Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 47 @ Franklin, 67 – Final – Franklin built a 10-point lead after a quarter, doubled it by halftime, and led the entire second half in a big win over visiting Attleboro. Justin Allen hit two of his four threes in the opening quarter, Geino Scaringello added another triple, and Andrew O’Neill, Bradley Hernon, Caden Sullivan, and Sean O’Leary all had buckets as the Panthers’ offense got going early for a 19-9 lead. O’Neill, Allen, and O’Leary all had triples — Franklin finished with 10 total — in the second and the Panthers’ defense limited the visiting Bombardiers to just seven points for a 36-16 advantage at halftime. O’Leary finished with a team-high 18 points and both O’Neill and Allen had 14 points in the win. Jaiden Outland and Neo Franco each had 13 points for Attleboro.
Foxboro, 75 @ Canton, 73 – Final (2OT) – Foxboro senior Ryan LeClair came up with a steal with just over 10 seconds left and classmate Alex Penders converted a putback with just seconds left as the Warriors outlasted Canton in an absolute thriller. Penders had a career-high 33 points to lead the Warriors while Sam Golub added 19 points. Canton’s Matt Chafin drilled a three-pointer with 20 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and force an overtime. From there, it was back-and-forth for both overtime and double overtime. Canton scored the first four points of the first overtime as Jamaal McConnell, who had a career-high 24 points, hit a pair of free throws and Julius Hicks (13 points) converted a tough layup for a 60-56 lead with two minutes to go. Penders used a nice fake and finished for two and Sam Golub drove to the basket for two more to tie it. Canton’s Caden Mirliani had a traditional three-point play with 30.7 seconds to go before Penders drove the length of the court for two to cut the deficit to one. Canton extended the lead with a free throw with 19.9 seconds left and forced a turnover with 10 seconds to go. After going 1/2 from the line again, Canton had a 65-62 lead. Foxboro was off on a game-tying three but sophomore Nolan Gordon soared in from the baseline and converted the putback while being fouled. His free throw with 1.9 seconds left tied the game to send it to double overtime. Golub gave Foxboro the lead early but Hicks had a three-point play to put Canton bak in front. LeClair battled through contact for two before McConnell answered for Canton to make it 70-69 with 2:00 to go. After Foxboro tied it with a free throw, Mirliani had a huge steal with under a minute to go and hit an open three for a 73-70 lead. Golub wasted little time and drained a deep three from straight away to tie it 73-73, setting up LeClair’s steal and Penders’ winner.
Stoughton, 52 @ Mansfield, 83 – Final – Mansfield’s offense clicked into high gear, scoring over 20 points in three of the four quarters to run away with a big win over the visiting Black Knights. The Hornets had four players in double figures and combined for 13 three-pointers with seven players hitting at least one. After building a 16-10 lead after one, the Hornets put up 21 points in the second, 22 points in the third, and ran away with the win with 24 points in the fourth quarter. JT Veiking (17 points) and Caden Colby (15 points) each hit three three-pointers to lead the offense while both Trevor Foley (12 points, five rebounds, four blocks) and Eddie McCoy (six rebounds, four assists) also finished in double figures for Mansfield. Davon Sanders (nine rebounds, four assists) and Chris Hill (13 rebounds, six assists, three blocks) each finished with nine points. Jayden Costa-Haywood led Stoughton with 13 points and Jarred Daughtry added 12 points.
Taunton, 87 @ Milford, 63 – Final – Taunton senior Chris Perault sank six three-pointers for a career-high 24 points and Chris Volcy added 22 points as the Tigers secured a win on the road behind a big offensive outburst. Gus Coutinho scored nine of his 17 points in the opening quarter as Milford led by a point, 16-15, but Taunton flipped the game with a big second quarter. Not only did the Tigers put up 23 points, they held the Hawks to just eight to flip a one-point deficit into a 38-24 lead at halftime. Perault hit half of his threes in the second and junior Troy Santos added nine of his 18 points in the frame to give Taunton a double-digit advantage. Perault added two more threes in the third and Jakari Innocent, Al Morisseau, and Travis Johnson had buckets to keep Taunton ahead, 61-44, going into the fourth. Taunton exploded for 26 points in the final frame as Santos hit a pair of threes and Volcy, Perault, and Gerry Cardoso each had one. Andrew Rivera scored a team-high 21 points for the Hawks including 15 in the second half.
Oliver Ames, 58 @ Sharon, 62 – Final – Oliver Ames went on the road and put Sharon on upset alert but the Eagles answered the call and closed out a close win over the Tigers. Oliver Ames rallied for a lead at 41-40 in the third quarter but the Eagles closed the frame with a 7-0 run to take the lead into the fourth. A three-point play from OA freshman Soren Lolonga (18 points) got the Tigers within three in the fourth but Tyler Goodman answered with a three, Nate Katznelson (19 points) converted a putback, and Jacob McLoughlin (game-high 21 points) had a steal and a breakaway dunk to give the Eagles a double-digit lead at 56-46. Chris Elias (13 points) hit a three and Lolonga had two more to get within five but Katznelson and McLoughlin each had a bucket to keep Sharon ahead. Sophomore Cole Craffey also had 18 points for Oliver Ames.
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 66 @ Attleboro, 55 – Final – In a battle for first place in the Kelley-Rex division, Franklin outscored Attleboro 22-9 in the fourth quarter to overturn a two-point deficit and pull out the 11-point win. The Bombardiers bounced back nicely from a tough loss to Foxboro last time out, scoring 20 points in the first quarter to grab the lead. Avery James and Lily Routhier each scored six in the first to get Attleboro off to a great start. Franklin cut the lead to five heading to the locker room and chipped three more points off in the third, with Chloe Fales scoring seven and Katie Peterson adding five in the quarter. Franklin’s offense clicked into gear in the fourth. Peterson went 6-for-6 from the line in the quarter (9-of-10 for the game) and Fales and Caelyn Leonard each added five points, while Lizzie Newman scored four. Vanessa Ellis had six of Attleboro’s nine points in the final period. Peterson led all scorers with 17 on the night. Fales scored 16, Newman added 12, Leonard had 10, and Bridget Leo scored seven points for the Panthers. Attleboro had only four players on the score sheet on Friday. James led the way with 16, Routhier scored 15, Ellis had 14, and Kayla Goldrick chipped in with 10. The Panthers now lead the division by one game.
Canton, 32 @ Foxboro, 55 – Final – Kailey Sullivan and Camryn Collins each scored 15 points and Foxboro continued its unbeaten start to the league campaign. Six of Foxboro’s eight wins this season have been by at least 23 points. Addie Ruter added 14 points for the Warriors, while Isabelle Chamberlin grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds.
Mansfield, 80 @ Stoughton, 37 – Final – Mansfield set a new program record for points in a game, extending its win streak to six games and staying within two games of league-leading Foxboro. Abby Wager scored a game-high 31 point to power the Hornets offensively. Kara Santos added 15 and Hallie Popat scored 14 for Mansfield. Maiya Merritt paced the Black Knights with 10 points, while Kirsten McKay added seven. Stoughton also got six points apiece from Caleigh Clark, Raina Tat, and Leah McCarty.
Milford, 36 @ Taunton, 46 – Final – The game was tied at 18 going into halftime, but Taunton found an extra boost of offense in the second half to bounce back from a loss on Tuesday and get back to .500 on the season. Cali Melo and Lexi Haywood combined for 14 of Taunton’s 18 in the first half and Aliza Syed continued her solid season by scoring half of Milford’s first half points. Melo continued her strong offensive play after the break, adding 10 more points to finish with a game-high 18. Haywood added five more in the second half, while Tarynn Campbell went 5-for-6 from the line and scored seven of her eight points. Chelsea Bousquet added all six of her points in the second half for Taunton to help the Tigers pull out the win. In addition to Syed’s 11 points, Milford got nine from Emily Croteau and six from Brooke Ferreira.
King Philip, 54 @ North Attleboro, 33 – Final – After a 9-0 North run to end the first quarter, KP built a six-point lead at halftime and outscored North 31-16 after the break to pull out the win. Emily Sawyer saw frequent double teams, and the North defense held her to four points combined in the second and third quarters, but she still managed to score a game-high 21 points. Maddie Paschke added 14 points and Jordan Bennett scored eight for the Warriors. Using its press, North climbed back within as few as four points but the Rocketeers struggled to consistently knock down shots and KP started to pull away. Ava McKeon scored a team-high 14 points and Sam Faria had a dozen for North. Katie Corsetti had a solid game in the post defending Sawyer.
Boys Swimming
Franklin @ Attleboro, 7:00
Mansfield, 76 @ Foxboro, 74 – Final
King Philip @ North Attleboro, 7:15
Milford @ Taunton, 3:30
Stoughton, 62 @ Sharon, 81 – Final
Girls Swimming
Franklin @ Attleboro, 7:00
Mansfield, 84 @ Foxboro, 85 – Final
King Philip @ North Attleboro, 7:15
Milford @ Taunton, 3:30
Stoughton, 26 @ Sharon, 70 – Final
Canton senior Matt Chafin goes up for a layup against Oliver Ames’ Ari Spiliakos in the second half on Friday night. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – Canton’s Julius Hicks hadn’t attempted a field goal all game, but when the Bulldogs needed him in crunch time, the senior captain delivered.
Hicks hit all three of his attempts from the floor in the fourth, including a pair of big three-pointers, to help Canton capture a 48-39 win on the road over Oliver Ames.
There was little separation throughout the first three quarters, and points were at a premium with the sides even at half (21-21) and again after three quarters of play (29-29). After scoring just eight points in the third quarter, Canton erupted for an 8-0 run to start the fourth in less than two minutes.
Sophomore Anthony Dilietizia drained a three off of the opening inbounds pass and a steal from senior Matt Chafin resulted in a pair of free throws for the senior captain. Another OA turnover, their third straight to start the final period, Chafin (15 points, 4 assists) penetrated the lane and dished it out to Hicks (10 points) for a triple to make it 37-29 just 1:46 into the fourth.
“I thought we executed a little bit better offensively, we played with more structure and more purpose,” said Canton head coach Eric MacKinnon. “We made sure to call something out every time. And defensively we got some deflections and got some steals and we converted. We really emphasized really getting organized and running something with a purpose.”
Oliver Ames sophomore Cole Craffey (17 points, five rebounds, three assists) hit back with a traditional three-point play to cut the deficit to five, but after some empty trips from both sides, Hicks took a pass from Zaza Francoeur (7 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks) and hit a three from straightaway.
“He was ready,” MacKinnon said of Hicks. “He looked exhausted out there but he made them when it mattered. Like any high school team, when you make a couple of shots, it gets you a little more excited on the other end.
“I think they missed some shots they normally make but I thought when we got the steals and deflections, we made the right play instead of forcing something. It was good that when we built that lead, we kept it and didn’t let it go.
Caden Mirliani finished a tough layup through contact to give Canton the first double-digit lead of the game at 42-32, and even when OA answered, the Bulldogs broke the press and a long possession finished with a layup from Hicks.
“The start of the fourth quarter was the difference,” said Oliver Ames head coach Oliver Vil. “They hit a big three, we missed one, and that’s kind of been the story for us the last couple of games with these little runs and we don’t stop the bleeding when we should.
“We started to play hero ball a little bit, and that’s something you get when you’re a young team. Defensively we’ve done well, we were second in the league in points against. We’re just hurting a little bit on the offensive end, and hopefully, that comes with more experience.”
The first three quarters featured back-and-forth runs from both sides. Francoeur hit a three to open the game and converted his own miss as Canton jumped out to a 6-0 lead but the Tigers came alive and closed with a 13-0 run, including a pair of three-pointers from senior Chris Elias (9 points).
A layup from Ashton Cetoute and consecutive threes from Chafin gave Canton the lead to start the second with an 8-0 run, and a bucket from Lucas Massih kept the Bulldogs ahead.
OA freshman Soren Lolonga (13 points, 7 rebounds) and Craffey combined for the final seven points to pull the Tigers level at the half, 21-21.
Lolonga was OA’s lone scorer in the third quarter, accounting for all eight of the Tigers’ points. Jamaal McConnell had success attacking the basket and had a late assist in the third to Mirliani, but Lolonga tied the game at 29-29 with a late free throw.
Canton boys basketball (4-2 Hockomock, 6-3 overall) hits the road on Tuesday with a visit to Franklin while Oliver Ames (1-5, 3-6) visits North Attleboro.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 59 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 54 – Final – Attleboro junior Neo Franco had ice in his veins down the stretch, hitting key free throws in the final moments to help the Bombardiers secure a key non-league on the road. Franco, fresh off a career-high 29 point performance earlier this week against Stoughton, stayed hot with 27 points on Thursday night. Trailing by a point at 54-53, Franco was fouled driving to the basket and sank both free throws to put Attleboro ahead with 18.7 seconds left. After Attleboro got a stop on defense, Franco was fouled and hit two more to make it a two-possession game in the final seconds. He finished 8-for-10 from the line in the fourth quarter alone and had 12 points total in the fourth. Jaiden Outland (seven points) had a big three-pointer in the fourth Michael Beverly (11 points) set the tone early for the visitors with a pair of triples in the first quarter.
Canton, 69 @ Southeastern, 54 – Final – Canton scored 18 points in the third quarter and 24 points in the fourth quarter, turning a small halftime deficit into a double-digit win on the road at Southeastern. The Bulldogs connected on five three-pointers in the first half, including a pair from Julius Hicks (16 points) but trailed by a bucket, 29-27, at halftime. Senior Matt Chafin sparked the offense in the third, scoring 11 of his career-high 20 points in the quarter and Zaza Francoeur (16 points) added a triple to give Canton a 45-38 lead going into the fourth. Chafin and Francoeur each scored a pair of buckets, Hicks hit two more threes and both Jeremiah Predin and Caden Mirliani connected from deep as Canton pulled away for the win.
Foxboro, 72 @ Milton, 52 – Final – Foxboro senior Alex Penders scored the first bucket of the game and dominated the rest of the way, tying a career-high with 30 points to lead the Warriors to a big win on the road at Milton. Penders scored 13 points in the opening quarter, Sam Golub (11 points) and Ryan LeClair each had four, and Ryan Kelley and Ryan Cotter (10 points) each hit a shot to give Foxboro a commanding 25-12 lead after eight minutes. Foxboro carried a 40-22 lead into the locker room. Penders went right back to work in the third with nine more points to give Foxboro a 56-35 lead going into the fourth.
Sharon, 67 vs. Plymouth North, 51 – Final – Sharon built a double-digit lead by halftime and used a big third quarter to pull away for a big win against visiting Plymouth North. Dante James hit five three-pointers, including a pair in Sharon’s big third quarter, and finished with a career-high 25 points. James got the Eagles going with a pair of threes in the first while Ryan Brown, Jacob McLoughlin (22 points), and Tyler Goodman all connected from downtown in the opening eight minutes to give the Eagles a 16-10 lead after a quarter. McLoughlin and Nate Katznelson (nine points) each scored six in the second for a 32-20 halftime lead. Plymouth North cut the deficit down to single digits in the third but Goodman drained a three and James scored 10 points in the quarter alone to help pull away.
Girls Basketball
Mansfield, 42 @ Bishop Feehan, 57 – Final
Sharon, 39 @ Leominster, 49 – Final – Rachael Hager led the Eagles with 15 points and Jasmine Davis added 12 in the loss.
Boys Hockey
Canton, 4 vs. Hanover, 1 – Final – Canton scored three goals in the second period to earn a key win over state powerhouse Hanover. Pat Drury, Brian Middleton, and AJ Thomas each scored in the second to give the Bulldogs the lead. Sophomore Travis Thomas tacked on an empty net goal in the third to secure the win.
Girls Hockey
Franklin, 2 @ Boston Latin Academy, 1 – Final – After going to overtime with Canton on Wednesday, Franklin was back in action in another tight one just 24 hours later. Lindsay Atkinson scored the game-winner late in the third period, off an assist from Julia Flynn, to lift the Panthers to the win. Avery Greco scored Franklin’s first goal, with Shaw Downing picking up the assist. Izzy Brown had another stellar game in goal for the Panthers.
Canton’s Zaza Francoeur (3) attempts to block a shot from Sharon’s Nate Katznelson (32) in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
SHARON, Mass. – It might have been second game jitters, or maybe it was the nearly 90-minute delay that pushed tipoff back, but neither Canton nor Sharon could quite get into a rhythm on Friday night.
That was until crunch time.
The visiting Bulldogs used an 8-0 run — the biggest run from either team in the entire game — to surge ahead with just under three minutes to go, only for the host Eagles to answer and secure a 57-52 win.
A pair of lengthy subvarsity games pushed the start time back over an hour, and both teams struggled to string baskets together as defense ruled the first three quarters.
“We got a little complacent and at times, we got a little selfish, and our offense stopped moving, we stopped sharing the ball and it became difficult to score,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson. “I think [Canton’s run] did kind of wake us up. We had some real effort from guys on the bench that kept everyone involved. Then we were able to get some big plays down the stretch from some big players.”
A bucket down low from Sharon junior Jaden Segal put the Eagles ahead 47-40 just before the midway point of the fourth quarter. Canton responded with its best offensive stretch of the game as Jamaal McConnell (16 points, four rebounds, two blocks) hit a free throw and senior Caden Mirliani scored a bucket in transition and followed with a pull-up three-pointer to get the Bulldogs within one.
Matt Chafin (eight points) came up with a steal and Julius Hicks found Zaza Francoeur (7 points, five rebounds, four steals, three blocks) cutting to the basket for two and Canton’s first lead, 48-47, since McConnell’s opening bucket to start the game.
After a timeout, Sharon junior Jacob McLoughlin (8 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds) slipped a pass to a cutting Dante James (eight points), and the senior finished his baseline take to put the hosts back in front. An illegal screen gave Sharon the ball back but McConnell came up with a huge block at the rim. Canton had another empty trip, launching three three-pointers but were off the mark each time.
A pair of free throws from James extended Sharon’s lead to 51-48 but Hicks found Chafin and he drained his first and only three-point attempt to make it 51-51 with 1:30 left.
Sharon drew up a baseline inbounds play but the Bulldogs defended it well. Without any teammates open, McLoughlin alertly tossed the ball off a Canton player’s back, got back inbounds, and laid it up for two and a 53-51 lead.
“We’re not trying to make a habit of throwing off the other team’s back but we have two high IQ point guards,” Ferguson. Sharon senior Jack Bates (five assists, two steals) did the same thing to end a quarter against Taunton. “We’re trying to draw up a play, we were looking for Nate and they defended it really well. Jacob made a real heads-up play to get a bucket.”
The Eagles’ ball pressure led to a backcourt on Canton’s next possession, and after drawing up another play in a timeout, James looped in a pass to Nate Katznelson (22 points, 12 rebounds) in the post and he finished at the rim to make it 55-51 with 20 seconds left. Sharon continuously made an effort to get the ball down low, only attempting nine three-pointers all game and making just one.
“All day in practice yesterday we were working on feeding Nate in the post,” Ferguson said. “We thought we had a size advantage there and we could use that. He has been tremendous this year, his physicality is so much better. With Matt [Baur] out (illness) and Jacob not having his best night, we had to rely on Nate. And Dante made a great play in the end too, so relying on those guys with the varsity experience is key right now.”
McConnell sank a free throw to make it a one-possession game but McLoughlin sank two from the line to ice the win.
“I thought their ball pressure really bothered us and prevented us from getting into anything,” said second-year Canton head coach Eric MacKinnon. “We’d draw up a play and couldn’t get to it. Their ball pressure was really good but part of it is on us too. We’re too free-flowing at times. They got a lot of deflections and I thought they were the tougher team.
“During that run, that was the one point it kind of felt like things were going good but we never really got any runs, and didn’t have another one to extend [the lead]. Katznelson is a different type of player to guard and we were struggling a bit with that.”
Katznelson got off to a strong start, helping the hosts establish a lead that they carried throughout the second and third quarters. He started the game off with a traditional three-point play on a feed from McLoughlin and then scored 10 of Sharon’s final 14 points — the Eagles also got buckets from Zach Wise and Ryan Brown in the stretch.
He finished with 13 points and four rebounds in the opening quarter to help the Eagles take a 19-11 lead after eight minutes.
Hicks made a pair of threes in the second quarter and the Bulldogs also got buckets from Ashton Cetoute and Francoeur as they got the deficit down to four, 30-26, at halftime.
“We have to learn from this and grow from these situations, and we will if we do the right things in practice,” MacKinnon said. “I’m hoping we’ll look back and say we got better from it, even though it was a loss. We have to be tougher with the ball, some of our inexperience showed tonight.”
Sharon boys basketball (1-1 Hockomock, 1-1 overall) is on the road at Milford on Tuesday while Canton (1-1, 1-1) travels to Taunton.
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.”
Canton’s Julius Hicks goes up for a shot with North Attleboro’s Edan Kelley defending. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – It was a tale of two halves between the Canton and North Attleboro boys basketball teams.
But the overtime period? That was completely up for grabs.
In the end, the pendulum swung in favor of the Rocketeers just once more than it did for the visiting Bulldogs as North Attleboro claimed a 52-50 win over Canton inside Kenneth Pickering Gymnasium.
The decision was split after 32 minutes of action, North Attleboro claiming a double-digit first half advantage only for Canton to completely flip the script in the second half, stifling the Rocketeers’ offense and turning stops into points, and a deficit into a lead.
“We felt good about getting to overtime because we were on our last life for what felt like forever,” said North Attleboro head coach Sean Mulkerrins. “To get to overtime, we stole the momentum and their bench quieted down a bit. It was big to get points on the first possession. For us, it was just continuing what got us back into it against their zone and we had to keep playing good defense. It was a great Hockomock basketball game, felt like a playoff game almost. We made just enough plays.”
North Attleboro boys basketball
North Attleboro’s lead at halftime, 26-10, took a major hit when Canton came out swinging in the form of a 10-2 run in just over two minutes of action, putting the hosts on their heels. By the end of the third eight-minute segment, North Attleboro’s lead shrunk down to just five, 31-26, the Rocketeers getting a much-needed three from senior Tommy Onorato in the final minute.
It turned out to be a sign of things to come for Onorato, who finished with a career-high 12 points, and the Rocketeers. Canton’s comeback continued into the fourth though as a pair of free throws from Steven Burbank (12 points, six rebounds) preceded a three from Will Keefe (12 points) that gave Canton its first lead since the opening moments of the game.
Eric Mischler (11 points, eight rebounds) sliced his way to the rim for two, the Bulldogs earned back-to-back stops and Keefe tossed another triple in and Canton, on the back of a 12-1 run, suddenly had a 40-34 lead with 1:34 to play.
“It’s kind of been like that in the Davenport this year, seems like one team brings it for a half and another brings it the other half,” said Canton head coach Ryan Gordy. “It was kind of the opposite when we played them at home, we had a good first three quarters and they came back in the fourth. We talked at halftime about how we could get back into this game. Instead of quitting, the kids made a commitment and the effort to really start rebounding and playing defense, which got us back into the game.”
North Attleboro had an answer to stem the tide. With the defense collapsing on him in the paint, senior George Ladd (16 points, 15 rebounds) dished it out to Brody Rosenberg (seven points), who hit his first field goal of the game with a triple to halve the deficit.
Ryan Connerney (13 points, five assists) pushed the lead back to five when he sank a pair of free throws but North Attleboro had another answer from downtown. This time, Casey Poirier (four points, eight assists, four rebounds, two steals) dished it to Onorato for a three with 41.1 left to make it 42-40.
Canton added to its lead with a free throw but once again the Rocketeers, who had just five makes from three-point range through the first three quarters, hit their third three of crunch time. Poirier was short on his attempt from the corner but followed his shot, got the rebound, and dished it to senior Edan Kelley for a three – his first make of the game – from the top of the key to tie the game with 12 seconds to go.
“Tommy Onorato, I’m really proud of him, the second half of the season he’s really stepped into a nice role for us and understood what it took to be on the court,” Mulkerrins said. “Edan, a senior co-captain, missed some time this year and still isn’t completely back but hit a big shot. He’s got that big moment in him.”
The Bulldogs’ attempt at a game-winner was off the mark, only getting a chance to chuck a shot off an inbounds play with 0.6 seconds to go.
In overtime, the momentum swings continued back and forth as North opened the scoring when Ladd converted an offensive rebound but Canton went back ahead on their third look of the possession on a Mischler three, with Dillon Nguyen’s offensive rebound the catalyst of the play.
North Attleboro boys basketball
But just seconds after Mischler gave the visitors a slight lead, Rosenberg hit his second three of the night to put the hosts ahead. The teams traded stops as the game ticked under a minute to go, North Attleboro getting its biggest stop forcing a turnover. With the shot clock shrinking, Onorato stepped up and drained another three, this one with 14 seconds to go in overtime, to give North a 51-46 lead.
Canton fought to the very end, getting two free throws from Burbank to make it a one-possession game. A trap on the inbounds led to a jump ball and Canton getting possession back. Another foul led to two free throws from Connerney, making it a one-point game, 51-50, with 7.8 seconds to go.
The Bulldogs trapped once again and got another jump ball called, but the ball stayed with the Rocketeers. Rosenberg added a free throw to make it 52-50, and North Attleboro held on as Canton’s half-court heave was just off the mark.
North Attleboro had full control of the opening half, hitting 7-of-10 field goals from two-point range to go along with four three-pointers. And on the defensive end, the Rocketeers were doing just enough to keep the streaky Bulldogs from getting going.
Tied early, North closed the final three minutes of the first with an 8-0 burst. Onorato hit his first three of the game, Poirier added a triple, and Ladd attacked the rim for two and a 14-6 lead after one.
Big Red’s run continued into the second with Jared Vacher tossing in a three, Ladd getting back-to-back baskets and Nate Bennett scoring from in close for a 17-0 run in total. Jimmy Caraballo added a three as well as North staked a 26-10 halftime lead.
“Basketball is a game of runs and there’s some psychology behind it,” Mulkerrins said. “I thought the scoreboard was deceptive at half. I thought we played good but not as good as the other night and I felt Canton missed a lot of shots that they can make. I told them at half, if they make a couple in the second half they are going to relax, and then their defense will get better, and sure enough they hit some shots right away. Then the basket on our end starts looking smaller.
“Coach Gordy did a great job adjusting, made some changes. You never know exactly what you’re going to get with him, you’ll get the kitchen sink of tricks and if you aren’t mentally ready, which we learned on Monday night, you’re going to be on the wrong side of games against them. So hats off to them, they had a great season with a lot of great seniors, we have nothing but respect for that program.”
After North found success against Canton’s 1-3-1 defense in the first half, the Bulldogs elected to shake things up defensively, going with a 2-3 zone — a defense they hadn’t utilized all season.
Despite their inexperience in the set, the defense was very effective as North’s offense came to a screeching halt, managing just five points in the third. Meanwhile, those stops turned into buckets for the Bulldogs. Connerney scored on Canton’s first possession, Keefe got going with a triple, and Mischler added one from downtown as well. Burbank got a layup to fall and Canton’s 10-2 run to open the second half turned the game around.
“We haven’t practiced the 2-3 zone this season,” Gordy said. “Ladd’s a nightmare for us to match up with, Rosenberg, Poirier, and Kelley are all really good players. I didn’t think we could guard them man-to-man for an extended period of time. We had a lot of success with the 1-3-1 on Monday, they figured out some things tonight. They were getting to us on the glass so we went to the 2-3 to try and clean some things up on the rebounding which I thought helped big time in the game.
“It all flows, once you’re getting stops you can push in transition. Will Keefe got hot a little bit in the second half and a lot of those came from us getting stops, getting out, and not letting them set up in the half court.”
North Attleboro (5-2 Davenport, 5-2 overall) is back in action on Monday when it hosts Foxboro. Canton wraps up its season at 4-6 in the Davenport and 4-9 overall.
