Tag: Algonquin
Struggles at the Line Cost Franklin in Playoff Opener
FRANKLIN, Mass. – After the game ended, after the bulk of the crowd had filed out of the gym that only a few minutes before had been packed to capacity, and after speaking with his team in the locker room, Franklin coach C.J. Neely was left to reflect on how different the emotions were for his players this year compared to the last time that the Panthers faced Algonquin.
“It’s total shock,” he explained. “I told the guys that I feel bad because you go into the locker room and try to gather your thoughts somehow and tell them how proud you are of them and how good they played all year and you’re just never really ready for the moment to break that down.”
Last season, Franklin (16-5) beat the Tomahawks to win the Div. 1 Central title on its way to a second straight state championship game appearance. This year, the Panthers hosted Algonquin in the opening round of the tournament and the Tomahawks took advantage of the opportunity to avenge that loss, pulling out a 63-60 thriller.
The visitors made their share of huge shots, whether it was freshman Alex Karaban burying a deep three in the fourth quarter to push the lead to four points or senior Sean Cullen ignoring the Franklin fans behind the basket to drain a pair of free throws with 22 seconds remaining.
But, the Panthers were also their own worst enemies, shooting only 13-of-25 from the free throw line. In a game that came down to the final possession, those missed opportunities were the difference.
“It’s a killer,” Neely admitted. “It’s been kind of an Achille’s heel all season in the games that we’ve lost. We joked around a lot that we’d be undefeated if we made free throws and here we are again. I think we can chalk up another one that we lost at the free throw line, unfortunately.”
When the game tipped off, there was still a long line of people waiting to get in the door, as the atmosphere felt more like a final than the opening round. The teams came out firing like it was a final as well, with Algonquin jumping out to an early 6-0 lead before Franklin answered with six straight of its own.
Sean Leonard scored four points in the first and Jalen Samuels (15 points,10 rebounds, and four blocks in his final game) got the Panthers within one when he drove baseline and finished with a one-hand slam. Chris Edgehill (team-high 20 points) gave Franklin its first lead with a deep three in the final seconds of the quarter.
Algonquin used a 4-0 run to grab a 17-16 lead but Samuels scored back-to-back buckets to get the lead back for the hosts. Another three from Edgehill opened up a five-point lead and then Jack Rudolph hit a pull-up jumper in the lane.
After Edgehill knocked down three free throws, Franklin led by seven, but Karaban scored on an offensive rebound and Brian Duffy (game-high 24 points) buried a three to cut the lead to just two. Samuels drove to the basket to finish the half with Franklin up 32-28, but the Panthers went only 5-of-10 at the line in the quarter and 8-for-16 in the half. Those points that were left on the board would prove costly in the end.
In the third quarter, Rudolph got things started by knocking down a three off a set play. It felt like Franklin was on the brink of breaking the game wide open but instead Brian Duffy (game-high 24 points) caught fire. He knocked down three free throws, drilled a three, and then hit a jumper. His personal 8-0 run put the Tomahawks up one.
Edgehill got into the lane to set up Will Harvey for a layup and then Rudolph hit his second three of the quarter before setting Harvey up for another layup. Rudolph and Harvey combined for all 12 of Franklin’s points in the third, keeping the Panthers up by three heading to the fourth.
“Those guys have been good for us,” Neely said about Rudolph and Harvey. “[Will’s] always been that kind of grinder who doesn’t get the notoriety because he does everything but when you’ve got Chris and Jalen scoring the way they do then you don’t get the chance to score the way he can.”
Duffy continued to have the hot hand in the fourth, tying the game with a three, but it was an unlikely source of offense that gave Algonquin the lead. Cullen had only two points through three quarters and was largely a passenger on offense, but he drilled a three to give the visitors a lead and then scored on a three-point play to extend the lead to four. He scored 10 of his 12 points in the fourth.
Franklin kept battling back. Rudolph stole an errant pass, fed Leonard in the paint and he dished it off to Samuels for a layup that made it 52-51. Edgehill hit a pair at the line to make it 58-57 only to have Karaban come down and bury a deep three to make the deficit four.
Neely said, “That was a big three, NBA distance, from Karaban there at the end and we knew that coming in that he does that. It wasn’t a surprise shot or anything like that but it’s just big guts to take it and make it at that time.”
Edgehill answered with a deep three that made it 61-60, but on the other end he committed a foul with just 13 seconds left on the shot clock and 22 ticks left in the game. Cullen stepped to the line and seemed unfazed by the moment, hitting both right in front of the Franklin student section. While Franklin was struggling at the line, Algonquin was 8-of-10 at the stripe in the second half following Cullen’s makes.
Franklin ran the clock down to 11 seconds before Edgehill hit front rim on a very deep three.
“Chris has made some big shots for us and sometimes if you call that timeout the defense really gets the chance to set itself,” Neely said of the decision not to call a timeout on that possession. “I thought he had been able to really create space for his own shot tonight and made some big ones and it’s always that question mark whether you call it or not and let the game play out.”
A foul on the rebound put Algonquin at the line with a chance to seal the win. Ironically, the visitors missed them both and Franklin got one last chance to extend the game.
Samuels snatched the inbounds pass away from a defender at mid-court, but he couldn’t get an off-balance heave to the rim and the Tomahawks bench stormed onto the court to celebrate.
Franklin Beats Algonquin To Repeat As D1C Champs
WORCESTER, Mass. – The 2018 Franklin boys basketball team has relied on its defense all season long to win game after game.
So it’s only fitting the Panthers came up with a pair of big stops to secure a 58-53 win over Algonquin to clinch the program’s second straight D1 Central Sectional Championship.
Holding a 55-50 lead with 4:21 to go, the Panthers relied on the defensive end to clinch the title. The Tomahawks had the momentum, sandwiching a bucket from Nick Redden (25 points, 11 rebounds) around two defensive stops to get within two.
The Panthers got a turnover but gave the ball back on an offensive foul that negated an and-one opportunity. Once again, Franklin got the stop it needed but the rebound bounced around and out of bounds. Algonquin called a timeout with an inbounds chance under the Franklin basket with 39.3 to go.
The Tomahawks tried to inbound the ball but Franklin senior Paul Mahon (18 points, five steals) read the play, launching into the air to tip the ball free while diving into the opposing bench. Senior Jack Rodgers tracked it down for an open layup and a 57-53 lead.
“If we were going to go out it, we were going to do it playing our style of basketball,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely about being aggressive on the final possessions. “We weren’t going to hope to not lose, we went out there to win the game. I thought our rotations were very aggressive, we got we trap when we wanted to trap them and we got some of the deflections out of it. We said at halftime this game is going to come down to deflections, loose balls, rebounds, and a couple of stops.”
Back down the other end of the court, Redden missed a jumped but Algonquin grabbed the offensive board. But an errant pass bounced around in the paint before Franklin junior Jalen Samuels (six points, 12 rebounds) grabbed hold, tossing a pass ahead for Mahon who was followed. He hit one of two free throws with 15.2 to ice it.
“It was a risk-reward play but I saw the ball in the air and I thought to myself “that’s mine“ so I went up and try to make a play on it and Jack made a nice play to track it down and score,” Mahon said.
Franklin held a 49-42 lead heading into the final quarter but the Tomahawks needed just 1:34 for a 7-0 run to tie the game.
Panthers sophomore Chris Edgehill (23 points) snapped the run with a nice take to the rim to go up 51-49. Algonquin answered with a free throw to get within one. The teams traded turnovers and then Mahon poked away another ball, leading to a break from the Panthers.
Edgehill drove to the basket to drive the defense before kicking to the corner to Rodgers. But as the defense scrambled to him, he alertly used one extra pass to get it to Mahon, who stepped up and calmly buried the triple to make it 54-50 with 4:51 to play. It was just Franklin’s third made three of the game (finishing 3-for-23 from beyond the arc).
“That felt good,” Mahon said. “I kind of get a little streaky with my shooting. We wanted Chris to attack the basket tonight and get into the lane and dish it out. He kicked it to Jack and he found me and I just let it fly, it felt awesome.”
Mahon missed last year’s sectional final with an injury and was limited his sophomore year against St. John’s because of early foul trouble.
The senior captain scored 10 of his points in the opening quarter to help the Panthers get off to a strong start (22-17 lead after one quarter). He also took on the task of guarding Algonquin’s leading scorer, Kyle Henderson (over 20 points per game).
Mahon limited Henderson to just 13 points on 3-for-11 shooting and had a big hand in Henderson committing nine turnovers.
“What up player, what a person,” Neely said of Mahon. “He wanted the challenge the second we won our last game…he told me I want Henderson. He couldn’t wait for the opportunity he’s been talking about it all week. Obviously, Henderson is a great player, you’re not going to shut him down, but Paul did about as good as you probably can against him. He was averaging over 20 points per game and now that’s another person Paul holds under their average.
“He’s relentless on the defense of end of the floor so most guys wouldn’t be able to come down the other end and hit that big shot when you need them to but he seems to be everywhere. He’s been our true captain for two years by himself and there’s a really good reason for that with the effort he gives night in and night out.”
Franklin limited Algonquin to just three points over the final 5:30 of the game and forced six turnovers.
The Panthers had a rough start to the game, committing four of their 16 turnovers on their first four possessions, facing a 6-0 deficit before even getting a shot off. But Franklin settled down and used a 13-0 run to take the lead. Leading 18-8 in the frame, the Tomahawks got back into the game with a 9-4 run.
Franklin held a five-point lead three times but each time the Tomahawks had an answer to get within three. The Tomahawks tied the game 32-32 with a minute to go in the half but Edgehill fought through contact to make back to back baskets to give the Panthers a 36-32 lead at the break.
Redden was a big reason why the Tomahawks were in the game, scoring 18 points in the first half. Both Henderson and Brian Duffy did a nice job of forcing the Panthers to bring help and Redden cleaned up with some easy buckets down low.
Franklin remedied that in the second half, holding the Tomahawks’ big man to just seven points in the second.
“We were trapping ball screens off of him and they did a nice adjustment of picking and popping with him to get him some open looks,” Neely said. “We weren’t great on our rotation against him and he got some good looks. And then he had some nice post moves and got some buckets that way. He’s long and we don’t have many long guys will start the game.
“We had some tough matchups out there but we adjusted by rotating a bit better. And then sometimes we would switch and sometimes we wouldn’t, just a couple different combinations to mix it up. But for the most part, we wanted to make him put it on the ground and then play defense against him.”
In the third, the Tomahawks cut the deficit to three with a layup with three minutes to play, but a big three-point play from Samuels, two from Edgehill, another free throw from Samuels and a pair of free throws from Edgehill with two seconds left put Franklin ahead 49-42 at the end of three.
Franklin boys basketball (22-3) will take on D1 West Champion Springfield Central (22-0) in a rematch of last year’s state semifinal. The game is scheduled to tipoff on Monday at Worcester State University at 7:30.
Girls Basketball Photos: Franklin vs. Algonquin
Kutil Powers Franklin to Win At Westborough Tourney
WESTBORO, Mass. – As the regular season winds down, Franklin starts to look for challenges not only outside the Hockomock but also outside the South bracket. That means venturing to the 14th annual Westborough Invitational Tournament and a chance to play against potential opponents from Div. 1 Central.
On Sunday afternoon, Franklin faced Algonquin, which is on the edge of qualifying for the postseason in a first round game of the tournament, which the Panthers last won in 2011. Led by 14 points and 15 rebounds from senior forward Aubrie Kutil, Franklin pulled away from the Tomahawks to earn a 51-36 victory.
“Aubrie does so much more than rebounds and points,” said Franklin coach John Leighton. I”t’s her composure, it’s her toughness…it calms everyone else down. You never see her rattled. When we’re in the huddle pregame, she’s the one who has everyone focused.”
Kutil made an instant impact for the Panthers, who were coming off a close loss to rival Mansfield on Friday. The senior was a force to be reckoned with in the paint, scoring seven of the Panthers’ nine first quarter points.
Algonquin hung around with a late surge, scoring four points in the final minute of the quarter to cut the lead to just two. Franklin surged again at the start of the second with a 15-5 run that opened the lead to as many as 12 (24-12).
Olivia Adiletto started the second with a three on a drive and dish by Kristen Donaghey (three assists) then, after an Algonquin basket, Caroline Maguire (eight points) grabbed an offensive rebound to score plus the foul. Erin Skidmore drove to the basket for a layup and then Lauren Rudolph added four, including a layup off an inbounds play.
The Tomahawks came storming back with an 8-0 run, six of those points by Caroline Leonard, and had the lead down to four with fewer than 30 seconds left in the half. Donaghey knocked down a pair of free throws and then a controversial traveling call gave the Panthers possession again with just three seconds remaining.
Franklin got the ball up the court quickly and Maguire buried a three at the buzzer that made it 29-20 and left the Algonquin coach fuming as she walked off.
“They played a good sagging man that clogged up the middle and tried to slow down what we do,” said Leighton. “Their press was good…and on offense they just kept going to the hoop but I thought we had a lot of composure and a lot of rebounds.”
He added, “Kristen, Olivia and Margaux [Welsh] drove and kicked and eventually you knew a gap would open and it did.”
Donaghey has emerged as one of the players that Franklin can count on this season. The senior guard scored eight points on Sunday, dished out three assist and pulled in five rebounds.
Leighton said, “She was on JV last year as a junior, which isn’t an easy thing to do, and she took it as a challenge and worked her tail off last year and this summer.”
“I had hoped there would be a role and that role has just grown because she’s playing with confidence. It’s been wonderful to see a kid develop that far.”
Franklin threatened to pull away throughout the third quarter. Kutil hit a reverse that pushed the lead to 11 then added an offensive rebound and layup on the next possession. As an Algonquin player tried to save a rebound under the Panthers’ basket, Maguire stepped in for the steal and layup and then Welsh found space to cut into the lane for a pair of lefty finishes.
The only thing standing between Franklin and a blowout was Elyssa Nichols, who scored all seven of her points in the third and kept Algonquin within 12 heading to the final eight minutes.
Algonquin scored the opening bucket of the fourth but Rudolph answered with a three. The Tomahawks then scored the next five points to cut the lead down to just eight with fewer than four minutes remaining in the game.
Following a timeout, Franklin looked re-focused and managed to finally put the game away.
“Just simplify,” said Leighton about what he told the players during the timeout. “I thought we tried to get a little too fancy; we were trying to do too much…but we simplified it and it got much better.”
Kutil cut across the lane and kicked it out to Skidmore for a big three right in front of the Panthers bench that made the lead 11 again. Rudolph (nine points) added a pair of free throws and Donaghey wrapped up the win by getting into the lane for a floater.
“They got some runs,” said Leighton of Algonquin. “I thought we had a couple opportunities to close the door and we didn’t and then I thought in the last couple minutes we did and were able to play the way we wanted.”
Franklin, which is the No. 2 seed in the tournament, advances in the winners’ bracket and will face No. 3 seed Acton-Boxborough, which edged Holy Name 44-40, on Tuesday at 5:15.
Josh Perry can be contacted at JoshPerry@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10.