Stoughton sophomore Matt Greenspoon goes up for a layup against KP junior Tommy McLeish in the third quarter. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
STOUGHTON, Mass. — Stoughton’s offense wasn’t quite where head coach Evan Taylor wanted it to be through its first two games, but it all came together on Friday night.
The Black Knights had four players reach double figures in the scoring column, two more hauled in double-digit rebounds, and dictated play by controlling the tempo.
The result was a runaway 66-49 win over King Philip in a Hockomock League crossover clash.
“We were working harder for better shots tonight,” said Stoughton head coach Evan Taylor. “We were settling a lot in the first two games, averaging something like 30 three-point attempts a game, and I don’t think we did that tonight. I think we attacked the basket a lot more and we started to take the shots we wanted, not just the shots they were giving us.
“The guys were playing tougher on defense, getting up on their guys. We knew they could shoot so that was our game plan going into it. And we started to really move the ball around better on offense, attacking the rim, getting some open shots, and getting to the free throw line.”
Stoughton’s efforts to get to the rim were apparent right from the start. The Black Knights attempted more than twice as many two-point field goals as they three-pointers. That trend continued again in the second quarter, and that success translated into some open looks in the second half, where the Black Knights went 5-for-9 from downtown.
Costa-Haywood finished with a game-high 16 points and eight rebounds, Daughtry had a career-high 14 points and six rebounds, Greenspoon had a strong all-around game with 13 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, and Pearl had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
On the flip side, King Philip ended up with more three-point attempts total than twos, going 7-for-35 from the three-point line. The Warriors hit seven threes in the third quarter alone on Tuesday against OA, and got off to a good start with a trio of them in the opening quarter on Friday, but managed just two more in the second and two total in the second half.
“We were settling for too much instead of trying to get some drive and kick action,” said King Philip head coach Dave DeStefano. “Even if we could get some shots out of paint passes, we could have been more in the flow of the offense. They did a good job of getting us outside of the paint and making it hard for us. I don’t think we’ll as bad as we did tonight in other games but we still need to get it in the paint a lot more.
“They controlled the tempo right off the bat and we decided that we weren’t going to match it. I’ll take the blame for it, our practices the last couple of days could have been harder to prepare for this team. Stoughton historically is physical, they play tough, they play aggressive and I should have done a better job preparing them for this game.”
A strong start offensively gave Stoughton a 19-12 lead after a quarter. KP closed the gap to three after back-to-back buckets from Collin Peck and Trevor Clyde, but that would be the closest they’d get the rest of the way.
Sophomore Tommy Kilroy (16 points, seven rebounds, three assists) drained a three with just under two minutes to go but Stoughton surged ahead with a 9-0 burst to end the half. Daughtry drove the lane for two and then leaked out on the break for two more. Pearl found freshman Anthony Alessi in the corner for three with 30 seconds to go, and after another stop, Greenspoon set up Alessi for a long two just before the buzzer for a 37-24 lead at halftime.
Stoughton got hot from three-point range in the second half. After shooting 54% from two-point territory in the first half, the Knights connected at a 56% clip from three-point range in the second half.
Costa-Haywood, Daughtry, and Greenspoon each hit a three to balloon Stoughton’s lead to 19 points midway through the third.
Pearl opened the fourth by shaking his defender to hit an open three, Greenspoon hit another triple after an offensive rebound from Swierzewski, and Pearl cashed in on a KP turnover and Stoughton’s lead peaked at 24 points, 60-36.
“Our staff preached it all week, we wanted them to be determined to get rebounds. In the first two games, we were kind of backpedaling instead so we wanted them to attack the ball and get more possessions for us.”
Stoughton boys basketball (1-2 Hockomock, 1-2 overall) has four more home games in a row, including a pair of non-league games over break. The Black Knights will host Medway on Wednesday while King Philip (1-2, 1-2) will take on Leominster at Framingham on the same day.
Attleboro has consistently been in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex division in recent years, and if the Bombardiers are going to be there again this year, they will have to do so with a lot of new players to the varsity level.
Not only did the Bombardiers graduate a sizable senior class, but the majority of them were also key pieces in longtime head coach Mark Houle’s lineup and rotation. Add in the transfer of promising 6’5-forward Trevor White, and Attleboro has very few pieces left from last year. But that’s not to say Attleboro is without talent. Junior Neo Franco is coming off a very successful first year with the team, earning HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team honors. Jaiden Outland saw more and more minutes as the season went on and he showed what he’s capable of with a career-high 18 points in Attleboro’s win over Durfee in late February last year; he could be poised for a big year. Senior Michael Beverly is the third returner for the Bombardiers after picking up some minutes last year while newcomer senior Justin Hanrahan could be a key piece right away.
Another reason for optimism is that most of the new faces in the lineup this year played for the Bombardiers’ JV squad last season, which posted an impressive 19-2 record. Seniors Spencer Sherck, Zyeem Charles, Nathan Hodson, and Michael Alfonso will provide key leadership for Houle this year. Junior Max Crawford will join sophomores Dante Monestime, Hayden Crowley, and Brady Erwin as potential contributors for the Bombardiers.
“We need to continue our commitment to be a highly competitive defensive team, our communication, and understanding of defensive concepts is a priority and is a reason we were one of the top defensive teams in the league last year,” Houle said.
2021-2022 Record: 9-11 Coach: Eric MacKinnon
Canton surprised a lot of people on the outside of the program with a nine-win season that certainly was good enough for a playoff spot, but the Bulldogs have put that seeding drama in the rearview mirror and are now focused on surprising people again this year.
In order to do so, the Bulldogs will need new players to step up as second-year head coach Eric MacKinnon only has one returning starter from last year. Matt Chafin emerged as a top perimeter option, averaging 8.8 points per game last year (reaching double figures in just under half of the games). Although he isn’t returning from last year’s lineup, Julius Hicks provides a big boost for MacKinnon and Bulldogs, coming back after missing all of last season with an injury. Hicks would have certainly been in the rotation last year and will be a vital piece this year. Junior Zaza Francoeur is an athletic wing player that can impact the game on both ends of the floor for the Bulldogs.
Defense emerged as one of Canton’s strengths a season ago as the Bulldogs bought into MacKinnon’s game plan. Canton allowed the least amount of points against in the Davenport division at 50.6, and they will look to replicate that again this year.
“With our personnel and style of play we have the ability to score from the perimeter and play inside-out at times,” MacKinnon said. “Our length and athleticism should allow us to get out in transition.”
Foxboro is one of the few teams in the league that has more familiar faces returning than not, and after only missing out on the Davenport title by one game last year, the Warriors are aiming to compete with defending champs Sharon and division newcomer Mansfield for the top spot this season.
The Warriors boast one of the better senior classes, anchored by HockomockSports First Team selection Alex Penders. Penders, a 6-foot-5 forward who averaged 16.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game last year and recently committed to play at Ithaca next year, is joined by classmates Sam Golub, Ryan LeClair, and Andrew Finn. Golub and LeClair played a lot of minutes for head coach Jon Gibbs last season and both improved as the season went on. Having three experienced players will certainly give the Warriors an advantage, especially on the defensive side of the ball where Gibbs always has his teams prepared.
Penders can score in a variety of ways and will be a matchup problem for most teams in the league. Golub is a proven shooter that can get hot at any time while LeClair is a pesky defender, and as seen by his performance on the road at Stoughton last year, is a capable scorer. Penders will certainly be the focus of the offense but he’s a very unselfish player and Foxboro should have a good balance in the scoring column. While the Warriors have a strong senior class, they’re still a relatively young team. With only two juniors, the rest of the roster is filled by six sophomores and two freshmen. Junior Ryan Cotter and sophomores Ryan Kelley and Nolan Gordon will be names to keep an eye on.
“This is a very hard-working and coachable group that is improving on a daily basis,” Gibbs said. “We have a very exciting blend of experienced veterans and newcomers who are hungry to contribute. If we can defend and rebound at a high level, the potential is there for a very successful season.”
2021-2022 Record: 21-4 Coach: CJ Neely
Entering the past two seasons, there was a lot of unknown for the Panthers after graduating a large senior class each year. It’s the opposite this year as Franklin graduated just three players and has the majority of last year’s squad that went 21-4 back in the fold.
After a third-place finish in the Kelley-Rex last season, Franklin could be the team to beat this go around. Junior Sean O’Leary highlights a talented and experienced group of long, athletic players. O’Leary, a 6-foot-4 forward that can score from anywhere on the court and was named to the HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team last year, will be one of the top players in the league this year. Junior Andrew O’Neill (8.8 points per game) is another returner and head coach CJ Neely will lean on a small but talented senior class that features Ben Harvey (HockomockSports All-Defensive Team), Justin Allen, Geino Scaringello, and Hayden Morandi.
Juniors Hansy Jacques, Bradley Herndon, and Andrew Benoit were all on the team last year and could see increased minutes this season. There will be more opportunities on offense for players to step up with the graduation of Sean Vinson (12.8 ppg) and last year’s leading scorer and HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Henry Digirogio (16.1 ppg) has opted not to play this year. And promising sophomore Caden Sullivan, who likely would have been in the rotation, will miss significant time due to injury.
“The preseason has been very competitive at practice,” Neely said. “We have a great group of guys who really care for each other. While we do have a good amount of returning players, there is a lot of playing time up for grabs and it will be a daily challenge for guys to earn roles. I have been most impressed with how committed and focused the players have been each day on the court and in film sessions to always look for ways to improve as a group. It will be fun to watch them grow and compete all year.”
2021-2022 Record: 6-16 Head Coach: Dave DeStefano
King Philip brings back a good portion of its roster and is looking to book a spot in the tournament and contend for the Kelley-Rex division title.
The Warriors are one of the few teams in the league that brings back their leading scorer from a year ago in Will Laplante, a seasoned veteran that has averaged over 16 points per year in each of the last two seasons. Laplante is joined by senior Grant Kinney, who had some breakout games last year, and Tommy Martorano, who showed that at his best (a career-high 36 points) that he can score with the best players in the league. That trio is three of KP’s top five scorers from a year ago. Senior Colin Peck, a 6-foot-2 forward, will likely see an expanded role after playing some valuable minutes last year.
Juniors Tommy McLeish and Trevor Clyde, both 6-foot-3 forwards, have made a big jump from last year and will be key pieces for head coach Dave DeStefano this year. New additions Danny Silveria and Peter Cataldo, both juniors, look to factor in as key defensive pieces for the Warriors. Sophomore Tommy Kilroy didn’t see a ton of minutes early on last year but his role expanded as the season went on, scoring in double figures against Mansfield and in a win over Xaverian. Fellow sophomores Brandon Nicastro, Drew Laplante, and Jack Assini will all looking to contribute this season as well.
“The boys have really committed this offseason,” DeStefano said. “The limited practices so far have been really competitive. It’s no secret that our defense has to drastically improve to be competitive in the league. 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.”
2021-2022 Record: 21-5 Coach: Mike Vaughan
Mansfield had its incredible streak of nine straight Kelley-Rex division titles come to an end last season, and now the Hornets start a new chapter as they begin their first season in the Davenport. Expectations remain sky-high for the Hornets, who are an immediate favorite for the division crown.
The Hornets have two of their best scorers back from last year in senior Chris Hill (12.5 ppg) and junior Trevor Foley (8.2 ppg), but Mansfield did graduate its leading scorer in Matty Hyland and lost five of its top seven scorers. That means there’s a lot of opportunity for new faces to step up. Hill has probably played more varsity minutes than anyone else in the league and he can compete at a high-level night in and night out. Foley really emerged as a top player by the end of the season, averaging over 16 points per game in March.
Senior Caden Colby was part of the rotation last year and will see a bigger role this year while classmate JT Veiking is a 6-foot-5 forward that can score on the perimeter or down low. Senior Michael Creedon rounds out the senior class and can provide a spark with increased minutes this year. Junior Eddie McCoy is poised for a breakout year, an athletic wing player that can attack the rim and cause problems for opposing defenses. Juniors Brandon Jackman and Davon Sanders should see time in the Mansfield backcourt this year.
“This season will be our tallest team in my tenure, it will be fun to see what different things we can do on the defensive end,” Vaughan said. “Offensively we should have plenty of power to put points on the board but the big question mark will be how quickly we can find our max compete level.”
2021-2022 Record: 2-21 Coach: Paul Seaver
Milford had an entirely new team last season and was the youngest team in the league. With just four seniors gone from last year, the Hawks are still a young team but head coach Paul Seaver believes his group learned a lot last year and is trending in the right direction.
The Scarlet Hawks have three of the top four scorers from last season back in the fold, including junior Jake Soares (8.0 ppg), sophomore Andrew Rivera (7.8 ppg), and senior Wyatt Zagami (7.1 ppg). Zagami, who can really fill it up when he’s on a hot streak, is joined by classmates Guy Saintyl, Jacob Ligor, and Joe Buckley to round out a small senior class for the Hawks. Soares was probably Milford’s most consistent player for the first two months before an injury ended his season early, and Rivera showed some glimpses of high-level play throughout the year.
Having a year of experience will be key, especially as a lot of other Hock teams are featuring a lot of first-year varsity players. Sophomore Luca Testa is another young player that saw a lot of minutes for the Hawks last year and will be a key piece during this campaign. Sophomore Gus Coutinho is a dangerous shooter and freshman CJ Farrell could be an impact player right away as well.
“Last season we were very young and very inexperienced,” Seaver said. “We learned how to compete while playing a tough schedule. Now with double digits returnees, we not only aim to improve on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball – we aim to improve in all aspects. Our goals and expectations will be what we make them and what we do with the opportunities that are given to us. I have a great crop of kids who are committed, hard-working individuals who continue to climb the ladder and do things the right way.”
2021-2022 Record: 5-15 Coach: Sean Mulkerrins
North Attleboro battled through an up-and-down season last year that featured some impressive wins — like a double-digit victory over Foxboro and a sweep of Stoughton — as well as some tough losses, like to Foxboro in overtime and to rival Attleboro by just three points. The Rocketeers graduated their two leading scorers from a year ago but return the majority of a roster that was playing their first varsity minutes last year.
Besides its four seniors last year, the rest of the Rocketeers were brand new to the varsity level. That means this year’s group will feature a bit more experience, albeit North is still on the young side. Givany Carney is North’s most experienced player and will be one of the go-to options on the offensive end of the court. Carney is a crafty player that does well getting to the rim with a good combination of speed and size. Senior Jack Munley is a tone-setter and can change the momentum of a game with his effort while senior Derek Maceda showed glimpses last season as a potential go-to guy offensively, both on the perimeter and attacking the basket.
Sophomores Ryan Bannon and Chase Frisoli both played some valuable minutes as freshmen and should see increased roles this year. Bannon is a solid defender and can be a contributor on the offensive end while Frisoli is a high-IQ player with range. Junior Chris Hanewich is another player that head coach Sean Mulkerrins is relying on to contribute on both ends of the floor. With some good experience, North will be looking to establish itself as one of the hardest-working teams in the league, which starts on the defensive end.
“We have a roster of kids who are working hard to improve and learn our system,” Mulkerrins said. “Our practices have been very competitive. We are very focused on building and maintaining our team culture so we are prepared to compete against the talented basketball programs in the Hockomock League.”
2021-2022 Record: 10-12 Coach: Oliver Vil
Oliver Ames is going to have a new look this year under second-year head coach Oliver Vil. The Tigers lost the majority of the team that won a preliminary playoff game last season and missed out on the Davenport division title by just a game.
Not only will the lineup feature new faces, but it will also feature a lot of new faces as the Tigers have a deep group this year. Senior captains Chris Elias and Ari Spiliakos are two returners that will be leaders for the team both on and off the court. Senior Nick Asiaf is a capable ball handler and can attack the rim while seniors Nick Rhodes and Jaden Graham provide key depth. Sophomore Cole Craffey played some meaningful minutes a year ago and will be one of the Tigers’ go-to options offensively this year. He’s very confident with the ball and can score inside and out.
With seven of their top eight scorers from a season ago gone, there will be plenty of opportunity for new players to step up. Freshman Solen Lolonga was in the starting lineup for the Tigers’ season-opening win over Southeastern and had a strong showing with 19 points. Vil also has a deep junior class that features Jake Willard, Daniel Casey, Andrew Sullivan, and David Rodgers, who all played in the win.
“Our strength this season on offense will be our ability to move the ball and create shots for one another,” Vil said. “We will have the same defense approach as last season, forcing our opponents into taking difficult shots and limiting transition offensive baskets. We now have minimal room for careless mistakes to compete in an already difficult conference. I am extremely excited to battle a plethora of well-coached disinclined teams every night we step on the floor to play a game this season.”
2021-2022 Record: 12-9 (Davenport division champions) Coach: Andrew Ferguson
Sharon won its first Davenport division title in eight seasons last year and with its top three scoring options back in the mix this year, the Eagles will be in contention to repeat that feat again this year.
Senior Matt Baur and juniors Jacob McLoughlin and Nate Katznelson give Sharon one of the top trios of players in the league. Baur, who earned HockomockSports First Team honors last year after averaging 15.1 points and 6 rebounds a game, is the heart and soul of the team. He leads by example both on and off the court and is the engine of the team. He doesn’t have to fill up the scoring column to have a big impact on the game. Both Katznelson and McLoughlin emerged as top players in their first season and will be vital pieces this year.
Senior captains Jack Bates and Tyler Goodman both came off the bench as key pieces for head coach Andrew Ferguson last year and will see increased responsibility this year. Bates is a pesky defender and a good floor general while Goodman can provide a spark with his shooting. Senior Dante James, an athletic wing player, comes over from Mansfield and should give the Eagles a big boost with their depth. Juniors Ryan Brown, Anthony Piron, and Cam Sherman provide backcourt depth while juniors Zach Wise, Jaden Segal, and sophomore Sam Letendre provide physicality to the Eagles’ frontcourt.
“With a small senior class, this team is blending experience with youth and has already begun to form a tight bond both on and off the court. Our practices have been super competitive and we look forward to competing against a very strong schedule.”
2021-2022 Record: 9-11 Coach: Evan Taylor
Last season, Stoughton entered the final stretch of league games right in the mix for the Davenport division title but ended up on the outside looking in finishing in a tie for fourth and just missing out on the postseason. With just a few returners back in the mix, the Knights will be looking for a new group of players to lead them into the tournament and contend for the division crown.
Stoughton has two major challenges to address this year, one on each side of the ball. The Black Knights lost their three top scorers from last year with Connor Andrews (19.9 ppg) and Cash Mathurin (5.9 ppg) graduating, and Rayan Sablon (18.3 ppg) transferring out. Head coach Evan Taylor will lean heavily on his four returning players to try and fill that void. Senior Jayden Costa Haywood played some meaningful minutes a season ago and has taken a big leap and the Knights will look for him to provide an offensive punch. Junior Liam Pearl (5.2 ppg) also worked his way into the rotation and made some key shots in clutch moments, including at Foxboro and at home against Canton. Sophomore Matthew Greenspoon (5.6 ppg) is the top scorer back from last year and will look to build on a strong debut season as a freshman.
The other challenge for Stoughton will be on the defensive end as the Knights look to make a drastic improvement after allowing over 60 points per game last year. On top of the returners, Taylor is looking for senior Tagh Swierzewski and junior Jarred Daughtry to make an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball. Other newcomers include senior Obioma Dike, juniors Elijah Connor, and Nathan Figaro, sophomore Mykel Thomas, and freshmen Anthony Alessi and Aiden Rideout.
“Defense has been the main focus at the start of this season,” Taylor said. “Our goal is to be a top three defense in the league with a lot of great on-ball defenders and high IQ players on the
floor.”
2020-2021 Record: 19-3 (Kelley-Rex division champions) Coach: Charlie Dacey
This season will mark a new chapter in the storied history of Taunton basketball. After back-to-back Kelley-Rex championships, including the program’s first outright title a year ago, the Tigers will have a lot of new faces in the lineup this year.
The biggest challenge will be replacing the production from one of the best trios in the Hock in recent history in Player of the Year Trent Santos, Faisal Mass, and Tristan Herry, who combined for just under 75% of the team’s scoring last year. One of the familiar faces returning to the starting group is junior Troy Santos, who has the most career points of anyone on the roster. Santos showed some flashes last year but will have a lot more looks this year. Seniors Chris Volcy and Alvinsky Morisseau, and junior Tyson Carter are also returners from last year and figure to see increased minutes this season.
Senior Chris Perault could be the biggest addition for the Tigers, a player that can score both from the perimeter and attacking the basket. Santos will factor in as one of the top shooters both on the team and in the league while Volcy has really improved from last year and could be a top scoring option for the Tigers. Longtime head coach Charlie Dacey is looking for Dimari Brown and Travis Johnson to provide a spark on the low block, plus some more faces to step up off of the bench.
“This year’s Taunton team will be very different from last year. This edition will be faster without a singular scorer, points can come from a variety of styles,” Dacey said. “Speed and aggressive defense will be the key to Taunton’s success this year.”
Sharon sophomore Jacob McLoughlin, who had a team-high 15 points, goes up for a layup in the first half against Stoughton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
STOUGHTON, Mass. — Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson is usually preaching for his players to be unselfish, urging them to share the ball and make the extra pass.
But going into Friday night’s clash on the road in Stoughton, Ferguson said the Eagles needed to be selfish.
Not on the court, of course, but rather in terms of the Davenport division title race. Sharon clinched a share of the title on Tuesday, but if the Eagles didn’t grab a win on Friday, there was a chance of sharing the Davenport with potentially Foxboro and/or Oliver Ames.
Fittingly, it was an unselfish performance that resulted in five players scoring in double figures and the Eagles outlasted the Black Knights, emerging with a hard-fought 65-61 to claim sole possession of the Davenport, the program’s first league title since 2014.
“We have been very lucky with some of the results around the league in the games that we have lost, so we didn’t want to leave it up to anyone else tonight, we wanted to take care of it ourselves,” Ferguson said. “And then to do it bouncing back after those first eight minutes, I’m so unbelievably proud of this group. The Davenport beats itself into mediocrity, we are just so evenly matched every night. So to be able to claim ourselves as division champions, it’s got a good ring to it.
“Our fourth quarter, they just didn’t give up. And it was both teams too, neither team gave up. We talked about grinding every single possession, and that’s what that was for the last eight minutes.”
Sophomore Jacob McLoughlin had a team-high 15 points and four assists, sophomore Nate Katznelson added 13 points and four boards, senior Ryan Zunenshine had 12 points and 11 rebounds, senior Donyae Pierre finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, and junior Matt Baur (nine rebounds) scored nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Foxboro and Oliver Ames both did win their games, leaving the chance for a three-way tie as the Eagles and Black Knights ended up as the last game to finish in the league.
After falling behind 16-4 through one quarter of action, the Eagles battled back to make it a one-point game at halftime (26-25) and the two squads were level (38-38) going into the fourth.
The fourth, though it had its share of whistles like the first three quarters, saw the best back-and-forth of the game. There were five lead changes or ties in the opening minutes, and although Sharon led for the final five minutes, the advantage never grew past two possessions and was at one basket for the majority of the frame.
Maybe the biggest swing came just before the three minute mark. After McLoughlin dropped in a runner to make it 51-47, the Eagles nearly had a stop on the other end. Konrad Rogers was able to pounce on the loose ball for Stoughton, got it in the hands of Rayan Sablon (16 points, nine rebounds, four assists), and he found Cashmere Mathurin (10 points, eight rebounds) on a big alley-oop that brought the crowd to their feet.
The home side’s momentum was short-lived. The Knights were caught sinking too far in their 2-3 zone and Katznelson found Baur alone in the corner for a wide-open three.
Rogers answered with two free throws for Stoughton but McLoughlin found some space, got by his man, and finished his shot plus the foul to make it 57-51 with two minutes to go.
Stoughton took advantage of an offense rebound and Sablon kicked it to freshman Matt Greenspoon for a three to cut the deficit in half at 57-54. Out of a timeout, the Eagles got the ball to Zunenshine and he burst past his defender for a layup.
“They played a box-and-one [on Baur] against us last time, we knew they’d want to take him away so we had to have other guys step up, and we have all the confidence in the world in them to do it,” Ferguson said. “Jacob and Nate aren’t playing like sophomores anymore, Ryan stepped up huge for us…every game that came in contributed for us.”
Sharon got a stop and extended the lead to 60-54 on a free throw from McLoughlin. Connor Andrews answered with a tough two, plus the foul, to make it a one-possession game as the clock ticked under a minute to go.
The Eagles missed a pair from the line but Stoughton couldn’t cut into the deficit any further, off on a three and then off on a putback attempt.
Baur made four free throws down the stretch and McLoughlin added another to ice the win.
It was a slow start for both teams, with Sharon holding a meager 2-1 lead through four minutes of action. Stoughton’s offense erupted through and finished with a 15-0 run over the final 3:22. Andrews lone triple of the game helped spark the run, Liam Pearl had a steal and a layup, Sablon added some free throws, and then Pearl beat the buzzer with a putback for a 16-4 lead.
“I thought we missed a few easy baskets earlier in the game that we usually hit, and some late too,” said Stoughton head coach Evan Taylor. The Black Knights made just a trio of threes on 21 attempts. “I think it probably had to do with nerves and the excitement of the game, it was a great atmosphere in the gym tonight. But this one felt like it got away from us.”
After Katznelson and Greenspoon traded baskets to start the second, the Eagles’ aggressiveness resulted in a lot of whistles and trips to the line. McLoughlin, Zunenshine, and Pierre cut into the Stoughton lead with free throws and alter in the period, Katznelson drained a three to halve the lead. Katznelson then finished off a steal, Mathurin answered for Stoughton but McLoughlin added a late bucket on a pass from John Baez to make it 26-25 at the half.
“Our second quarter was really good because the first quarter we played poorly and didn’t shoot the ball well,” Ferguson said. “And that bled a little bit into our defense but the second quarter we came back and I thought we played awesome.”
Sharon boys basketball (9-7 Hockomock, 11-7 overall) will close out the regular season with a pair of home games in the Dudley Davenport Tournament, hosting Ashland on Sunday. Stoughton (6-10, 7-10) is on the road for its final three games. The Black Knights are on the edge of the postseason based on the latest ratings but could clinch a spot if they win their final three games, starting with a trip to North Andover on Sunday.
Stoughton sophomore Liam Pearl goes up for a shot in the fourth quarter. Pearl scored the winning basket for the Black Knights in overtime. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
STOUGHTON, Mass. – To say Stoughton’s chances of winning Monday night’s contest were slim would be an understatement.
Consider this: the Black Knights trailed 23-4 after eight minutes of action, entered the fourth quarter down by 15 points, and were up against a seven-point deficit with 11.9 seconds to play.
Even after overcoming all of that, Stoughton trailed by two possessions with just over a minute to play in overtime. In fact, Stoughton did not have a lead for 35:50 of the 36 minutes played.
And yet, a basket from sophomore Liam Pearl with 10 seconds to play in the extra period not only gave the Black Knights their first and only lead of the game, it gave Stoughton an improbable 69-68 win over rival Canton.
“We just had to be tougher, we had to play tougher,” said second-year Stoughton head coach Evan Taylor. “The first half we probably missed 20-something shots and only have three offensive rebounds. We weren’t working hard enough. [Canton] came in here and outworked us to start. We had a good talk at halftime, you know there is no 20-point basket. It was all about one possession at a time: score and then get a stop. And we wanted to put some pressure on them.”
Fast forward to the fourth quarter,
Stoughton boys basketball
Stoughton had chipped away at Canton’s once 15-point lead, outscoring the Bulldogs with a 12-4 run.
Cashmere Mathurin (10 points, six rebounds) scored on a baseline cut, Connor Andrews (21 points, eight rebounds) drained a deep, contested three, and Rayan Sablon (13 points) converted an offensive board to make it 55-48, cutting Canton’s lead (that peaked at 23 in the first half) down to seven with just 4:49 to go.
A three-point play from Canton’s Nate Mei with three minutes to go seemed to stem the tide for a stretch. Stoughton chipped away, two free throws from Mathurin made it a one-possession game with under a minute to go but Mei sank two from the line, Lanse Dorcelus added two more from the line, and the Bulldogs came up with a steal holding a 62-55 lead with 11.9 seconds left.
A miss on the front end of the one-and-one gave Stoughton hope and Andrews delivered, draining a side-step three while being fouled, sinking the free throw for a four-point play that made it 62-59 with 4.2 seconds left.
Stoughton boys basketball
Stoughton’s full-court pressure resulted in a deep heave from Canton on the inbound that was tracked down instead by Sablon. An inbounds over half and quick timeout allowed Stoughton to advance the ball, setting up a chance with an inbounds pass from in front of its own bench with 2.7 seconds to go.
Sablon lobbed it to Mathurin, who caught it and dished it off to Andrews, who came curling around a screen from Jonah Ly, all in one motion. Andrews threw up an off-balance three and hit nothing but net as the buzzer sounded to send it to overtime, 62-62.
“That was a great play by [assistant coach] Mike Manning, that was a great call,” Taylor said. “Sometimes you have to go with the guy that has been getting it done for you even if people know. I’m sure [Canton], I’m sure everyone in the while gym knew we were. But you have to trust him and he has everyone’s respect on the team, he’s the guy you want to take that shot.”
Stoughton boys basketball
Canton had a perfect start to the extra period with a three from Lanse Dorcelus, who scored a career-high 26 points. The Bulldogs got consecutive stops and two free throws from Dorcelus pushed the lead to 67-62. After trading empty possessions and some missed free throws from both sides, Andrews made it 68-64 with 1:35 to go.
Canton had a turnover on the rebound which led to another free throw from Pearl, making it a one-possession game at 68-65. Full court pressure resulted in a backcourt call and Pearl drove to the basket for two, 68-67 with just under a minute to go.
After trading turnovers, Canton was off on a pair of free throws and the Black Knights went back to Pearl, who muscled his way down the lane for two and Stoughton’s first lead, 69-68.
Canton had one more chance off of inbound on the baseline with one second left, but Pearl anticipated the shot and blocked it.
“It just felt like the tale of two halves, two different games,” said first-year Canton head coach Eric MacKinnon. “We couldn’t have shot it much better in the first quarter and part of that second. We knew we probably wouldn’t be able to maintain that 20-point lead but we thought we could hold them off enough to finish it off. In the end, they made some really good plays and we made some really untimely plays.
“The press killed us at times and got them some easy buckets and they got their momentum going. We told them going in that we needed to control the tempo. We knew they’d have some runs but they sped us up and we took some quick shots. But even still, you get to overtime and you’re up five at one point, that’s a game we should finish, and tonight we didn’t.”
It was a dream start for the visitors, who were firing on all cylinders over the first eight minutes. Mei, Dillon Nguyen (10 points), Matt Chafin (12 points, 11 rebounds), and Dorcelus all hit from downtown and the Bulldogs shot nearly 70% from the floor.
On the other side, Stoughton had four turnovers and went just 2-for-13 from the floor as the visitors established a 23-4 advantage.
Canton hit four more threes in the second though including one from Jacob Solomon and one from Conor Hunter (five points, 10 rebounds), the latter giving Canton its largest lead at 32-9. But Stoughton closed with a 15-5 run, getting four points from each Sablon, Ly, and Josh Rivera in the frame, to make it 37-24 at the half.
A back-and-forth third quarter helped Canton keep its double-digit advantage, taking a 15-point lead — 51-36 — into the final quarter.
Stoughton boys basketball
Stoughton ended up with 26 points in the fourth quarter and only committed four turnovers compared to Canton’s eight. The Black Knights forced Canton into four more turnovers in overtime.
Both teams are back in action on Tuesday as Stoughton (2-2 Hockomock, 2-2 overall) entertains undefeated Mansfield while Canton (1-3, 1-4) hosts Taunton.
Taunton senior Trent Santos takes a midrange jump shot in the first half at Stoughton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
STOUGHTON, Mass. – Taunton senior Trent Santos was doing his part on the offensive end of the court, but the Tigers needed someone else to step up as they clung to a one-point lead over Stoughton going into the final quarter.
That’s exactly what the Tigers got to start the final quarter as Faisal Mass, Matt Small, and Tristan Herry each scored inside the first three minutes and Trent Santos added a key offensive board and assist, all resulting in a 14-0 run that helped Taunton take home a 61-48 decision over the Black Knights.
Trent Santos accounted for half of Taunton’s 40 points through the first three quarters, but Taunton’s lead quickly expanded with the help of the rest of the players on the court.
Mass (nine points, six rebounds) sank a free throw and then scored off a steal from Herry. On the next trip down, Herry found Small on a baseline cut for an easy two that forced an early timeout from the hosts. Trent Santos missed a three on the next trip but Troy Santos (four points, six rebounds) flew in for the offensive rebound, drew a double team, and kicked it back out to his older brother for a triple.
Following another turnover by the Black Knights, Trent Santos dished it to Herry (12 points, six assists, five rebounds, three steals) for a triple. Taunton got a stop on the defensive end and Trent Santos, who tied a career-high with 27 points, drained his third three of the game as Taunton capped a 14-0 run that turned a one-point advantage into a comfortable 54-39 lead.
“That lead seemed to come out of nowhere,” admitted Taunton head coach Charlie Dacey. “The game didn’t seem to be trending in that direction. But that’s kind of who we are, we’re streaky individually and we’re streaky as a team. You just have to pick the right time to go on a good streak.
“We switched up our sets a little bit, ran a couple of different things just to get a different look. They were starting to get comfortable against the offense so we had to switch it up.”
Stoughton finally snapped its scoreless start to the fourth quarter off a corner three from freshman Matt Greenspoon (nine points, six rebounds) with four minutes to play but couldn’t get any closer in the final moments.
“I think a part of it was just experience, being in that situation,” said Stoughton head coach Evan Taylor. “[Taunton] executed down the stretch, they were able to make some plays and hit some shots and we didn’t. We turned the ball over more in the fourth quarter than the rest of the game I think. We have to learn how to start quarters strong, close out games, situational things like that.”
The first three quarters essentially played out as a duel between Trent Santos and Stoughton senior Connor Andrews, who dropped a game-high and career-high 30 points.
Andrews came out of the gates on fire, helping the Black Knights to their best quarter of the game. He drained three triples in the opening eight minutes and had 13 points as Stoughton built a 20-15 lead.
Stoughton had its largest lead after a bucket from Liam Pearl (eight rebounds) and a free throw from Josh Rivera made it 23-15 but Taunton controlled the final six minutes of the second quarter. Trent Santos had back-to-back buckets before he sank a pair of free throws. Andrews answered with a triple to keep Stoughton ahead, but the Tigers closed the half on an 8-0 run — two from Herry, a three-point play from Jordan Costa (five points, five rebounds), another free throw from Herry, and a jumper from Santos — for a 29-26 lead at halftime.
“I think having experience helped and someone like Tristan, he just settles everyone down on both ends of the floor,” Dacey said. “He didn’t panic at all defensively, and that kid [Andrews] is tough but he made him work for it and I think that drains someone by the end of the game.
“[Stoughton] is always tough, they are athletic and really explosive, they match up with us.”
The Tigers had its largest lead of the opening three quarters when Santos scored on back-to-back possessions to make it 38-32 before Andrews answered with two field goals of his own and Greenspoon hit a late three to make it a one-point game going into the fourth.
Taunton boys basketball (1-0 Hockomock, 1-0 overall) will have its home opener on Friday when they host King Philip, who had the night off after its season opener was delayed due to its football team reaching the state final. Stoughton (0-1, 0-1) will travel to Foxboro, who also had tonight off because of KP’s delay.
Stoughton’s Waseem Sablon goes up for a layup in the second half against Sharon. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
STOUGHTON, Mass. – On Monday evening, the Stoughton boys basketball team went into Sharon, controlled the tempo, and put up its best offensive performance of the season in a comfortable win over the Eagles.
On Tuesday night, the Black Knights did it again.
Stoughton boys basketball
From senior Colby Andrews’ first basket just 10 seconds into the contest up until sophomore Rayan Sablon’s three-pointer in the final minute, Stoughton had its foot on the gas from start to finish to earn a 74-56 win over the visiting Eagles.
It marked Stoughton’s best offensive output of the season and the most points scored by any Davenport division team so far this season.
“That’s the pace we want, we want to pick it up and we want to get shots up,” said first-year Stoughton head coach Evan Taylor. “I think it’s just been about getting more comfortable with the offense, just being together more as a team. We’re playing together as a team more, everyone is touching the ball and getting more involved.
“We’ve really started to pick up the pace a lot more, which is the tempo we want to play at. Obviously, it helps when shots start falling that weren’t following to start the season. We’ve always had the confidence in the shots, now we’re starting to see them fall.”
The Black Knights were coming off a 72-point performance just 24 hours earlier on the road at Sharon. They followed a similar blueprint on their home court. Stoughton’s offense was off and running from the beginning, laughing up 23 field goal attempts — with seven makes — over the first eight minutes with just one turnover.
That resulted in a 16-13 lead for the hosts, which could have been more if not for a terrific individual effort from Sharon sophomore Matt Baur (18 points, five rebounds), who hit five of the Eagles’ six shots from the floor and had 11 points to keep the visitors close.
Christian Georges converted a putback attempt to push Stoughton’s lead to eight just over two minutes into the second but the Eagles continued to keep up with the Black Knights’ torrid pace. Sam Cohen hit a jumper, Owen Conway drove to the basket for two, and Baur drained a triple. Kiran Chandrasekaran sank a pair of free throws to get the visitors within four, 28-24, with three minutes to go in the first half.
That’s when Stoughton showed just how quickly and deadly its offense can be when it gets going. Junior Connor Andrews drained a three after an offensive rebound and pass from junior KC Ugwuakazi (17 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks). Andrews came up with a turnover on the ensuing inbounds and found senior Jake Queeney (15 points) for a triple, and after two straight Eagles’ turnovers, Ugwuakazi cleaned up his own miss.
Stoughton continued to crash the offensive glass (23 offensive rebounds), this time Cashmere Mathurin grabbed a board and put it back up for two to complete a 10-0 run in less than two minutes.
Even though Sharon broke the run out of a timeout when Ryan Zunenshine converted an offensive rebound into two points, the Black Knights added seven more points over the final minute. Brett Pendenza made a pair of free throws, Sablon drained a three, and Mathurin beat the buzzer with a hard banked-in shot to give Stoughton a 45-28 halftime lead.
Stoughton boys basketball
“That’s not the pace we want to play at,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson, his side committing 10 of its 14 turnovers in the opening half. “The same thing happened last night. They sped us up, they played at the pace they wanted to and that’s a credit to them. We stressed trying to play slower, execute our offense, run our screens, slips, back doors, and we didn’t do it. It was too much one on one, too much first pass shot. It’s disappointing because we had been playing well. We needed to slow it down in this game but we couldn’t play at the pace we wanted.
“We let our bad defensive possessions affect our offense, and we let our bad offensive possessions affect our defensive possessions, it’s a snowball. We weren’t communicating enough defensively, we were helping off the wrong spots, and then we were just selfish on offense.”
A switch to a zone defense by the Eagles helped some but was merely a speed bump for the Black Knights. Brady Conlin knocked down a three against the zone early, and after Stoughton’s longest scoreless stretch of the game of nearly three minutes, Pendenza and Queeney delivered back-to-back triples to help Stoughton push its lead to 54-35 just past the midway point of the third.
Queeney’s isolation step-back triple extended Stoughton’s advantage to 59-37 with two minutes to go in the third but Sharon made a final push to get back into it. Matt Baskin (nine points, 10 rebounds) went coast-to-coast for two and then sank a triple after a Stoughton turnover. Zunenshine used a crafty finish for two and Ryan Baker’s contested heave from deep three-point territory beat the buzzer as the Eagles got back into the game, down 59-47 going into the fourth.
Zunenshine opened with two more to make it a 10-point game but that would be the closest the Eagles would get the rest of the way. Ugwuakazi scored four straight points, had a big block on the defensive end, and Queeney converted another offensive rebound into points as Stoughton restored a comfortable lead at 65-49.
“In the beginning of the season, they’re probably going the other way,” Taylor said of the close game situations in the second and fourth quarters. “There’s been some mental growth. It’s been a growing season for all of them, and with just two returners back from last year, we knew it would be. Everybody is getting experience now, and everyone is learning together. We’ve been watching film, just trying to get better as a team each day.”
Stoughton (4-5 Davenport, 4-5 overall) travels to Mansfield on Thursday for its first of three straight games against Kelley-Rex opponents. Sharon (3-4, 3-5) returns home on Friday night against rival Oliver Ames.
North Attleboro senior George Ladd goes up for a shot in the first half against Stoughton. Ladd finished with 21 points. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The North Attleboro boys basketball team was on the verge of running away with a win during the third period, but visiting Stoughton made enough plays to stay in striking distance.
When given a second chance to put the game to bed, the Rocketeers didn’t take their foot off the pedal and ran away with a 61-36 decision over the Black Knights.
North extended its lead to 15 points with three minutes left in the third but the Black Knights chipped away, led by some hustle plays from junior Connor Andrews. Andrews took a charge and hauled in a pair of defensive rebounds on one end, and scored five straight on the other end to keep the visitors’ hopes alive, down 36-26.
But the Rocketeers’ offense couldn’t be contained in the fourth quarter. Senior George Ladd (eight rebounds) scored 11 of his game-high 21 points in the final frame, taking advantage of Stoughton turnovers and second-chance points. North ended up with 25 points in the quarter, pulling away for the win.
“In the third quarter we kind of relaxed a little and took our foot off the gas,” admitted North Attleboro head coach Sean Mulkerrins, who is in his eighth year at the helm. “In the fourth, I thought our defensive focus was better, our rebounding focus was better, and our attention to protecting the ball was better and I think that was the difference. We thought we had a better man-to-man defense scheme than we executed the first game so we worked a lot on that in practice.”
Junior Casey Poirier set the tone in the first minute, taking a charge as the Rocketeers’ defense forced back-to-back turnovers to start the quarter. On the other end, senior Edan Kelley (seven points, five assists) found Ladd cutting backdoor on an inbounds play, a lob finished plus the foul for a three-point play and the Rocketeers were off and running.
Kelley found Jared Vacher for two and Ladd hit two free throws after a Stoughton turnover. Kelley and Ladd hooked up once again with the latter using a nice scoop finish. Poirier’s hard drive drew the defense’s attention and Ladd was there to finish again. Vacher missed the front end of a one-and-one but grabbed his own miss and snuck a layup in.
Three of Stoughton’s next four possessions resulted in turnovers, the last two turning into back-to-back buckets for Ladd and Brody Rosenberg (11 points, seven rebounds), as North opened the quarter with a 17-7 run and took a 53-33 lead with just over three minutes to go.
North Attleboro boys basketball
“We’re not really a team that gets up and forces a lot of turnovers, we’re trying to play solid defense without giving up easy ones,” Mulkerrins said. “With everything going on this season, lack of practice, roster moves, I think that’s naturally going to lead to turnovers so if you can just be solid defensively, more often than not you’ll be in a good spot.”
Besides the first basket of the game from Stoughton junior KC Ugwuakazi (eight points, 11 rebounds), the Rocketeers never trailed. The response was a 14-2 run in the opening quarter. Rosenberg sliced through the defense, Ladd cleaned up a miss, Kelley confidently sank a triple, Poirier hit one from the line and Ladd scored again. Kelley scored back-to-back baskets and North stretched its lead to double digits in the opening quarter.
“When a couple of things go wrong, and it feels like we’re down a hundred then we try to make up all the points on one play instead of slowly chipping away at it,” said first-year Stoughton head coach Evan Taylor. “I think it starts with a better start at the beginning of the game.”
“I think the biggest concern is on the offensive end. We’ve been playing pretty well defensively, holding teams to reasonable scores besides tonight. But we’re just not scoring enough, we’re not being aggressive enough. I don’t think we’re being unselfish enough. We have too many guys looking for their own shot and it shows on the scoreboard. Our offense as a whole needs to play more together.”
The second was a bit better for the Black Knights, who outscored the hosts 10-9 in the frame. Both Andrews and Jake Queeney connected from three-point range to keep Stoughton close but North got some key contributions from its bench, as it did throughout the entire game.
After Queeney’s triple cut the deficit to four, Nate Bennett’s hustle led to a putback off his own miss. And Rosenberg hit a key triple late in the quarter, getting an open look after a nice off-ball screen from Jason Rodriguez.
The contributions from the bench continued into the third as Tommy Onorato knocked down a triple on one end and Rodriguez stepped in to take a charge on Stoughton’s ensuing possession.
“I have all the faith in the world in every single one of these kids,” said Mulkerrins, who played his entire available roster, most in meaningful minutes. “They are here every day, working hard in practice…we’re trying to pride ourselves this year on having really competitive practices and giving guys a chance. We talk about when guys come off the bench, the energy level has to go up. We had guys do that tonight, Jason Rodriguez stepped up and his focus was there, we got the ball in his hand on offense. I was really proud of the group tonight, they really made the best of their minutes.”
Stoughton got a stop early in the third but the defensive rebound was quickly turned over and Rosenberg dished it off to Ladd for two. Two more from Rosenberg and Onorato’s three pushed North’s lead to 32-17.
North Attleboro (2-1) returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to take on Canton (3-1). Stoughton (0-4) will look for its first win when it hosts Foxboro on the same day.
Canton senior Eric Mischler beats the buzzer with a shot over Stoughton defenders at the end of the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
STOUGHTON, Mass. – Canton entered Thursday night’s contest against Stoughton well aware it was at a severe height disadvantage.
Canton boys basketball
And as the game went on, the Black Knights slowly found ways to get the ball into the paint to exploit that advantage.
But in crunch time, with the game hanging in the balance, the Bulldog defense slammed the door shut. Canton didn’t give Stoughton a single look inside, holding the Knights scoreless for the final 3:33 of the game to secure a 46-40 win on the road.
Senior Eric Mischler took a pass from Steve Burbank and drained a three early in the fourth to give the Bulldogs their biggest lead of the game, 41-33. But over the next three minutes, the Black Knights clawed back into it.
Canton boys basketball
Jake Queeney crashed the offensive glass for an uncontested putback, KC Ugwuakazi (15 points, 12 rebounds) converted putback, and two possessions later, converted an old-fashioned three-point play to bring the hosts within one possession, down 43-40.
The Black Knights, however, never attempted another shot from in close the rest of the way, nor did they get a second chance on offense as Canton cleaned up the boards. Stoughton’s final seven possessions resulted in two turnovers and five three-point attempts.
“For us, it was about ball pressure, pressuring the guy making the pass,” said Canton head coach Ryan Gordy, now in his 10th season at the helm of the Bulldogs. “KC is a problem down low, he is a good player. “Sometimes we did a good job of it and they struggled to get the pass in and it allowed our help defense to rotate, and the times we were late they got good touches and scored. I thought it all about just pressuring them.”
Junior Lanse Dorcelus sliced through the Stoughton defense and scored at the rim with just under two minutes to play to pad Canton’s lead. More stops and a free throw from Dillon Nguyen sealed the deal.
“I think a lot of just comes back to practice,” said first-year Stoughton head coach Evan Taylor. “It’s obviously a strange year, this is only our fourth day that we’ve been together in the past two weeks and two of those days were games. I think as the season goes on, we’ll eliminate some of the mistakes you saw tonight, we’ll study the film more, and get back on track.”
“Canton was doing a good job [preventing it], they are a good defensive team, well-coached but we just didn’t execute,” Taylor said about getting enough paint touches. “We were trying to get some looks inside but I think the lack of execution comes from the lack of practice.”
Mischler (game-high 17 points) helped the Bulldogs get off to a strong start on the offensive end. The team’s leading scorer last season, the Black Knights bottled Mischler up on Tuesday night, holding the senior to just eight points. On Thursday, Mischler came out and hit an early three and had six points in the opening quarter.
Canton boys basketball
After just two makes in the first quarter, Stoughton’s offense found a bit of a groove in the second. Connor Andrews came off the bench with five straight points and the Knights scored six straight attacking the rim. Elisha Claude, the defending Hockomock League champion in the indoor high jump who is playing hoops this season with track delayed, drained a triple and Stoughton had its largest lead at 21-17.
Canton was quick to answer as Nguyen found Mischler wide open cutting to the basket, Dorcelus tied the game on a fast break, and Mischler hit a turnaround midrange jumper at the buzzer to give the Bulldogs a 23-21 lead at the break.
“[Stoughton] did a really good job on Eric on Tuesday,” Gordy said. “To his credit, Eric watched a ton of film and studied some things he wasn’t doing right and he just came out with a different mindset tonight. He came out like a senior all-star, it’s his team. His mindset and approach was great after they had a really good game plan on Tuesday. And when other guys are hitting shots, it opens up everything.”
A putback from Matt Giglio and a layup from Mischler were answered by back-to-back buckets from Ugwuakazi down low in the paint. And a corner three just before the shot clock from Brady Conlin had the Black Knights ahead.
But the Bulldogs had three players step up and deliver shots over the final four minutes of the quarter that gave the visitors the lead for good. First, Burbank drained a triple for a 30-28 lead. After Waseem Sablon put Stoughton up with 1:32 to play, Ryan Connerney made three straight big plays. First, a strong take to his left past his defender was good for two.
After another Stoughton turnover, Connerney dished to Will Keefe (career-high 11 points) in the corner for a triple with under a minute to go. The Black Knights once again lost possession and this time Connerney knocked down the three himself just before the buzzer for a 38-31 lead after three.
“Six points felt like a lot of points tonight as far as a cushion,” Gordy said of those points at the end of the third. “So when you can knock down a couple of threes, it just opens up the spacing and lets us to hit some back cuts, opens up some driving lanes. In the second quarter when we weren’t hitting, they did a good job of collapsing their defense and kind of daring us to shoot. So when you knock them down, it opens everything up.”
The Black Knights limited Mischler to just five points in the second half, but Burbank, Keefe, and Connerney all connected from deep to supplement the offense.
“When the other guys start hitting shots, any team is going to be tough to stop,” Taylor said. “We knew they had some other shooters, when they start hitting shots it’s tough. If we’re able to hit some of our shots, maybe it’s a different game but [Canton] played well, they were well-prepared.”
Canton boys basketball (2-0) is scheduled to take on Sharon in a battle of unbeatens on Tuesday. Stoughton (0-2) will host North Attleboro on the same night.
