Tag: Bryant Ciccio
2020 Hockomock League Boys Basketball All Stars
Below are the official 20020 Hockomock League Boys Basketball All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Bryant Ciccio, Attleboro
Hockomock League All Stars
Bryant Ciccio, Attleboro
Qualeem Charles, Attleboro
Eric Mischler, Canton
Brandon Borde, Foxboro
Donald Rogers, Foxboro
Chris Edgehill, Franklin
Alex Fritz, King Philip
Matthew Boen, Mansfield
Sam Stevens, Mansfield
TJ Guy, Mansfield
Ben Blanchard, Milford
Jordan Darling, Milford
George Ladd, North Attleboro
Amari Brown, Oliver Ames
Obinna Ugwuakazi, Stoughton
Myles Grigalunas-Powell, Stoughton
Tyler Stewart, Taunton
Honorable Mentions:
Nick McMahon, Attleboro
Nick Cushman, Canton
Ryan Hughes, Foxboro
Brayden Sullivan, Franklin
Tommy Donahue, King Philip
Andrew Rooney, Mansfield
Colby Pires, Milford
Edan Kelley, North Attleboro
Ryan Burkett, Oliver Ames
Andrew Burton, Sharon
Ahmad Jahed, Stoughton
Josh Lopes, Taunton
Mansfield Rallies To Edge Attleboro In Quarterfinals
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Just minutes after a thrilling high school game between Hockomock League rivals Mansfield and Attleboro, Hornet head coach Mike Vaughan summed it up perfectly.
“You could have charged double and people still would have gotten their money’s worth.”
In front of a packed standing-room-only crowd inside James Albertini Gymnasium, the third meeting between the Hornets and Bombardiers proved to the best of the series. And in the end, it had the same result as the first two with top-seeded Mansfield clawing out a 54-52 win over Attleboro in a D1 South Quarterfinal clash.
How it played out, however, was far different from the two regular season meetings between Kelley-Rex foes. This go-around, Mansfield had to dig itself out of a 12-point hole in the second half, and after struggling from the free-throw line all game (11-for-26), sank clutch shots from the charity stripe in the final seconds and held their breath as a near full-court heave from the Bombarders just missed at the buzzer.
“Just play harder, play with a sense of urgency,” Vaughan said of the turnaround. “I talked with the two seniors Sammy [Stevens] and Drew [Rooney], told them they weren’t going to go out this way and to put it all on the line, leave it on the table and see what happens.”
What happened was a new aggressive approach from junior TJ Guy (11 points, seven rebounds), attacking the basket with a purpose. And while that set the table for the comeback, the space it created allowed junior Matt Boen (22 points, four rebounds, four assists) to carry the Hornets over the hump and into the lead.
Attleboro’s Nick McMahon (13 points, seven rebounds) hit a pair of free throws to give the visitors a 37-25 edge with 4:49 left in the third quarter, the first time the Bombarders pushed the advantage to 12 points. Guy sliced through the defense for two, was fouled after collecting his own rebound after getting to the basket again, and once again attacked the basket for a traditional three-point play.
“I thought TJ did a good job coming out in the third and being aggressive to the basket and that opened things up and guys had to make shots,” Vaughan said. “We needed multiple people in the room to fight and he took it to heart. And what I was proud of TJ about is when they started to adjust to what he was doing, he came down three straight possessions and distributed the ball, so we didn’t end up just watching him every time.”
Nonetheless, McMahon answered with a triple on the other end and Attleboro once again had a 12-point advantage, this time at 42-30 with 3:23 left to play.
After four straight takes from Guy, the Hornets found space on the perimeter and Boen sank a triple to get the run going. An Attleboro turnover resulted in another triple from Boen after a feed from Guy. A handful of empty possessions from both sides preceded yet another three from Boen with just 12 seconds left in the third and the Hornets cut the deficit to just 42-39 entering the fourth quarter.
“TJ is a special player for them and he’s got quick feet, he got to the rim a couple times in the third quarter,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Houle. “And that matchup favored them when TJ had the ball in those situations and he kind of took the game over. He’s a very good player, and once he gets his, we started to collapse a bit and then they start kicking it out and Boen went off. They have some terrific players and when they needed it, those guys stepped up.
“That kind of changed the flow of the game and it coincided with their defensive pressure too.”
Attleboro senior Bryant Ciccio (11 points, three assists) pushed the Bombarders’ lead to 44-39 to open the quarter but a 5-0 spurt from the Hornets — a free throw from Boen, two from Stevens at the line, and a steal from Brendan Foley that led to a bucket from Boen — tied things up with 5:52 to play. Both Foley and junior Jack Colby gave the Hornets strong minutes defensively in the fourth quarter.
“I thought Matty was awesome in the third quarter and we needed someone to step up and start playing,” Vaughan said. “I think Matty was kind of holding back [in the first half] for some reason, whether it was the atmosphere or the first playoff game where he’s ‘the man.’ It’s our first tournament game, some guys have more experience. I think he just needed a half to figure out how he could be effective and once the first one falls, he started to play with confidence.
The Bombarders missed on a pair of three-point chances before Rooney went up and under for two, only for Attleboro senior Qualeem Charles (10 points, nine rebounds) to answer on the other end.
“They forced some turnovers in the second half,” Houle said, the Bombardiers with eight turnovers after the halftime break. “I thought our rhythm on offense was pretty good early but they got us to turn the ball over and really pressured us. You get energy off of the defense and that’s what they did.
“We like to be in these grind it out games, I had a lot of confidence we would find a way to tie it up and get the win, but [Mansfield] has some terrific players too.
Stevens came up with a big block in the lane and Boen hit his sixth triple of the game to put the Hornets ahead with 3:29 to go. Attleboro once again was off the mark from three, and then had a possession in which they missed two more. Stevens deflected a pass that led to a steal from Boen, but Attleboro got the stop and McMahon hit a little runner in the lane to make it 49-48 with 1:16 to go.
Attleboro got the turnover it needed but came up just short on a baseline layup take. Stevens hit both from the line with 23.3 left for a 51-48 lead and Guy added another for a 52-48 advantage.
McMahon made two at the line to get within two before Stevens hit another for a 53-50 lead. McMahon kept the Bombarders in it with two more from the line before Boen pushed the lead to 54-52 with 3.7 seconds left. Attleboro’s heave at the buzzer was off the back of the rim.
“I’m certainly very proud of our guys and the effort we had tonight and throughout the season, especially our seniors and the amazing crowd we had tonight,” Houle said, with at least half of the crowd at Mansfield clad in Attleboro blue. “You see that many kids and that many fans there before a game, it really shows how much like this group and that made me proud. This has been a terrific group.”
Mansfield built a 15-13 edge after one quarter due to some strong shooting from the perimeter. Boen, Rooney, and freshman Chris Hill all hit from deep while Guy and Stevens had success down low. Attleboro kept pace by going to the hoop, as both Charles and Lorenzo Wilson had four points each.
The second quarter belonged to the Bombardiers, outscoring the hosts 14-2 in the frame to build a double-digit lead by halftime. The Hornets had four turnovers against a strong Attleboro defense and went 0-for-8 from the floor. Mansfield’s only points came at the line, although they missed six straight at one point.
On the flip side, Jason Weir hit his first of three made three-pointers and Ciccio went off his nine points in the quarter, including an impressive bucket to beat the buzzer where he split a pair of defenders and nailed a pull up jumper.
“I thought in the first quarter we were okay,” Vaughan said. “I think we were ahead as many as five and then we get to the second quarter and we scored two points. When’s the last time we scored just two points in a quarter? I think we just had to find our rhythm.”
Mansfield boys basketball (21-3) advances to the D1 South Semifinal against #4 Needham, who took down #5 Newton North 59-46. The Hornets and Rockets will tipoff at 3:30 on Sunday at Taunton High. Attleboro finishes the season at 17-7.
Ciccio Clutch Free Throws Lift Attleboro to Playoff Win
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – With Brookline leading by a point and the shot clock turned off, Attleboro’s first effort to try and regain the lead was off-line. Tim Callahan corralled the rebound to keep the possession, and Attleboro’s chance of winning Tuesday night’s Div. 1 South opener alive.
Callahan got the ball in the hands of senior guard Bryant Ciccio. There was no one that the packed gym wanted to see have the ball more than the recently-named Hockomock League MVP.
The Bombardiers cleared out, leaving Ciccio one-on-one well beyond the three-point line. He dribbled the clock down to five seconds before dipping his shoulder and taking off down the lane. As he went up for a shot, he drew a foul with 3.2 remaining. The gym was loud and he was trying to earn the first playoff win of his career, but Ciccio showed no nerves, sinking both free throws to put Attleboro back in front.
“They were in a one-and-one situation and it’s either draw a foul or get to the hoop on that one, take an easier shot than a hard one,” said Ciccio. “But, I love being under pressure. I live for that and I want to take those shots at the end of the game.”
Brookline tried to get the ball up the floor for one last shot, but Nick McMahon got the slightest touch on the second pass on the sideline and the clock ran out on a 50-49 Attleboro win. It was the program’s first tournament victory since 2008.
“There’s 13 seconds left and the ball is in the hands of a player that we have a lot of faith in that’s going to make a play and he made a terrific play, got fouled,” said Attleboro coach Mark Houle. “To be put in that position and to knock down those free throws at home in a state tournament game, I’m very proud of him.”
It was always likely to be a close game and it played out that way right from the opening tip. Neither team managed to build more than a five-point edge in the first half and the lead changed hands nine times.
The Warriors were causing problems with their athletic wings, as Ben Murray (16 points) and Lucio Dahlstedt-Brown (15 points) combined for 11 points in the first. Murray’s drive put Brookline ahead for the first time at 11-9.
Attleboro answered back by going inside to senior center Qualeem Charles (16 points and nine rebounds). He scored a layup plus the foul off an offensive rebound and then came back with another and-one off a pass from Ciccio. Callahan (six points) nailed his second three of the quarter to put the Bombardiers ahead 18-14 after one.
Dahlstedt-Brown nailed a three to put the visitors up 25-23 in the second, but Attleboro came right back. Ciccio (14 points) knocked down a shot to tie it and then Jason Weir (six points) got free on a pick-and-pop for his lone three-pointer of the night. After a Brookline basket, Weir lobbed a pass over the top for another Charles layup and McMahon (eight points and six rebounds) turned a steal into a fast break basket and Attleboro’s largest lead, 32-27.
Brookline closed the gap to one, but Ciccio hit a tough floater in traffic to put Attleboro up 36-33 heading into the locker rooms. That would be where the Attleboro offense would stay for the bulk of the third quarter.
The Bombardiers went nearly six minutes of the third quarter without scoring a point, but remained in the game thanks to its defense holding Brookline to just six over that same span. Attleboro turned to its bench, trying to give the starters a much-needed rest and the likes of Evan Houle, Justin Daniels, Lorenzo Wilson, and Adam Pearlstein kept the hosts in it.
“This team’s a tight-knit group,” said Ciccio. “We fight for each other, play hard for each other, and everyone on this team will do what it takes to win the game. We knew if we kept playing hard on defense then the offense would come.”
Ciccio drilled a long three to tie the game at 39-39, Attleboro’s first points of the second half and he followed with a jumper that tied the game again. Charles came back in and scored off a McMahon assist and, improbably, Attleboro took back the lead at 43-41 entering the fourth quarter.
“We had some young kids come in there in the third quarter and they haven’t played a heck of a lot of minutes this year but they gave us three really good minutes and it was a stalemate,” said Houle. “We talk about being a team and those 30 seconds, two minutes, three minutes that we got from some of our reserves tonight were really key for us.”
Charles got a put-back and McMahon had a drive to the rim to extend the lead to six points and it looked like Attleboro might be starting to pull away. The Warriors responded. Alex Socorro scored his only three points of the game and got Brookline to within one with 3:16 left to play.
Attleboro got one at the line on its end and Brookline got one at the line on the other end. After a big offensive rebound by Devani Perez, Murray went to the basket and finished in traffic, giving the visitors the 49-48 lead with just 46.3 to go.
The Bombardiers had one last chance to get over the first round hump and it was no surprise it was the MVP that had the final say.
“There were times in the first half when they got in their rhythm and they were getting to the middle and they were running some really good stuff offensively,” said Houle. “In the second half, it was just getting back to our basics, trying to control the ball better, the on-ball defense was good…the tempo of the game was what we wanted.”
Attleboro (17-6) will now take on top seed Mansfield in the quarterfinal on Friday night. It is the third meeting between the teams this season, with the Hornets winning each of the first two. There is plenty of respect between the teams and players and few secrets.
“I love all the kids from Mansfield,” Ciccio said. “We all compete so well against each other and it’s always a good game. Everyone gets their money’s worth when we play.”
Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/19/20
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Basketball
North Attleboro, 50 @ Attleboro, 62 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. The game remained tight until the closing minutes, as North stayed within three at the half and trailed by only six heading into the fourth quarter, but the Bombardiers scored 22 points in the final eight minutes to earn their 16th win of the season. Bryant Ciccio scored 11 of his game-high 21 in the fourth, including three shots from beyond the arc, to lift Attleboro to the win. Qualeem Charles added 14 points and 12 rebounds and Tim Callahan had 11 points in the win. George Ladd matched Ciccio with 21 points, 15 of them in the first half, to lead North. Edan Kelley added 12 on four three-pointers and Ethan Friberg had nine on a trio of shots from deep.
King Philip, 59 vs. Hanover, 51 – Final – King Philip outscored Hanover in three of the four quarters, and were even in the other, building an early lead and riding that to a win in the Blue Raider Classic final at Somerset Berkley. KP took a 12-9 lead at the end of the first and kept a three-point lead (28-25) going into halftime. The Warriors extended the lead by two (40-35) going into the fourth and finished strong to get the win. Senior Alex Fritz scored nine of his team-high 17 points in the second half, classmate Tommy Donahue added 15 points, and Andrew McKinney chipped in with 12 points in the win. Held to just one three-pointer through three quarters, both Fritz and Chris Roy connected from deep in the fourth to help ice the win.
Oliver Ames, 81 vs. Southeastern, 27 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game – Oliver Ames’ offense poured in 23 points in the first quarter and 25 more points in the second, seizing a 48-14 lead at halftime and never looked back, rolling to a win that qualified the Tigers for the state tournament. Senior Jay Spillane connected on eight three-pointers and went for a career-high 32 points along with five assists, four rebounds, and four steals. Adam Cann hit four three-pointers and finished with a career-high 16 points and senior Amari Brown had 13 points and four assists in the win.
Mansfield, 59 vs. Whitman-Hanson, 72 – Final – After falling behind by 20 points through three quarters of play, the Hornets rallied to get within eight points late but ran out of time in a loss to Whitman-Hanson in the Roundball Classic finals. Mansfield had a 10-9 lead but the Panthers had a strong second and took a 27-23 lead into the halftime break. That momentum carried into the second as Whitman-Hanson used a 13-4 surge to start to pull away. Senior Sam Stevens scored a team-high 24 points while TJ Guy added nine points for Mansfield.
Milford, 49 vs. Wellesley, 45 – Final – With the game tied 45-45, Milford senior Colby Pires connected on a turn around jumper with 3.5 seconds left to give the Scarlet Hawks the lead for good. The Raiders missed on the front end of a one-and-one on the other end and Tyler Wetherbee sank two free throws to ice the win, denying Wellesley a spot in the state tournament. Pires scored six of his 11 points in the final quarter for the Hawks while junior Jordan Darling had a team-high 15 points.
Taunton, 66 vs. New Bedford, 44 – Final – Taunton finished the regular season on a high-note, running away with a big win over New Bedford. The Tigers built a 33-19 lead at halftime before pushing the advantage to 60-32 at the end of the third quarter. Sophomore Trent Santos scored 19 of his team-high 21 points after the break to help the Tigers pull away with the win. Junior Tyler Stewart added 15 points, junior Josh Lopes added 11 points, and sophomore Tristan Herry sank a pair of threes, finishing with eight points.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 55 @ North Attleboro, 42 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Mansfield, 37 vs. Natick, 68 – Final – Natick won the Roundball Classic title with a strong defensive performance. Ashley Santos scored seven points and Becca Hottleman scored six points, dished out five assists, and had three steals for Mansfield. Santos and Hottleman were both named to the all-tournament team.
Oliver Ames, 51 @ Norwell, 63 – Final – Oliver Ames took a 44-42 lead into the final quarter but the Clippers clamped down defensively, holding the Tigers to just seven fourth quarter points, pulling away to get the win. The teams were tied 15-15 after one, and Norwell had a 28-23 lead at halftime before the Tigers surged ahead with a 21-point third quarter. Caroline Peper led OA with 16 points, Caroline Flynn added 10 points, and Tori Harney chipped in with nine points.
Taunton, 61 vs. New Bedford, 67 – Final
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Seekonk, 3 – Final
Foxboro, 4 vs. Abington, 1 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Franklin, 4 vs. Weymouth, 0 – Final – Franklin scored twice in the first period and then once in each of the next two to skate to a 4-0 win over Weymouth in the first round of the Coach Melchiono Showdown. Tom Tasker got the Panthers on the board with a power play goal (assisted by Kyle Hedvig and Declan Lovett), while Kyle Hedvig (from Colin Hedvig and Joe LeBlanc) doubled the lead in the first. LeBlanc picked up his second assist, setting up Justin Abely in the second to make it 3-0. Ben Jarosz scored his first career goal, unassisted, in the third period to cap the scoring. “[Ben] made the most of [his opportunity],” said Franklin coach Anthony Sarno, noting Jarosz’s hard work to earn a varsity spot after starting the year on JV. “Perfect example of a JV player never giving up and working hard no matter what.” Franklin will take on Marshfield in the tournament final on Thursday at 5:00.
Mansfield, 6 vs. Barrington (R.I.), 2 – Final
Oliver Ames, 5 vs. Stoughton, 2 – Final – Senior Cam Perron scored twice and classmate Brad Powers registered three assisted to help Oliver Ames skate to a win over Stoughton/Brockton in a battle of teams that call Asiaf Arena home. Senior Matt Nosalek scored his first career goal in the win while classmates Jake Gottwald and Hunter Costello each scored once. Sophomore Wes Towers recorded his first varsity assist in the win for OA. Senior Owen Connor posted a first period shutout while freshman Brandon Burke took over for the second and third to earn his first career win. Joe McNulty and Colin Alessi each lit the lamp once for Stoughton/Brockton.
Taunton, 3 @ Somerset-Berkley, 1 – Final – Taunton picked up a win in the final game of the regular season to earn a trip to the state tournament, marking their fourth postseason appearance in the past five years. Nathan Fernandes scored a pair of goals while Michael Albert scored once to lead the offensive charge for the Tigers. Jack DeMoura and Brady Nichols each had two helpers while Cam Faria, Loran Corcoran, and Ethan Ross each finished with one assist. Sean Bunker made 19 saves in net to get the win.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 4 @ Walpole, 0 – Final – Olivia Maffeo scored a hat trick and Meg Aldrich added one, as the Bulldogs wrapped up the regular season. Carolyn Durand made 23 saves to earn her 13th shutout of the season. Canton heads into the playoffs with just one loss.
Franklin, 7 vs. Leominster, 2 – Final
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 @ LaSalle Academy, 4 – Final – A day after taking down one of the top teams in Massachusetts in Westwood, the MOA Warriors came up just short against LaSalle Academy, the top team in Rhode Island. MOA got within one goal, down 3-2, in the third period but the Rams scored less than a minute later to regain a two-goal lead, one it held until the final buzzer. Lily O’Brien (from Emma Pereira and Reese Pereira) put the Warriors up 1-0 in the first period but LaSalle Academy tied the game before the end of the period, and scored twice in the second to seize a 3-1 lead. Melissa Shanteler (from Kylie O’Keefe and Emma Pereira) fired a wrist shot in to make it 3-2. MOA needs one point from its final game against Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake on Thursday.
King Philip, 3 vs. Ursuline Academy, 3 – Final
Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/17/20
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 71 vs. Tech Boston, 66 – Final – Attleboro used an 8-0 surge at the end of the third quarter to take the lead back, Jason Weir hit a pair of big three pointers in the final quarter, and Bryant Ciccio went 7-for-8 at the line to help the Bombardiers secure a win over Tech Boston. Attleboro led 16-15 after one and 32-31 at halftime before Tech Boston took a lead late in the third. Justin Daniels hit a three, Tim Callahan hit two from downtown, and Qualeem Charles had five of his 17 in the third to help Attleboro take a 48-45 lead entering the fourth. Weir finished with 12 points and Ciccio had a game-high 25 points, going 9-for-10 from the line overall, hitting four three-pointers in the first quarter.
Canton, 54 @ Bishop Feehan, 59 – Final – Canton rallied to get within striking distance in the fourth quarter but Bishop Feehan iced the game at the free throw line to get the win in the Bulldogs’ season finale. After a close first quarter (9-8), the Shamrocks created a nine-point advantage (24-15) at halftime, a lead they carried into the fourth (38-29). Nick Cushman (12 points) hit a pair of threes in the fourth while Eric Mischler (17 points), Will Keefe, and Matt Giglio each hit one, and Robbie Gallery added four of his 12 in the final frame, but the Shamrocks made just enough of their chances from the line to get the win.
Foxboro, 82 vs. Holliston, 40 – Final – Foxboro’s offense poured in 28 points in the first quarter and never looked back in a big win over Holliston. The Warriors built a 46-11 halftime lead with 10 players getting into the scoring column over the first 16 minutes. Senior Brandon Borde scored 12 of his team-high 16 points in the opening quarter while Donald Rogers had nine of his 11 points in the same frame. Freshman Alex Penders added a career-high nine points and sophomore Dylan Gordon had eight points. Foxboro will play Randolph in the tournament final on Tuesday at 4:30.
King Philip, 80 @ Somerset-Berkley, 60 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game – King Philip closed the first half on a 12-0 run to create the separation it needed to get the win and punch its ticket to the postseason for the first time since 2015. Senior Alex Fritz (five assists) scored 10 of his game-high 26 points in the second while Andrew McKinney (eight rebounds) had a big second half, netting 11 of his 16 points. Tommy Donahue added 12 points and nine rebounds and Robert Jarest finished with 11 points and four rebounds for KP, who will play Hanover in the tournament final on Wednesday at 6:30.
Mansfield, 63 vs. Needham, 58 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Milford, 67 vs. Tantasqua, 56 – Final – Milford senior Colby Pires poured in a career-high 41 points to lead the Scarlet Hawks to a win at home over Tantasqua. Pires got off to a hot start, hitting three three-pointers in the first, finishing with 14 points in the frame. He added eight more in the second and then went back to the three-point line in the third, hitting a trio of three-pointers again. He closed strong with 10 points in the fourth. Jordan Darling added seven of his nine points in the fourth to help the Hawks close the win out.
Sharon, 47 vs. Dedham, 59 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game – Sharon got within eight in the second half but couldn’t overcome a slow first half against Dedham in the final game of the season. The Eagles were limited to eight points in the first and five in the second, going into halftime down 29-13. A strong start to the third capped by a bucket from Aidan Kane (nine points, five rebounds) made it 33-25 but Dedham finished the quarter with a 7-3 burst to push the lead back to double-digits. Andrew Burton led the Eagles with 11 points and four rebounds while Sam Cohen chipped in with eight points.
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 73 vs. Cathedral, 56 – Final – Franklin closed out a perfect regular season with its second straight 17-point win against a highly-ranked opponent at the Comcast Classic. Ali Brigham scored 16 of her game-high 22 points in the second half, but she also got plenty of help, as Franklin got another strong team effort in the win. Megan O’Connell scored 16 points and Olivia Quinn had a double-double, scoring 14 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
Canton, 66 vs. Nauset, 50 – Final – The Bulldogs earned an impressive win against a potential playoff opponent and split the season series with the Warriors. Canton led 17-10 after one quarter, extended the lead to 13 by halftime, and by 16 heading into the fourth. Kiara Cerruti paced the offense with 16 points, while Fay and Sydney Gallery each scored 14 points. Fay added six assists and eight rebounds. Kayla Albert had a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds and Samya DaSilva finished with eight points and 10 boards.
Foxboro, 60 vs. Scituate, 48 – Final – Foxboro won the opening game of the Warrior Classic to advance to tomorrow’s championship. Katelyn Mollica knocked down six three-pointers and scored 24 to lead the Warriors. Yara Fawaz had 10 points, Shakirah Ketant had nine, and Lizzy Davis added eight in the win.
Mansfield, 47 vs. Bishop Feehan, 44 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Mansfield rallied from eight points down heading into the fourth, outscoring Feehan 18-7 over the final eight minutes to grab the win in the semifinal of the Roundball Classic. Kayla Vine scored nine of her 11 points in the fourth, including 7-of-8 at the line, and had what turned out to be the game-winning free throw. Ashley Santos had a game-high 17 points, including six in the fourth quarter, and Kelly Doherty knocked down a pair of clutch free throws in the closing seconds to seal the win. Feehan jumped out to a 15-10 lead after one, but the Hornets held the visitors to only four points in the seconds. A last second bucket put Feehan up by one at half and the Shamrocks came out of the break with 18 points in the third to extend the lead to eight. Santos scored four points in the third to try and keep Mansfield close and Allison Prentis knocked down a clutch three. Sarah Dooling added six points and seven rebounds in the win.
Taunton, 65 @ Durfee, 47 – Final – The Tigers went on the road and picked up their fifth win of the season. Youth was served for Taunton, with freshman Kameron St. Pierre and eighth grader Sam Lincoln continuing their impressive rookie campaigns on varsity by leading the team with 16 points apiece. Junior Jaelyn Fernandez also got into double digits with 11 points. Taunton closes out its season at home against New Bedford on Wednesday.
Boys Hockey
Canton, 4 vs. Boston Latin, 2 – Final
Foxboro, 3 vs. East Bridgewater, 0 – Final
King Philip, 3 vs. Norwood, 3 – Final – King Philip erased a 2-1 deficit to take a third period lead but the Mustangs of Norwood scored with less than a minute left to steal a point from the Warriors. Nolan Feyler gave the Warriors a 1-0 first period lead before Norwood responded with a pair of second half goals to seize a 2-1 advantage. Aidan Boulger made it 2-2 with just under two minutes to go in the second and Feyler netted his second just under six minutes into the third to put KP ahead 3-2. With the goalie pulled, Norwood tied the game with 17 seconds left to make it 3-3.
Oliver Ames, 2 vs. Westwood, 3 – Final
Taunton, 3 @ Auburn, 6 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 3 vs. Barnstable, 0 – Final – Olivia Maffeo, Lizzie Tassinari, and Payton McDonough each scored as the Bulldogs skated to a win over Barnstable. Freshman Carolyn Durand recorded her 12th shutout of the season in net.
King Philip, 3 vs. Walpole, 0 – Final
Charles Hits 1,000, Ignites Bombardiers Past Panthers
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Attleboro High School had 1,000 point fever, and the only prescription was more ‘Q.’
‘Q’ being senior Qualeem Charles, the 6’5, 290-pound center and four-year starter for the Bombardiers, who went a perfect 11-for-11 from the floor, the last bucket giving him his 1,000th career point. Charles is the second Bombardier to reach the milestone in the past nine days, joining classmate Bryant Ciccio.
Behind Charles’ 27 points, 18 coming in the second half, Attleboro grinded out a 62-56 win over a hot-shooting Franklin squad, giving the Bombardiers a season sweep of the Panthers for the first time since joining the Hockomock League.
“I was aiming for 15 in the first half, but I wasn’t mad it didn’t happen, it was a close game and Franklin is a tough team,” Charles said. “I came out hot in the third quarter and the team kept feeding me. I’ve been a pass-first guy but all of my teammates keep rooting me on to shoot it, even if I miss, they want me to keep shooting. My teammates were patient in getting me the ball.
“It’s crazy to get the sweep over Franklin, the first time [Attleboro] has done that. Ever since we were in fifth grade, this is all me and Bryant have talked about so it’s crazy to both get it.”
An even, back-and-forth first half had the teams tied at 28-28 through two quarters. And from Attleboro’s first possession of the second half, it was clear the emphasis would be on getting Charles the ball.
Nick McMahon (10 points, seven rebounds, six assists) found the big man for a traditional three-point play, and while it was close and even tied at points through the rest of the game, the Bombardiers never trailed.
Q sank a pair from the line, two more down low on an entry pass from Tim Callahan, and another three-point play gave Attleboro a 38-35 near the midway point of the third. Callahan accounted for four straight points before Charles got back into the scoring column. Justin Daniels hit his second three of the game as Attleboro held a 47-42 lead after three. After scoring nine points in the opening half, Charles scored 12 in the third.
“He’s a very unselfish player, we had to tell him to shoot more,” said Attleboro coach Mark Houle, who has coached a pair of 1,000-point scorers for the second time in his career. “About six weeks ago, we told him if he gets the ball inside you have to put it up. It helps our team when he shoots. He’s been doing it more the last month and that’s helped us be a better team.”
While Attleboro had plenty of success down low, the Panthers were keeping pace because of their outside shooting. The Panthers hit six three-pointers in the opening half while Jack Rudolph, Steven Karayan, and Andrew Byfield (13 points, four rebounds, four assists) each connected from downtown to keep Franklin in the game.
With Charles having the hot hand, and just six points away from the milestone, the Bombardiers continued to find ways to get him the ball. A patient approach that often featured more than a half dozen passes before getting a look into the paint to Charles helped open lanes.
“We had to work hard for everything,” Houle said. “I think the best thing about tonight was we trusted our motion offense more than we have all year. I thought our kids executed very well, we made the extra pass…and it was everyone, kids came off the bench like Alec [Eaton] and Justin [Daniels]…and that opened up the offense. We hit the right guys.
“And I don’t think that we forced the ball inside, I think it came within the flow of the offense. I was proud of the way we played. And we defended better tonight. Hard to say that with them hitting 13 three-pointers but we defended better than the past two games and that’s a step in the right direction for us.”
Charles scored Attleboro’s first bucket of the quarter on a feed from Callahan, repeated that feat on the next trip, and did the same exact thing on the third possession of the quarter, the last one giving him his 1,000th point.
“It’s hard to help off on him, you’re trying to pick your poison where it’s coming from,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “Last game we helped off a ton and Weir got loose for a big game, Ciccio had over 20. We were trying to flip the script a little bit, change it up and see what we can do without over helping. They did a really good job of moving the ball and being patient. They switched sides a couple of times and made us work, and I thought our guys played hard, it’s just such a tough matchup.”
The big bucket pushed Attleboro’s lead to 53-45 with 6:11 to go but Franklin got a big response on a three from Rudolph but a mid-range baseline jumper from Jason Weir and a three from McMahon gave the hosts a 58-50 lead with three minutes to play.
Franklin missed on a three but Brayden Sullivan (nine points) came up with the Panthers’ fifth offensive rebound and found Chris Edgehill (17 points, four rebounds) for a three. After another stop. Edgehill returned the favor and Sullivan sank a three to make it 58-56 with 1:31 to play.
The Panthers had a strong defensive possession but McMahon was able to get the ball on his right and got around a defender for a layup just before the shot clock to push the lead back to four. Franklin, which finished 13-for-30 from three-point, was off the mark from three.
“Shooting is obviously one of our strengths but at the same time, we would have liked to get to the rim a little bit more,” Neely said. Franklin had a total of 16 attempts from inside the three-point line. “I didn’t think we made Q defend enough on the ball screen, which was part of the game plan, and we got away from it early. I thought overall our offense was pretty good, we got some good looks down the stretch but credit [Attleboro], that matchup was tough for us.”
Ciccio came up with a steal on Franklin’s next possession and went in for an easy two to help seal the win.
“Just so proud of this senior group and all the work they put in,” Houle said. “And they work hard for each other, they work hard for each other. I’m proud of seeing Bryant and Q being able to enjoy this at home with the Attleboro fans, a pretty special moment for them.
“This group really wants to pull for each other. That’s that part you don’t see on a scoreboard or in stats. You see it in practice, you see it after wins, you see it more so after losses. And they came together and played tougher tonight, that comes from them playing for each other.”
Attleboro boys basketball (12-4 Hockomock, 14-5 overall) is back in action on Sunday at the Comcast Tournament at Woburn High, taking on Newton North at 6:30. Franklin (11-5, 14-5) travels to Weston on Thursday at 1:00.
Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/11/20
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 63 @ Taunton, 71 – Final – Taunton sophomore Tristan Herry poured in a career-high 26 points and sophomore Trent Santos added 18 points as the Tigers outlasted Attleboro to get the win. The Tigers held a 50-49 lead after three quarters before finishing strong to close out the win. Herry accounted for half of Taunton’s 10 three-pointers, hitting four in the first half as he netted 18 points in the opening two quarters. Santos (four three-pointers) did most of his damage after the break with 13 points in the second half. Junior Tyler Stewart scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half for Taunton. Attleboro’s Bryant Ciccio scored a team-high 26 points, hitting on 10 two-point field goals, while senior Qualeem Charles added 18 points for the Bombardiers.
North Attleboro, 60 @ Canton, 46 – Final – North Attleboro sophomore Brody Rosenberg connected on three of his four three-pointers in the final quarter to help the Rocketeers pull away with the win. The visitors led after each the first three quarters (13-9 after one, 27-19 at at half), taking a 39-32 advantage into the fourth before putting together its best offensive quarter (21 points). Junior Edan Kelley joined in on the three party, connecting from downtown five times to finish with a career-high 19 points, including four trifectas in the second half. Junior George Ladd was a consistent on the offensive end for the Rocketeers with 15 points. Canton’s Eric Mischler sank three triples and finished with a team-high 13 points while Lanse Dorcelus added 11 points for the Bulldogs.
Sharon, 58 @ Foxboro, 74 – Final – Foxboro created separation with a big second quarter offensively and extended the lead with a big defensive quarter in the third, rolling to a win over Sharon. The win, coupled with Stoughton’s win over Milford, pulls the Warriors into a three-way tie with the Black Knights and Scarlet Hawks for first in the Davenport with one game to go. Foxboro had five players reach double figures for the first time this season with senior Brandon Borde leading the way with a team-high 21 points. Ryan Hughes, Kevin Gallagher, and Will Morrison each added 11 points for the Warriors while Donald Rogers finished with 10 points. Sharon’s Andrew Burton scored a team-high 15 points while Kiran Chandrasekaran added nine points for the Eagles.
Franklin, 59 @ Oliver Ames, 52 – Final – Franklin senior Chris Edgehill scored a team-high 16 points and in the process became the program’s all-time leading scorer. Edgehill tied Matt Palazini’s record of 1,306 with seven points in the first half and then broke the record in the third. Jack Rudolph hit four first half three-pointers, finishng wiht 12 points while both Steven Karayan and Brayden Sullivan chipped in 11 points for the Panthers, who totaled 10 three-pointers as a team. It was close throughout as Franklin held a five point lead after the first (17-12) and second quarters (30-25), and a four-point advantage (45-41) heading into the fourth. The Tigers cut the deficit to two (49-47) with 3:37 left but Franklin pulled away in the end for the win.
King Philip, 44 @ Mansfield, 62 – Final – Mansfield trailed by three after a quarter of play but surged ahead with a 21-point second quarter and never looked back in a win over King Philip. The Warriors had a 13-10 edge after eight minutes but the Hornets had six players score in the second to race in front, leading 31-23 at half and pushing the lead to 10 (46-36) going into the fourth. The Hornets limited to KP to 13 or fewer points in each quarter. In the second, junior TJ Guy scored eight of his team-high 20 points, Matt Boen added five of his 13 points, Drew Rooney and Chris Hill both scored from the floor, and Brendan Foley and Sam Stevens (10 points) each chipped in from the free throw line. Hill added five more in the third while Boen, Rooney, and Stevens each hit fourth quarter three-pointers to pull away. KP senior Tommy Donahue had a team-high 15 points while classmate Alex Fritz added 12 points.
Milford, 74 @ Stoughton, 78 – Final (OT) – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Girls Basketball
Taunton, 51 @ Attleboro, 65 – Final – The Bombardiers celebrated senior night with a big win that moves them back to .500 on the season and one win from booking a return to the state tournament. Nyah Thomas was Attleboro’s top scorer with 18 points and also added five assists. Meghan Gordon scored 16 and Ryan Johnson added 10, as the Bombardiers had a balanced attack. Attleboro led by 13 at halftime and pushed the lead to 17 heading to the fourth quarter. Bombardiers coach Marty Crowley praised the effort of senior Jackie MacDonald and added, “It was a great way to send our Seniors off in their last home game.” Attleboro closes the season with trips to Franklin and North Attleboro to try and get the tournament-clinching win. Freshman Kameron St. Pierre led all scorers with 21 points and the Tigers also got nine points from eighth grader Sam Lincoln.
Canton, 64 @ North Attleboro, 53 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Foxboro, 51 @ Sharon, 28 – Final – The Warriors had four players scored in double digits, as they picked up another win to build their seed for the upcoming playoffs. Katelyn Mollica, fresh of getting to 1,000 career points last week, scored 16 to pace Foxboro. Shakirah Ketant, Abby Hassman, and Lizzy Davis all scored 10 points in the win. Leah Fandel scored a team-high 15 points and Ally Brown chipped in with nine for the Eagles.
Oliver Ames, 36 @ Franklin, 70 – Final – The Panthers swept the season series with the Tigers, clinched the outright Kelley-Rex division title, and will have the chance to run the table in league play when they host Attleboro on Thursday. Ali Brigham dominated in the middle, leading all scorers with 22 points and Olivia Quinn scored 13. Meghan O’Connell also had a big night, scoring 13 for the Panthers. OA had a tough time breaking down the Franklin defense. Jess Erlich had seven points to lead the Tigers and Hailey Bourne added five.
Mansfield, 37 @ King Philip, 61 – Final – KP got hot from deep to split the season series with the Hornets and book its spot in the state tournament. The Warriors made 10 threes as a team. Faye Veilleux scored 18 points in the win, Brianna James scored 13, and Faith Roy added 12.
Stoughton, 50 @ Milford, 47 – Final – In a close game from start to finish, Stoughton picked up a key victory on the road over the Scarlet Hawks. Stoughton led by seven after a quarter (15-8) and by six at halftime (30-24) before Milford cut into the deficit and made it a four-point game (41-47) heading into the fourth. Shyanne Trinh paced Stoughton with 20 points, Aliyah Wright added 18 points, and Jess Maddalena added six points and 11 rebounds for the Black Knights.
Video: Attleboro’s Bryant Ciccio Scores 1,000th Point
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – With a left-handed scoop and score, Attleboro senior Bryant Ciccio etched his name into the Bombardier history books.
With 2:49 left in the second quarter of Tuesday’s contest with Oliver Ames, Ciccio became the eighth male and 14th player overall in Attleboro history to score 1,000 career points. Ciccio needed 18 points coming into the game and ended up with one of his best scoring performances in his four-year career as a starter.
“He was locked in and played phenomenal,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Houle, who is also apart of the Bombardier 1,000-point club. Ciccio is the first male addition to the list since 2014 when Tim Walsh accomplished the feat.
Ciccio got off to a terrific start, nailing a pair of three-pointers in the opening frame and finished with 10 points in the first quarter. He hit two more three-pointers in the second quarter before a steal led to a layup for his 1,000th point. He went on to his three more three-pointers in the second half to finish with seven total, and 31 points in the game, just one shy of tying his career high. Attleboro earned an important 79-55 win over the Tigers.
You can see a full list of Attleboro 1,000-point scorers as well as the other 11 schools in the Hockomock League here.
Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/04/20
Today’s games are listed below.
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.
Franklin, 48 @ Mansfield, 56 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
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).
Foxboro, 44 @ Milford, 17 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
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.