will be joined by classmate Ryan Burkett (6’2) in the frontcourt. Both picked up valuable minutes at the varsity level last year and Byron is hoping that will help with their expanded roles this year. Senior guard Adam Cann and junior forwards Trey Buggs and Drew Nickla will provide depth for the Tigers.
“It takes some time to get accustomed to the varsity speed and what we expect at this level,” Byron said. “All of these kids gained experience with us last year, and that year of experience is invaluable.”
2018-2019 Record: 3-17 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Andrew Ferguson
After a couple of down seasons, the Eagles will be making a strong push to get back into the state tournament for the first time since 2016.
Sharon boasts a number of players who gained varsity experience that will be looking to help the program bounce back. The first being senior Aidan Kane, the team’s leading scorer last season with 11.5 points per game. When he’s on from keep, Kane is one of the top three-point shooters in the league. He has the ability to change a game very quickly if he gets hot from deep. Senior Andrew Burton emerged as one of the Eagles’ top players last year and could be poised to have a breakout year. Sophomore John Baez will start at the point after joining the varsity team for the final month and a half last season.
The Eagles will be relying heavily on its frontcourt to step up on both ends of the court. Senior Caleb Gayle is a traditional post player that will compete hard on both ends of the court, senior Cam Baker is fundamentally sound and a reliable option and junior Hank Ward picked up valuable minutes as a sophomore and will be an important part of the rebound game as well as defensively. Senior Aaron Karten will be in the mix as well, giving the Eagles an athletic frontcourt.
Junior Jordan Barboza should give the Eagles a spark off the bench this year and head coach Andrew Ferguson will look for him as an important defensive piece. Kiran Chandrasekaran had flashes of the strong play off the bench last year and should see an expanded role this year, while junior transfer Matt Baskin could provide a needed scoring punch.
“This group has worked tremendously hard in the offseason and the preseason and is looking to translate that into success throughout the regular season,” Ferguson said. “Many of the players have gained valuable experience at the varsity level over the past two years and our senior class are tremendous leaders who provide a great example for our younger players.”
2018-2019 Record: 10-11 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 South Preliminary Round Coach: John Gallivan
Stoughton ended its playoff drought last season and with a good amount of those players back again this year, the Davenport division title and a deep playoff run could be in the forecast this season.
The Black Knights have their leading scorer back in 6’5 senior forward Obinna Ugwuakazi, who averaged 14 points and eight rebounds per game with nine double-doubles last year. His athleticism and ability to finish through contact made him a tough matchup for opponents, and he will be at the forefront of the Stoughton offense again this year. Fellow senior Tahkwan Gates Brown, who also stands at 6’5, is also back and we could see the duo play together at times which will certainly make life tough for opponents.
Senior Myles Grigalunas-Powell is back for his third year on varsity. After improving each of the past two seasons, the 2019-2020 season could be a breakout year for Grigalunas-Powell, who can score from three-point range but is also a crafty finisher attacking the rim. Ahmad Jahed had flashes of strong play last year and will be back in the mix again this year, and the same goes for Tommy Sanda. Juniors Brett Pendenza and Jake Queeney are also back after earning some minutes last year.
“We feel like we can score this year both from downtown and from down low,” said Stoughton head coach John Gallivan. “And with our size in the paint, we hope to make it difficult for opponents to score consistently.”
2018-2019 Record: 15-9 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 South Semifinal Coach: Charlie Dacey
After a strong regular season, the Taunton boys basketball team flipped a switch in the tournament and made a run to the D1 South Semis, nearly knocking off powerhouse Mansfield. With a taste of postseason success, the Tigers are hoping to replicate that success this year with another impressive playoff stretch.
The Tigers boast speed, skill, and depth this season and will be in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex division title this season. While Taunton lost a lot of production from last year (Lou Vendrell, Mike Quinn, John Martins, Wesner Charles), there are a handful of players battling to earn their chance at minutes in the Tigers’ lineup. One constant in that lineup over the past couple of years is senior Dante Law, who enters his fourth year with the varsity group. Law was Taunton’s leading scorer a year ago with 14.1 points per game but none of the other returners were over five points a game, meaning there will be plenty of opportunity for new players to step up.
Seniors Fabio Goncalves (6’6) and Aiden Pelot, as well as junior Tyler Stewart (6’6) make up the frontcourt for the Tigers. All three played at the varsity level last year and will be key pieces at helping the Tigers defend and win the battle on the boards. Law will be joined by junior Josh Lopes, who showed flashes during his sophomore season, DaeDae Kenion, and sophomore transfer Tristan Herry as key pieces of the offense.
The Tigers are also excited about the depth on the team this year. Junior Danny MacDougall earned starting minutes last year and is a reliable option in a variety of roles while Trent Santos, Logan Lawrence, and Jonathan Torres will all be in the mix for Taunton.
“With this team, press and run should be ‘Plan A’ although there are skills available to play at a slower pace,” said Taunton head coach Charlie Dacey.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 66 @ North Attleboro, 56 – Final – North Attleboro whittled an 18-point second half deficit down to seven midway through the fourth quarter but Attleboro slammed the door shut to secure the non-league victory. A free throw from Mason Houle (14 points, four rebounds) midway through the third put the Bombardiers up 46-28 midway through the third but the Rocketeers closed the third with an 8-0 run to stay within striking distance. Five points from North Attleboro’s Nate Gonsalves (12 points) and a free throw from Josh Porter made it 53-46 but Attleboro’s Nick McMahon answered with a traditional three-point play, and then Kevin Velazquez (nine points, five rebounds) and Bryant Ciccio (17 points, six assists) each hit a three to help the Bombarders pull away. Junior Tim Callahan added 11 points and classmate Qualeem Charles had 10 points, 16 rebounds. North Attleboro sophomore George Ladd finished with a career-high 13 points.
Foxboro, 70 vs. Randolph, 67 – Final – Foxboro junior Brandon Borde turn a turnaround, fadeaway three-pointer at the buzzer to help the Warriors steal a win over the Blue Devils. The two teams traded turnovers in the final 10 seconds, the Warriors getting the last look off the hands of Borde. Borde (11 rebounds) dominated the game for Foxboro, scoring 13 of his career-high 28 points in the third quarter to keep the Warriors in the game. Sophomore Kevin Gallagher added 12 points Foxboro, which trailed after the first (17-12) and second quarters (31-27) but had a strong second half and headed into the fourth tied 51-51.
Franklin, 61 vs. North Andover, 58 – Final – Franklin junior Chris Edgehill scored on a drive to the basket in the second quarter for his 1,000th carer point, becoming the first male Panther player to reach the plateau since Kyle Gibson in 2011. Edgehill finished with 11 points while senior Will Harvey added seven of his career-high 20 points in the fourth quarter. Jalen Samuels, who was named Harvey Nasuti tournament MVP, scored a team-high 15 points while Steve Karayan added five fourth-quarter points to help the Panthers secure the win.
King Philip @ Dartmouth (@ Somerset-Berkley) – Postponed to Tuesday at 5:00.
Mansfield, 57 vs. Lowell, 66 – Final – The Hornets stayed within striking distance throughout the game but couldn’t close the gap against Lowell (18-3). The Hornets trailed by five at half (26-21) but Lowell was able to increase that advantage to 41-32 heading into the final eight minutes. The Red Raiders made eight of their 11 free throws in a 25-point fourth quarter to ice the game. Senior Tommy Dooling, senior Damani Scott, and sophomore Matt Boen each had 12 points for the Hornets while sophomore TJ Guy finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
Milford, 63 vs. Malden, 66 – Final (OT)
Oliver Ames, 53 vs. Scituate, 67 – Final – Scituate hit seven of its 15 three pointers in the first quarter, racing out to a 25-6 advantage after eight minutes and never looked back. The Sailors shot 50% from deep (7-for-14) to start the game, and finished 15-for-38 from deep to keep the Tigers at bay. After a slow first quarter, Oliver Ames won the final three quarters (47-42), including a strong second half. OA senior Sean O’Brien had a team-high 18 points with Amari Brown and Michael Greene each adding six points.
Sharon, 76 @ Norwood, 66 – Final – Sharon had one of its best offensive games to finish the season, scoring over 20 points in three of the four quarters. The Eagles jumped out to a 22-13 lead at the end of the first quarter but saw its lead shrink to just a point, 33-32, by halftime. Norwood kept within striking distance, down 56-52 heading into the fourth but the Eagles put the game to bed with a strong final frame. Senior Sergio Ripley had a carer-high 14 points, senior Greg Persad, junior Aidan Kane, and freshman John Baez each scored 10 points, and junior Andrew Burton finished with nine points.
Girls Basketball
Foxboro, 46 vs. Old Rochester, 36 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Foxboro reaches the final of the Warrior Classic after winning a defensive struggle with the Bulldogs, who came into Monday’s game tied with the Warriors for the top seed in D2 South. Katelyn Mollica scored 14 points to lead the Warriors and Shakirah Ketant added nine points. Foxboro jumped out to a 25-9 lead at halftime, despite struggling from the field, but Old Rochester battled back in the second half and had the lead down to as few as five points in the fourth quarter but the Warriors hit free throws to seal the victory.
King Philip, 50 @ Westwood, 47 – Final – King Philip held off Westwood in the consolation game of the Riley Winter Classic. The Warriors took the lead by outscoring the Wolverines 14-9 in the third quarter and held that lead until the end of a game that went back and forth throughout. Shannon O’Connor scored 11 points to lead the Warriors, while Faye Veilleux and Brainna James each scored 10.
Lowell, 42 @ Mansfield, 51 – Final – Mansfield jumped out to a lead in the first quarter, built it up to 15 by the end of the third quarter, and held on to it in the fourth quarter to earn the non-league win. Sydney Mulkern caught fire from the three-point line, knocking down six from beyond the arc, and finished with 22 points. Maggie Danehy scored 13 points and nine rebounds and Alicia Hottleman added six, all in the first quarter as the Hornets scored 23 as a team.
Boys Hockey
Foxboro, 4 @ Cardinal Spellman, 3 – Final
Franklin, 4 @ LaSalle Academy (R.I.), 3 – Final
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Westwood, 6 – Final – OA senior Colin Bourne scored the lone goal for the Tigers, with Jake Gottwald and Hunter Costello getting assists.
Taunton, 3 @ Middleboro, 2 – Final – Taunton senior Andrew Carter scored on a penalty shot halfway through the third period to lift the Tigers to a win. Taunton scored first but Middleboro seized a 2-1 advantage by the end of the first. Taunton was able to tie the game and then a covered puck in the crease in the third led to Carter’s game-winning goal, his second goal of the game. Ethan Ross also had a goal while Jack Patneaude, Loren Corcoran, and Evan Perreira each finished with an assist. Sean Bunker made 17 saves to get the win.
Milford, 46 @ Canton, 52 – Final – Canton senior Devin Foster poured in a game-high 28 points, including a three-pointer in the first quarter that made him the all-time leading scorer in Bulldog basketball history, passing Brian Pendergast (1,179 points in 2000). Foster (12 rebounds) scored 12 points in the opening quarter, and then 14 in the second half to help Canton turn a halftime deficit into a win. Milford led 23-20 at the break but the Bulldogs scored 18 points in the third to seize the lead (38-31) with both Ryan Lentol (10 points) and Robbie Gallery scoring five in the frame. Milford’s Brendan White scored 17 of his team-high 20 points in the second half and Danny Corsini added 14 points for the Hawks.
North Attleboro, 47 @ Foxboro, 48 – Final – Foxboro senior Anthony Mollica sank both ends of a one-and-one situation from the foul line with 2.9 seconds to lift the Warriors to a win and a spot in the state tournament. The Rocketeers led by one after a 9-0 run and had the ball with 31 seconds left in the game, and 24 seconds left on the shot clock, but couldn’t extend the lead. Mollica drove to the basket as time ticked away and was able to draw a foul on the floor, with the Rocketeers in the bonus. North Attleboro led 26-20 at half and 36-33 going into the final quarter. An early run from the Warriors put the hosts ahead, leading 46-38. North responded with a 9-0 run, Josh Montague hitting back-to-back baskets to put the Rocketeers up 47-46. Foxboro junior Brandon Borde had a game-high 17 points while Mollica finished with 10, seven coming in the final quarter. Josh Porter, Ethan Friberg, and Jake Petersen each had eight points for North.
Oliver Ames, 66 @ King Philip, 71 – Final (OT) – King Philip overcame a 22-point second half deficit to force overtime and shock Oliver Ames. The Tigers jumped ahead 34-21 by halftime, and extended the lead to as much as 22 before taking a 55-37 lead into the final eight minutes. King Philip held OA to just three points in the final quarter, dropping 21 points of their own to tie the game and force overtime. In the extra period, with KP up by two, senior Bruce Saintilus (27 points) hauled in an offensive rebound off a missed free throw and sank two free throws of his own to extend the lead to four with 10 seconds left to secure the win. Saintilus scored nine points in the fourth quarter comeback and was 6-for-6 from the line in overtime. Juniors Alex Fritz and Andrew McKinney each added 15 points for KP, who scored 34 points over the final 12 minutes after netting just 36 over the course of the first three quarters. Sean O’Brien had a team-high 14 points, Owen Friel added 12 points and Jake Erlich finished with 11 points for OA.
Taunton, 56 @ Mansfield, 65 – Final – Mansfield pulled away late to secure the Kelley-Rex division title, a record seventh straight for the Hornets, surpassing Oliver Ames’ six straight from 1981-1986. Mansfield held a 16-13 lead after a quarter of play, and took a 30-27 advantage into halftime. Taunton continued to battle, taking a brief 41-40 lead late in the third and went into the fourth quarter tied 44-44. Mansfield made a 8-3 run over a three minute span in the fourth quarter to create enough separation for the win. Damani Scott had a team-high 15 points along with 11 rebounds, Sam Stevens added 13 points, and TJ Guy finished with 11 points. Taunton junior Dante Law had a team-high 21 points.
Sharon, 36 @ Stoughton, 80 – Final – Stoughton combined to score 45 points between the second and third periods, running away with a big win over Sharon to qualify for the state tournament for the first time since 2012. The Black Knights connected on an impressive 31 two-point field goals, with 10 players getting on the scoresheet and six of them scoring nine points or more. Junior Obinna Ugwuakazi scored a team-high 13 points, sophomore Brett Pendenza added 11 points, senior Zak Paquette and junior Ahmad Jahed each scored 10 points, and senior Kevin Dixon and junior Myles Grigalunas-Powell each finished nine points. Aidan Kane had a team-high 12 points for Sharon.
Girls Basketball
Franklin 54 @ Attleboro, 63 – Final – Liv McCall and Mackenzie Roberts both scored career-highs and Attleboro head coach Marty Crowley called the game a “phenomenal effort” by the Bombardiers to hand the Panthers their first league loss of the season. McCall scored 18 points and Roberts added 17 to lead Attleboro to the upset. Bea Bondhus had 13 points and Megan O’Connell had 12 for the Panthers.
Canton, 58 @ Milford, 32 – Final – Canton matched its highest win total since 1995 with its 13th win of the season. Maggie Connolly led the way with 13 points, Sydney Gallery added 12 and Kiara Cerruti scored 11 for the Bulldogs.
King Philip, 60 @ Oliver Ames, 69 – Final – A pair of underclassman each scored over 20 points for the Tigers, helping Oliver Ames fend off visiting King Philip. Sophomore Caroline Flynn had a career-high 25 points and hauled in 11 rebounds while freshman Caroline Peper scored a career-high 26 points for OA. Shannon O’Connor led three Warriors in double digits with 23 points, but KP couldn’t find a way back after falling behind early, trailing 32-23 at half. Brianna James scored 13 points and Faye Veilleux added 11 for KP.
Mansfield, 47 @ Taunton, 36 – Final – Mansfield took control of the game in the third quarter, breaking open a 20-20 halftime tie by scoring 19 points in the third. Maggie Danehy scored 16 points and pulled down 12 rebounds and Sydney Mulkern added nine for the Hornets. Sonya Fernandez was the top scorer for the Tigers with 15 points and Lily Patneaude added eight.
Stoughton, 46 @ Sharon, 55 – Final – Emma Eberhardt closed out the season with 15 points to help the Eagles sweep the season series with the Black Knights and finish with nine wins. Kaitlyn Wallace added 13 and Telishya Herbert had 10 in the win. Sophomore Sydnee Hyacinthe scored 18 points for Stoughton.
