Boys Basketball
Canton, 48 @ Milford, 68 – Final – Milford used a strong second half to pull away from Canton to get the win, clinching a share of the Davenport division title along with Foxboro and Stoughton. Milford held a 34-30 lead at halftime and pushed that advantage to nine, up 49-38, heading into the fourth. The Scarlet Hawks poured in 20 points in the final quarter to secure the win. Ben Blanchard hit four threes and went 6-for-7 from the free throw line for 18 points while senior Colby Pires had a pair of threes and was 8-for-8 from the line to also record 18 points for the Hawks. Ralph Franklin Jr. chipped in with 13 points in the win. Canton’s Nick Cushman scored a team-high 14 points while Robbie Gallery added 10 points.
King Philip, 62 @ Oliver Ames, 74 – Final – Oliver Ames’ offense was hot from the start, scoring 19 or more in each of the first three quarters, building a 20-point lead entering the fourth quarter. After 19 points in the first, the Tigers dropped 20 points in the second to take a double-digit halftime lead (39-25) and scored 19 more in the third to seize a 58-38 edge. Senior Jay Spillane scored 11 of his team-high 18 points in the second while Adam Cann sank two of his three triples in the frame to help OA build its lead. Amari Brown added 10 of his 16 points in the third while Evan Craig scored half of his 16 points in the fourth. Ryan Burkett added 12 points for OA, scoring in each quarter. King Philip’s Alex Fritz scored a game-high 28 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter.
Stoughton, 56 @ Sharon, 51 – Final – A close game throughout, Stoughton made the plays down the stretch to pull out the win and clinch a share of the Davenport division title along with Foxboro and Milford. Tied at 48-48 with 3:33 to go, the Black Knights used a 7-0 surge over two and a half minutes to close out the win. Obinna Ugwuakazi (10 points) hit two of three free throws, Donte Tyler drained a three, his first bucket of the game, and Myles Grigalunas-Powell (17 points) drove to the basket for two to give Stoughton a 55-48 lead with just under a minute to go. Tahkwan Gates Brown added 14 points for Stoughton, which led 14-12 after one, 29-25 at half, and 42-38 going into the final quarter. Andrew Burton scored a team-high 14 points for Sharon, Matt Baskin added 12 points, and Aidan Kane chipped in with 10 points.
Mansfield, 75 @ Taunton, 69 – Final (OT) – Mansfield used a three-point play to tie the game and got a stop on the final play of regulation, and then used a 6-0 surge in overtime to grab a win over the Tigers. Taunton had a 63-60 lead but couldn’t pad the lead with free throws and Mansfield junior TJ Guy (10 points) came down the other end and completed a three-point play to tie it 63-63. The Tigers had a chance with 12 seconds let but the Hornets defense locked in prevented Taunton from getting a look. Taunton’s Josh Lopes put the hosts ahead early in the overtime but Sam Stevens (23 points) brought the visitors level. After a Tiger miss, junior Matt Boen (28 points) sank two free throws, came up with a steal, and sank two more free throws to push the lead to 72-68. Taunton made it a one possession game but Stevens iced the game from the line. Taunton sophomore Trent Santos had a team-high 23 points while Tyler Stewart added 17 points for the Tigers, who trailed at the end of the first (11-7) and halftime (30-27), but took a 50-46 lead into the fourth quarter.
Girls Basketball
Milford, 33 @ Canton, 54 – Final
North Attleboro, 55 @ Foxboro, 73 – Final – Foxboro completed its league campaign with an eighth straight win, and its second win in as many nights. Lizzy Davis scored 24 points, a season-high, to lead the Warriors to the victory. Katelyn Mollica also had a big night, finishing with 23, and Yara Fawaz got into double digits with 12. The Rocketeers cut a 16-point halftime lead down to eight going into the fourth quarter, but the Warriors exploded for 24 points in the final eight minutes to pull out the win. “I told the girls at halftime we need to come out strong make a quick few baskets and get them to call a timeout,” said North coach Nikki Correia. “We did that and locked down on the defensive end but we just couldn’t sustain it.” Regan Fein led North with 12 points and Olivia Forbes scored 11 in the loss. Ava McKeon and Amanda Kaiser both scored nine for the visitors. North Attleboro goes into the final game of the regular season against Attleboro with both teams needing a win to qualify for the tournament.
Oliver Ames, 50 @ King Philip, 65 – Final – King Philip split the season series with Oliver Ames and won its third game in four days to close out the regular season. Brianna James scored 21 to power the Warriors to the win. Faye Veilleux added 10 points, Faith Roy scored nine, and Emma Glaser had a great all-around game with six points, eight rebounds, six steals, and six assists. Tori Harney led OA with 10 points while Caroline Flynn and Anna Murphy each chipped in with nine.
Taunton, 36 @ Mansfield, 45 – Final – Becca Hottleman scored a career-high 16 points to celebrate her senior night with a win. Ashley Santos chipped in with eight for the Hornets, who trailed 8-7 after one quarter but jumped in front by three by halftime. A 14-8 third quarter, thanks in part to a trio of three-pointers from Hottleman, extended the Mansfield lead to nine and that was how the game finished. Sonya Fernandez was the top scorer for the Tigers with 13, while Sam Lincoln added 10 and Kameron St. Pierre had eight.
With a 58-55 advantage with 9.7 seconds to go, the Bulldogs fouled as Sharon crossed half court, “well before the Eagles had a chance to think about launching a tying three-pointer.
It worked as the Eagles came up empty on the first shot and had a violation on the second. Canton couldn’t quite put the game away, missing their chances at the free throw line but immediately fouled on the defensive rebound.
Again, the Eagles came up empty from the line and a defensive rebound and free throw from Dillon Nguyen pushed Canton’s lead to 59-55 with 2.1 seconds left, a scoreline that held through the final buzzer.
“We have rules about when to follow under a certain amount of seconds,” Gordy said. “We were up three and we figured if we fouled, they can’t make a three and they can’t tie the game. As long as we know to get the foul at the right time, then fundamental box outs on the free throws, I feel like it’s the right decision every time.
“We had to do it twice because we didn’t get our free throws but finally on the third time, we got it to four and then we don’t foul.”
The Bulldogs had to hold on at the end because of a second half comeback from the hosts. Canton pushed its lead to 14 early in the second half but the Eagles got a boost from an unexpected source.
After Sharon managed just one free throw total in the second quarter, the Bulldogs outscoring the hosts 10-1, head coach Andrew Ferguson went deep into his bench, putting junior Owen Conway and sophomores Ryan Zunenshine and Sam Cohen — who had each played three quarters of the JV came — into the lineup to start the second half.
On Sharon’s very first offensive possession of the second, Cohen splashed an open three and on the next trip down, drained a contested look from downtown, as the Eagle faithful exploded in the stands, an atmosphere usually reserved for the postseason.
Conway took a feed from sophomore John Baez (five points, six rebounds) and converted through the foul. Despite missing the free throw, Zunenshine battled for the offensive board and putback, swinging momentum in favor of the hosts.
Cohen sank another triple and Baez sliced through the Canton zone for two, getting the Eagles within five at 39-34.
“Execution aside, our effort wasn’t good [in the second quarter],” Ferguson said. “I thought waking up the rest of the roster by playing the swing guys there in the third. Sam Cohen did what he’s been doing at the JV level, what he did the year before at the freshman level…he can shoot the basketball. It was good to see that and it woke the rest of the guys up.
“It woke them up and the first unit played their butts off. I told them if they played with that kind of effort in the first and second quarter, we win that game.”
Canton senior Robbie Gallery (16 points, eight rebounds) used a nice move in the post to convert at the time and then found junior Matt Giglio (nine points, seven rebounds) in the same spot for another two in the final moments of the third quarter to stem the momentum some, giving the Bulldogs a 43-34 lead heading into the fourth.
Sharon’s first unit responded to the wake-up call as Matt Baskin (10 points) hit an early three and Baez added one of his own to get the Eagles within one possession.
Gallery came up with a clutch offensive rebound and putback for a traditional three-point play only for Baskin to answer with a similar play. Kiran Chandrasekaran tied the game with a pair of free throws with 3:41 to play but Giglio knocked down a three on the other end to keep Canton ahead, 51-48, with 3:17 to play.
“Hats off to Sharon on senior night, that crowd brought it tonight,” Gordy said. “I think the most impressive part was [Eric] Mischler’s foul trouble and being able to play that game without our best player. He’s been our best player all year, he’s in the top 15 in scoring [in the Hockomock], and I think he played a total of six minutes, if he played that much. To be able to get a win without him was an awesome experience for our guys, guys that have been practicing and working really hard and tonight they got opportunities, and a lot of guys capitalized.”
Mischler, who averaged a team-high 13.8 points per game entering the game and had a career-high 36 point performance three games prior, finished with three points in those limited minutes.
Gallery again scored for Canton and sophomore Lanse Dorcelus (nine points, three rebounds) sank a free throw for a 54-50 lead but Caleb Gayle hit his second straight shot to halve the deficit and Baskin came up with a strong take for a three-point play and a 55-54 lead with 40.1 to go.
On Canton’s next possession, it appeared Andrew Burton (19 points, 10 rebounds) read a handoff but was called for a foul instead of a jump ball. Gallery hit both for a 56-55 lead and the Eagles lost the handle on the other end, leading to two free throws from Dorcelus to push the lead to 58-55, setting up the fouls at the end.
“We didn’t show up for the first half,” Ferguson said. “Mentally and physically, we just didn’t play well. We didn’t share the basketball, we didn’t set screens and that bled into our defense and we started losing guys, stopped communicating like we had talked about. I was glad to see the sophomores get a run there in the third quarter and kind of wake up that first group that needed it.
“In this league, you can’t play for 16 minutes, you have to play for 32 minutes. Against any team in this league, doesn’t matter what their record is, if you don’t play for 32 minutes, you’re going to get beat and that’s what happened to us.”
The Bulldogs had a strong start to the game, shooting 9-for-13 over the first eight minutes of the game. While Mischler and Gallery dealt with early foul trouble, senior Nick Cushman (14 points, six rebounds) gave the Bulldogs a boost with six points in the opening quarter. Six players scored in the first for Canton.
”Cushman has been our unsung hero this year,” Gordy said. “He was slated behind Kyle Fitzgerald and when Kyle got hurt, he went into a starting role and he ran with it. He’s been one of our top guys this year, and he did some good things tonight before he fouled out. Robbie did some good things for us too, he did what a senior captain should do.”
Canton put up 23 points in the first quarter and would have had a big lead if not for a brilliant start for Burton. He scored 15 of Sharon’s 17 points in the opening quarter to keep the Eagles close before Sharon went cold in the second.
Canton boys basketball (2-12 Hockomock, 5-14 overall) is back home on Tuesday against North Attleboro. Sharon (1-13, 1-15) travels to Foxboro on the same day.
Boys Basketball
Oliver Ames, 55 @ Attleboro, 79 – Final – Attleboro senior Bryant Ciccio poured in 31 points, including his the 1,000th of his career, as Attleboro earned an impressive win over division rival Oliver Ames. The Bombardiers scored 21 first quarter points and added 24 more in the second to seize a 45-31 lead by halftime. Attleboro outscored the Tigers by four in the third and six in the fourth to extend its lead. Ciccio scored 10 points in the opening quarter, hit the milestone with eight points in the second, and added three more threes in the second half, hitting a total of seven on the night. Qualeem Charles added 15 points in the win and Tim Callahan chipped in with 12 points. OA senior Jay Spillane led the Tigers with 12 points while Amari Brown and Evan Craig each added 11 points.
Stoughton, 62 @ Canton, 56 – Final – Stoughton doubled up on Canton in the second quarter to create a double-digit advantage, riding that lead to a win on the road at Canton. The Black Knights led by two, 15-13, after a quarter but tacked on 20 second-quarter points to create a 35-23 lead at the halftime break. Senior Ahmad Jahed scored 11 of his 14 in the second quarter while Obinna Ugwuakazi (21 points), Jake Queeney, and Tahkwan Gates Brown (12 points) also scored in Stoughton’s big second quarter. Myles Grigalunas-Powell scored six of his 10 points in the fourth to keep the Black Knights ahead. Canton’s Eric Mischler (22 points) and Will Keefe (eight points) each hit a pair of fourth quarter threes to help shrink the deficit late.
Milford, 51 @ Foxboro, 57 – Final – Foxboro senior Brandon Borde took over in the third quarter, scoring 13 of his team-high 20 points as the Warriors poured in 20-points in the the frame to turn a two possession game into a nine-point advantage. Foxboro led by five after one (15-10) and took a four-point lead (28-24) into halftime before using the third quarter to create separation, pulling into a tie for first place in the division with three games to go. Kevin Gallagher hit a three and had five of his 15 points in the third while Donald Rogers hit a pair of free throws to put the hosts ahead 48-39 going into the final quarter. Foxboro held the Hawks without a three-point field goal in the second half. Milford’s Ben Blanchard hit a trio of first half three-pointers for a team-high 15 points while junior Dom Schofield added 10 points.
Taunton, 74 @ King Philip, 76 – Final (OT) – Taunton erased a 13-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter, taking a late lead but King Philip scored in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime and beat the buzzer for the winner in overtime. King Philip lead 45-29 at halftime and took a 59-46 lead into the fourth before the Tigers poured in 21 points, taking 67-64 lead late. KP’s Alex Fritz (34 points) hit his first three of the second half with 10 seconds left to force overtime. In the extra period, tied at 74-74, senior Tommy Donahue (10 points) set a screen for Fritz and rolled to the basket, taking the pass and laying it up to beat the buzzer to give KP the win. Fritz scored KP’s first seven points of the overtime period before assisting on the game-winner. Andrew McKinney scored 11 of his 15 points in the first half for KP, which scored 28 second quarter points. Taunton sophomore Trent Santos scored nine of his career-high 25 points in the fourth quarter while classmate Faisal Mass added six of his career-high 18 points in the final frame to get the Tigers back into it. Tyler Stewart added 16 points and Josh Lopes chipped in with 11 points for the Tigers.
North Attleboro, 57 @ Sharon, 73 – Final – Tied at halftime, Sharon outscored North Attleboro 18-6 in the third quarter and added 25 more points in the fourth quarter to pull away and earn the win, the Eagles’ first league win since February 2018. In snapping a 29-game winless streak in Hockomock action, the Eagles drained 10 three-pointers, including six in the second half. Senior Aidan Kane connected from downtown in each quarter, including three in the final quarter to finish with a team-high 22 points. Matt Baskin (12 points) added the other third quarter three while Andrew Burton scored six of his 16 points in the third. North Attleboro, who was without its top two scorers in George Ladd and Edan Kelley, were held to just one field goal in the third. Senior Josh Porter went 11-for-15 from the free throw line and finished with a team-high 17 points, junior Tommy Onorato hit four three-pointers for a career-high 12 points, and both Jared Vacher and Brody Rosenberg finished with 10 points.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 32 @ Oliver Ames, 60 – Final – OA jumped out to a 15-point lead at halftime and extended the lead with a strong second half to stay two games back of Franklin in the league standings. Caroline Peper scored 18 points and added five assists and Caroline Flynn marked her return from injury with 15 points and six rebounds.
Canton, 68 @ Stoughton, 45 – Final – Canton got a big win on the road to split the season series with the Black Knights and to move within two wins of qualifying for the postseason with five games to go. The Bulldogs had a balanced attack with three players scoring in double digits. Sydney Gallery paced the offense with 17 points and she added eight boards and three assists. Kiara Cerruti (eight rebounds and three assists) scored 16 and Samya DaSilva recorded a double-double of 15 points and 10 boards. Fay Gallery scored eight and had four assists for Canton. Stoughton was led by the tandem of Shyanne Trinh (game-high 19 points) and Aliyah Wright (15 points).
Mansfield, 41 @ Franklin, 67 – Final – The Panthers remain unbeaten on the season and moved within one win of clinching at least a share of the Kelley-Rex division title. Olivia Quinn was the top scorer for the Panthers, finishing the night with 23 points. Ali Brigham added 14 in the win. Abby Wager led the Hornets with 12 points and Kayla Vine chipped in with eight.
King Philip, 65 @ Taunton, 57 – Final – KP led by 10 points heading into the fourth quarter, but the Tigers were able to rally and cut the lead to as low as five before the Warriors pulled it out and ended their three-game losing streak. Faye Veilleux scored 20 points to power the Warriors and Faith Roy scored 18. Caroline Aaron also got into double digits in the win, scoring 10 points for KP. The Warriors made 12 threes as a team. Kameron St. Pierre continued her strong rookie campaign with a team-high 20 points, while Jaelyn Fernandez (15 points) and Sonya Fernandez (11 points) both hit double digits. Taunton coach Amy Siggens said, “We’re starting to play a complete game. They’re really fast but we tried our best to keep up with them and the girls played their butts off tonight.”
Sharon, 29 @ North Attleboro, 39 – Final – North edged out a defensive battle against Sharon to keep its hold on second place in the Davenport. Summer Doherty scored nearly half of North’s points, with a career-high 19 on the night, and Eliza Dion added nine in the win, including eight in the fourth quarter. The Rocketeers scored 16 points in the first, thanks to 11 from Doherty but then added only nine in the next two quarters combined. Sharon allowed only one point in the second, but only managed five of its own and went into the break down 17-13. Both teams scored eight points in the third to keep North up by four and then the Rocketeers exploded for 14 to pull out the win. North coach Nikki Correia also highlighted the play of point guard Olivia Forbes for playing tough on both ends of the floor the entire game. Leah Fandel and Kaitlyn Wallace each scored eight points in the loss.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 81 @ Sharon, 61 – Final – Seven Bombardiers scored en route to a 24-point first quarter and Attleboro never looked back, securing a win on the road at Sharon. Tim Callahan, Nick McMahon, and Bryant Ciccio each connected on a three-pointer while Justin Daniels, Jason Weir, Lorenzo Wilson, and Qualeem Charles each added to the total to help the Bombardiers build a double-digit lead after eight minutes. Attleboro led 36-17 at halftime and went on to score 23 points in the third and 22 points in the fourth to pull away with the win. Charles had eight of his team-high 20 points in the third, Ciccio netted seven of his 19 points in the same frame, and Callahan drained two more threes and had eight of his 11 points in the third. Sharon junior Matt Baskin caught fire in the second half, hitting six threes and scoring all of his team-high 22 points in the second half. Andrew Burton added 16 points for the Eagles.
Taunton, 55 @ Canton, 43 – Final – Taunton’s defense held the Bulldogs to single digits in each of the first two quarters, building a 30-8 halftime lead that resulted in a big win on the road. The Tigers held Canton to three field goals in the opening half and then pushed the lead to 46-20 heading into the final quarter. Junior Tyler Stewart scored 14 of his 16 points between the second and third quarters while Josh Lopes added 13 points. Danny MacDougall chipped in with a career-high 10 points for Taunton. Canton’s Colton Mirliani hit a trio of three-pointers in the fourth quarter to help close the deficit.
Franklin, 67 @ Foxboro, 61 – Final – Franklin senior Brayden Sullivan converted a key traditional three-point play in the fourth quarter and the Panthers took care of business from the free throw line in the fourth quarter (7-for-10) to grab a close win on the road over Foxboro. It was a consistent night on offense for Franklin, scoring 17 points in three quarters while netting 16 points in the third quarter. Franklin led 17-12 after one, 34-31 at halftime, and took a 50-45 advantage into the final frame. Chris Edgehill scored a team-high 16 points while Sullivan finished with 15 points for the Panthers, who were held to just two three-pointers. Foxboro’s Donald Rogers scored a team-high 14 points, Kevin Gallagher added 11 points, and both Brandon Borde and Will Morrison chipped in with 10 points apiece.
King Philip, 71 @ North Attleboro, 53 – Final – North Attleboro used a 10-0 surge to close the first half to tie the game at halftime but the second half belonged to King Philip as the Warriors scored over 20 points in each of the final two quarters to run away with a win. George Ladd scored six of his team-high 18 points, Ethan Friberg (16 points) sank a pair of threes, and Edan Kelley had five points in the second as the Rocketeers knotted the score at 28-28 through two quarters of play. In the third, KP’s Alex Fritz connected on a trio of three-pointers while Robert Jarest, Andrew McKinney, and Owen Conlin each hit one and the Warriors went off for 22 points to build a double-digit lead. After a successful first half (13 points), the Warriors went back to senior Tommy Donahue (career-high 28 points) and he helped ice the game with 13 points in the fourth quarter. McKinney finished with 15 points and Fritz added 14 points in the win.
Mansfield, 60 @ Stoughton, 38 – Final – A close game for three quarters, Mansfield scored the final 14 points of the game and dominated the fourth quarter to pick up a win on the road at Stoughton. The Hornets held a 40-33 lead going into the fourth quarter, and extended that to 46-38 at the midway point before embarking on its 14-0 run to close the game. Junior Matt Boen recorded a team-high 17 points to go along with seven assists, seven steals, and five rebounds to lead the way for the Hornets. Sam Stevens (six rebounds, six steals) added 12 points and freshman Chris Hill went a perfect 4-for-4 from the field for nine points. Stoughton senior Myles Grigalunas-Powell netted a team-high 13 points while Tahkwan Gates Brown added 11 points for Stoughton.
Girls Basketball
Sharon, 42 @ Attleboro, 53 – Final – Attleboro got contributions from the whole team to pull out its third straight win and move back to .500 on the season. Meghan Gordon continued her solid play with 13 points and Liv McCall joined her in double digits with 10. Ryan Johnson, Gabby Bosh, and Nyah Thomas all chipped in with eight points for the Bombardiers, who led by only two at halftime (19-17) but extended the advantage to seven after three. Kaitlyn Wallace was the game’s high scorer with 17 for the Eagles and Trinity Payne added 14.
Canton, 56 @ Taunton, 49 – Final – The Bulldogs managed to pull out a back-and-forth win on the road, their fifth win in the last six games. Kameron St. Pierre and Sonya Fernandez paced Taunton with 14 points apiece and eighth grader Sam Lincoln scored a career-high 13 points in the loss.
North Attleboro, 58 @ King Philip, 84 – Final – The Warriors clicked on the offensive end, scoring 40-plus points in each half, knocking down nine threes as a team, and recording assists on 24 of the 36 made shots. Caroline Aaron led the way for KP with 19 points and six boards. Faye Veilleux added 15 points and eight rebounds and Faith Roy had 12 points and six steals. Brianna James filled the stat sheet with eight points, six assists, five steals, and five rebounds. Amanda Kaiser scored 15 to lead the Rocketeers, Regan Fein scored 11, and Summer Doherty had nine, but North struggled with KP’s speed and press. North coach Nikki Correia said, “We came out slow and they absolutely wanted it more than we did. KP never stopped hustling and went after every loose ball.”
Stoughton, 41 @ Mansfield, 55 – Final – Mansfield turned on the defense in the second quarter to grab the lead and never let up to hold off the Black Knights. The Hornets trailed 18-12 after one, as Stoughton’s Shyanne Trinh scored 10 of her game-high 19 points in the quarter, but held the Black Knights to only four points in the second and scored 17 to pull ahead. Leading 33-30 in the third quarter, Mansfield knocked down three shots from beyond the arc (two by Kelly Doherty and one at the buzzer by Becca Hottleman) to extend the lead out to 12 heading to the fourth. Ashley Santos and Kayla Vine led the Hornets with 14 points apiece. Hottleman added 10 and Doherty finished with eight. Aliyah Wright added to Trinh’s 19 by scoring 17 of her own for Stoughton.
Milford, 19 @ Oliver Ames, 66 – Final – The Tigers bounced back from their first league defeat of the season with a strong defensive effort against the visiting Hawks. OA allowed only nine points in the first half to jump out to a 25-point lead and continued that effort in the second half, holding Milford to just 10. Caroline Flynn nearly put up a triple-double for the Tigers, scoring 18 points, grabbing 11 boards, and dishing out eight assists. Kelsey Yelle chipped in with 12 points and Jess Erlich added 10 in the win.
Swimming
Canton @ Milford, 4:00
Boys Gymnastics
Attleboro @ Newton North, 5:00
Attleboro vs. Braintree, 5:00 (@ Newton North)
Milford junior Jordan Darling goes up for a layup in the first half against Sharon. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
SHARON, Mass. – A typical high school basketball game will feature plenty of momentum swings and runs over the course of 32 minutes.
The Sharon and Milford boys basketball teams managed to fit all of the drama into the fourth quarter and overtime on Sunday afternoon. Although the Eagles managed to erase a large second half deficit, and another Milford lead in the final seconds, the Hawks prevailed with a 79-78 overtime victory on the road.
“That was just a classic, wild high school basketball game, that’s the only way to sum it up,” said Milford head coach Paul Seaver.
The Hawks’ lead ballooned to as much as 18 halfway through the third quarter, and the advantage sat at 55-42 with the visitors just eight minutes away from a win.
The Eagles had other plans, however, dominating the fourth quarter to the tune of an 11-0 run over the first four minutes, putting the Hawks’ lead in serious jeopardy. Despite a timeout to try and stop the bleeding, Sharon continued on, pushing the run to 17-0 to seize a four-point lead with two minutes to play.
But as shocking as the run from the Eagles was, so was the response from the Hawks, which was a 9-0 burst in a one minute span, turning a four-point deficit into a five-point lead. Again, Sharon refused to fold by rattling off a 7-2 burst over the final 20 seconds, capped by sophomore John Baez’s ridiculous three-pointer that beat the buzzer to force overtime.
End 4Q: Milford 66, Sharon 66. Eagles force turnover on inbounds and then sophomore John Baez sinks this ridiculous three at the buzzer. #hockomockpic.twitter.com/dRolB2D5LY
“That was mostly just effort,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson of the comeback. “We got down 18 points in the third quarter so we called a timeout, switched up our defenses a little bit. The kids worked unbelievably hard on the defensive end, we found some shots on the offensive end with it. But it comes back to their effort and hard work.”
Sharon senior Andrew Burton (24 points, five rebounds, six assists) gave the hosts the lead in the overtime period before Milford senior Colby Pires (19 points, nine rebounds) answered with his fifth three-pointer of the game to put the visitors in front.
Baez knotted the score with a free throw before Ralph Franklin Jr. sank one of his own to put the Hawks back in front. Junior Matt Baskin (career-high 27 points, eight rebounds) sank a pair from the line on one end but a foul on the box out allowed Jordan Darling (22 points, 14 rebounds) to reciprocate on the other end for a 72-71 lead.
Baskin drove through the lane for two more for a lead with 1:20 to play but it was Darling again who had the answer, finishing over good defense down low. Tyler Wetherbee and Darling combined for three free twos as the Hawks’ defense picked up key back-to-back stops on defense.
Caleb Gayle brought the Eagles within two but Ben Blanchard (20 points) converted two huge free throws in the final seconds. Senior Aidan Kane sank a three at the buzzer to bring the final score to a one-point game.
“Give [Sharon] all the credit,” Seaver said. “We played well enough to build a double-digit lead, I think we got it up to 18 at one point. And they are the ones who hit shots in the fourth quarter and more importantly got stops. It took us forever to finally get a basket to fall. At the end of the day, a win is a win in this league. Everybody you play on any given night is good and you have to be ready to go. But a win is a win.”
Blanchard was a big reason that Milford got off to a strong start, hitting three trifectas in the opening eight minutes, slashing to the basket for another two for 11 of Milford’s 20 first quarter points.
The Hawks used an 11-3 burst in the second quarter to create the separation it carried into the fourth quarter. A three-pointer from Kane brought the Eagles within one possession at 22-19 but Darling hit four straight free throws, Pires knocked down a three, Blanchard scored again, and Ralph Franklin Jr. finished at the rim for a 33-22 advantage.
While Milford’s offense continued its normal pace in the third quarter, Sharon got a huge boost from Baskin. The junior wing scored 12 of his points in that quarter, keeping the Eagles within shouting distance entering the fourth quarter. He hit twice from three-point range and had three buckets driving to the hoop.
“We think he can be a very good player in this league and he’s gaining confidence in each practice, in each game,” Ferguson said about Baskin, who transferred into the program this season. “We’re in his ear about it. He creates a lot of mismatches with his height, length, and offensive ability. If they put a big on him, he can take them off the dribble or if they put a smaller guy on him, we can put him in the post and he made some nice post moves today. He really asserted himself for the first time this year.”
Burton sparked the fourth quarter with four straight points and Baez added a free throw. The Eagles took advantage of a foul and a technical foul, making two of the four three throws and Cam Baker (10 points) scored on the ensuing possession to make it 55-51.
“Their zone really slowed us down,” Seaver said. “We tried to get it to the high post, we tried to dump it down and we actually had a lot of good looks from the outside but we just went ice cold for a long stretch. That translated to a poor defensive end during their comeback but credit Sharon. Credit their zone, they did a good job changing the pace on us. In the end, we made one more play, hit one more free throw, and that’s what we needed.”
Kiran Chandrasekaran took a feed from Burton and finished to make it 55-53 and Burton tied the game after a fast break. Burton gave the Eagles the lead with a free throw and Baskin pushed it to 59-55 with a three-pointer with two minutes left.
Pires played the role of hero for the Hawks. After Darling hit a free throw, Pires sank two technical foul free throws and then drained a corner three on the ensuing possession. After the Hawks drew a charge, Pires sank another triple and Milford suddenly had a 64-59 lead.
“Colby is a three-year varsity player, a two-time captain, a two-year starter and he’s kind of the heart and soul of this program,” Seaver said. “He made senior plays and he made winning plays. That’s who he is, that’s what he does and most importantly he showed it on the court today for us.”
Baskin hit two free throws with 20.3 seconds left only for Blanchard to answer with two of his own with 11.5 seconds left. Burton drove to the hoop for two and the Eagles were able to create a turnover on Milford’s inbounds pass. Baez beat the buzzer with a three to force overtime.
“It’s a matter of mentality,” Ferguson said of what can turn games like this into a win. “Yeah, maybe this group hasn’t won a lot of basketball games but they want to win basketball games. We saw that there. I have to coach it better, we have to get a little better with our execution, and we have to maintain our emotions. I think that hurt us today. Hopefully, these experiences are building the confidence that will help us in the long run.”
Milford boys basketball (3-1 Hockomock, 3-1 overall) moves into sole possession of first place in the Davenport with the win and will be back in action on Wednesday against Mansfield. Sharon (0-4, 0-5) will host Taunton on Tuesday in search of its first win.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 61 @ Oliver Ames, 52 – Final – After a close first half, Attleboro created its separation between the third and fourth quarters before holding off a late surge from Oliver Ames. A three-point lead at halftime (30-27) ballooned to 45-34 as the Bombardiers held the hosts to seven points in the third quarter. The Tigers went on an 11-0 run late to cut into Attleboro’s 17-point lead but ran out of time as the visitors took care of business at the free throw line. Qualeem Charles got Attleboro off to a strong start with 11 of his 20 points coming in the first quarter, giving Attleboro a 20-15 lead after eight minutes. Senior Bryant Ciccio hit a pair of threes in the third, finishing with 10 of his game-high 25 points in that quarter to help create the needed cushion. Tim Callahan added a big three in the fourth quarter while Nick McMahon had a strong game defensively. Jay Spillane paced OA with 15 points while classmate Owen Friel added 13 points and Ryan Burkett finished with 12 points.
Canton, 42 @ Stoughton, 61 – Final – Stoughton built a double-digit advantage in the first quarter and never looked back to pick up a win over neighboring Canton. The Black Knights jumped ahead 15-5 after the first and were able to double the lead heading into the fourth quarter with a 46-26 lead. Stoughton senior Obinna Ugwuakazi (five steals) scored seven points in the opening quarter to help build the lead and added eight more in the third to help expand it, finishing with a game-high 25 points to pace the Black Knights. Tahkwan Gates Brown added 11 points and Myles Grigalunas-Powell chipped in with eight points. Eric Mischler had a team-high 11 points for Canton while senior Mike Dorcelus scored 10 points.
Foxboro, 37 @ Milford, 61 – Final – In what was a close contest for the majority of the game, Milford’s defense limited Foxboro to just five fourth-quarter points to pull away for a large margin of victory. “We did a good job defensively against a very good opponent,” said Milford head coach Paul Seaver, noting the balanced offensive attack and timely shots on the offensive end of the court. Milford had five players score in each quarter, increasing its lead each frame. Milford expanded its 14-12 lead after one to a 28-20 advantage at halftime. A strong third quarter pushed the lead to 44-32 going into the fourth. The Hawks hit five of their six threes after the break with Ben Blanchard (eight points) and Tyler Wetherbee (12 points) each responsible for a pair. Colby Pires had a team-high 13 points while Ralph Franklin Jr. added 12 points. Jordan Darling added eight points and Dom Schofield, who also had a second half three, finished with six points. Senior Donald Rogers scored 14 points for Foxboro, who was limited to just one made three-pointer in the contest.
King Philip, 62 @ Taunton, 73 – Final – Taunton pushed its three-point halftime lead to a 55-47 lead through three quarters, and finished strong with 11 points in the final three minutes to secure a key division win over King Philip. The Tiger trailed by one after a quarter (16-15) but held a 37-34 lead at the halftime break. With just under three minutes to go, the Tigers led 62-56 and went on to close out the win. Junior Tyler Stewart scored 12 of his team-high 20 points in the first half while sophomores Tristan Herry and Trent Santos along with junior Josh Lopes came up with key buckets in the second half to secure the win. Stewart and sophomore Faisal Mass (10 points) helped the hosts create the lead at the break. Herry added six of his 10 points in the second half, Santos scored 10 of his 15 points after the break, and Lopes added eight of his 15 in the second half for Taunton. Andrew McKinney scored a team-high 21 points for the Warriors while Alex Fritz added 19 points.
Sharon, 37 @ North Attleboro, 46 – Final – The Rocketeers buckled down defensively in the second half, limiting the visitors to 14 points over the final 16 minutes, while exploding for their best quarter of the game in the fourth to secure a win. North held an early 13-8 advantage after one period of play but Sharon took a 23-22 lead into the locker room and a 29-28 advantage into the fourth. Senior Ethan Friberg came up big on the offensive glass, scoring eight of his 10 points in the fourth quarter to help the Big Red get the win. Junior George Ladd added 10 points while senior Josh Porter chipped in with nine points. Sharon senior Andrew Burton scored a game-high 15 points and junior Matt Baskin added eight points for the Eagles.
Girls Basketball
Oliver Ames, 44 @ Attleboro, 27 – Final – Tate Hadges scored 12 points and Caroline Flynn (eight rebounds) added 11 as the Tigers pulled out a tough win on the road with a strong defensive performance. Nyah Thomas and Liv McCall scored seven points apiece for the Bombardiers.
Stoughton, 43 @ Canton, 35 – Final – Stoughton’s Aliyah Wright recorded a double-double, Shyanne Trinh led the team in scoring, and Kyla Sheedy-Goff gave the Black Knights a big boost to deliver a key division win on the road at Canton. Wright had 10 points and 10 rebounds, Trinh recorded a team-high 14 points to go along with four steals, and Sheedy-Goff finished with eight points and 11 rebounds.
Milford, 14 @ Foxboro, 86 – Final – Katelyn Mollica bounced back from a tough shooting night against Canton on Thursday with a 26-point night against Milford on Friday. Shakirah Ketant added 15 points and Lizzy Davis chipped in with 12 for the league-leading Warriors. Ten players scored for Foxboro.
Franklin, 67 @ Mansfield, 39 – Final – Franklin controlled the paint to earn the big road win. Ali Brigham scored 20 points to lead the way and fellow forwards Olivia Quinn (16 points) and Meghan O’Connell (11 points) also had big nights. The Panthers jumped out to a 22-3 lead after one quarter and also held the Hornets to just four points in the third, as they built a 34-point advantage heading into the fourth. Mansfield was paced by Kayla Vine’s 17 points and freshman Abby Wager’s 11. Mansfield coach Mike Redding said, “Their post players were just too much for us. They dominated the paint and got a bunch of second chance points.”
Taunton, 33 @ King Philip, 60 – Final – The Warriors got back into league play with a bounce back victory over Taunton. The game remained close until the third quarter when KP’s high-tempo style started to wear the Tigers down and allowed the Warriors to pull away. Faye Veilleux was the top scorer for KP, pouring in 17 points in the win. Claire Keswick and Emma Glaser each scored 10 points in the win. Sonya Fernandez led the Tigers with nine.
Boys Swimming
Attleboro, 75 @ King Philip, 92 – Final – Derek Whyte and Jake Hokanson each won a pair of individual races and made up half of the winning 200 medley relay team to help King Philip pick up a division win over Attleboro. Whyte touched first in both the 500 free (4:59.72) and 100 backstroke (1:01.15) while Hokanson earned first place in both the 100 breast (1:10.89) and 200 IM (2:14.58). Whyte and Hokanson were joined by Andrew Pham and Jackson Klein to win the 200 medley relay (1:53.95).
Results: 200 Medley Relay – 1. King Philip (Derek Whyte, Jake Hakanson, Andrew Pham, Jackson Klein) – 1:53.95 | 2. Attleboro (Matt Marcil, Alex Harrop, Brett Wortham, Colton Mangion) – 2:06.03 | 3. Attleboro (Robert Winkler, Damien Geltrude, Kyle Norman, Zack Moore) – 2:09.39 200 Yard Free – 1. Cam Stringfellow, KP – 2:04.30 | 2. Dylan Nisbet, Att – 2:22.51 | 3. Brett Wortham, Att – 2:39.33 200 Yard IM – 1. Jake Hokanson, KP – 2:14.58 | 2. John Donis, KP – 2:35.06 | 3. Alex Harrop, Att – 2:38.97 50 Free – 1. Matt Marcil, Att – 25.46 | 2. Jackson Klein, KP – 25.49 | 3. Andrew Pham, KP – 26.56 100 Yard Butterfly – 1. Andrew Pham, KP – 1:03.82 | 2. Alex Harrop, Att – 1:09.34 | 3. Kyle Norman, Att – 1:19.85 500 Yard Free – 1. Derek White, KP – 4:59.72 | 2. John Donis, KP – 6:32.20 | 3. Colton Mangion, Att – 6:50.13 200 Yard Free Relay – 1. King Philip (Morrsion, Donis, Hokanson, Klein) – 1:44.03 | 2. Attleboro (Matt Marcil, Alex Harrop, Dylan Nisbet, Brett Wortham) – 1:49.47 | 3. Attleboro (Zack Moore, Damien Geltrude, Kyle Norman, Zach Dorrance) – 1:56.33 100 Back – 1. Derek Whyte, KP – 1:01.15 | 2. Robert Winkler, Att – 1:24.02 | 3. Andrew Greaves, Att – 1:24.70 100 Breast – 1. Jake Hokanson, KP – 1:10.89 | 2. Matt Marcil, Att – 1:13.35 | 3. Damien Geltrude, Att – 1:17.53 400 Free Relay – 1. King Philip – 3:55.28 | 2. Attleboro (Colton Mangion, Zach Dorrance, Kyle Norman, Dylan Nisbet) – 4:24.77 | 3. Attleboro (Robert Winkler, JR Sarcione, Andrew Greaves, Brandon Sanford) – 5:09.89
Canton, 88 @ Oliver Ames, 71 – Final
Foxboro vs. Norton, 7:00
North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:00
Sharon, 68 @ Milford, 94 – Final
Girls Swimming
Attleboro, 77 @ King Philip, 87 – Final – King Philip’s Megan Campbell won a pair of individual races and helped a relay team win another as the Warriors took a win over Attleboro. Campbell was first in both the 100 yard butterfly (1:11.44) and the 200 yard free (2:07.17) and was part of the 200 medley relay team that won in 2:09.71 along with Abby Lyons, Morgan Sachleben, and Olivia Bailey.
Results: 200 Medley Relay – 1. King Philip (Lyons, Sachleben, Bailey, Campbell) – 2:09.71 | 2. King Philip (Lauren Klein, Lia Burns, Emily Campbell, Bri McMaster) – 2:11.13 | 3. Attleboro (Ella Lynch-Bartek, Jackie Lynch-Bartek, Faith Morrisson, Rachel Priestley) 2:11.52 200 Yard Free – 1. Megan Campbell, KP – 2:07.17 | 2. Jackie Lynch-Bartek, Att – 2:08.07 | 3. Abby Lyons, KP – 2:29.31; 200 Yard IM – 1. Morgan Sachleben, KP – 2:28.75 | 2. Lia Burns, KP 2:49.34 | 3. Shanise Tolliver, Att – 3:08.02 50 Yard Free – 1. Brenna O’Connell, Att – 28.88 | 2. Cate DiGiacomo, KP – 28.94 |3. Bri McMaster, KP – 28.91; 100 Yard Butterfly – 1. Megan Campbell, KP – 1:11.44 | 2. Emily Campbell, KP – 1:11.60 | 3. Lily Scheurger, Attleboro 1:30.75 100 Yard Free – 1. Ella Lynch-Bartek, Att – 1:00.09 | 2. Lauren Klein, KP – 1:03.63 | 3. Cate DiGiacomo, KP -1:05.33 500 Yard Free – 1. Olivia Bailey, KP – 5:50.98 | 2. Faith Morrison, Att – 6:47.34 | 3. Bri McMaster, KP – 6:54.31 200 Yard Free Relay – 1. King Philip (DiGiacomo, Freese, McMaster, Klein) – 1:57.31 | 2. Attleboro (E. Lynch-Bartek, F. Morrsison, R. Priestley, J. Lynch-Bartek) – 1:58.83 | 3. King Philip (E. Campbell, B. Avignon, Burke, Foster) – 2:06.69 100 Yard Back – 1. Olivia Bailey, KP – 1:08.19 | 2. Ella Lynch-Bartek, Att – 1:08.38 | 3. Abby Lyons, KP – 1:17.44 100 Yard Breast 1. Jackie Lynch-Bartek, Att 1:15.52 | 2. Faith Morrison, Att – 1:26.52 | 3. Rachel Priestley, Att – 1:28.39 400 Yard Free Relay – 1. Attleboro (Brenna O’Conell, Tolliver, Cronin, Danho) – 5:05.34 | 2. Attleboro (Schuerger, Torres, Masandrea, Sutherland) – 5:23.78
Canton, 73 @ Oliver Ames, 95 – Final
Foxboro vs. Norton, 7:00
North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:00
Sharon, 92 @ Milford, 78 – Final
Girls Gymnastics
Attleboro vs. Norton, 4:30
King Philip, 127.70 @ Franklin, 136.50 – Final
Oliver Ames @ North Attleboro, 7:30
2018-2019 Record: 18-5 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Mark Houle
Attleboro fulfilled high expectations last year with a terrific regular season but had its postseason run cut short in the opening round of the tournament. With an experienced, battle-tested, and deep group of seniors, the Bombardiers are hoping to take the next step during the 2019-2020 season.
The Bombardiers have seven seniors on the roster with six having plenty of valuable minutes at the varsity level. It all starts with a pair of four-year varsity players and captains Bryant Ciccio and Qualeem Charles. Both have played over 60 games for head coach Mark Houle and earned HockomockSports.com First Team honors a year ago. Ciccio (14.7 ppg, 3.2 apg) is like a coach on the floor and Charles (13.8 ppg, 11.2 rpg) is a matchup nightmare and one of the most dominant post players in recent years.
But there is much more to the Bombardiers, such as senior captain Tim Callahan. Callahan had a strong junior season with 7.7 points per game and can change a game with his outside shooting. He will also be relied upon to anchor the defense. Guard Nick McMahon and forward Lorenzo Wilson provided a spark off the bench last season and will be key pieces this season. And senior Jason Weir is back in the mix after missing last year due to injury. Weir showed flashes during his sophomore season, a versatile player that can play in the post or step outside and knock down a three.
Attleboro has a variety of weapons on the offensive end and that will make them difficult to defend. They have a couple of good weapons that can score down low and then a handful of shooters, so the inside-out game will be a big part of the game plan. Charles gives the Bombardiers protection around the rim while all five players are the court will have to contribute on the boards to eliminate second-chance points.
“We will rely on a battle-tested group of seniors, but we will need our underclassman to continue to develop and be ready to step in and play important roles on the team,” said head coach Mark Houle. “We have a hard-working group of players who compete and challenge each other every day in practice.”
2018-2019 Record: 14-10 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round Coach: Ryan Gordy
After winning back-to-back Davenport division titles, the Bulldogs know it will be a grind to try and get a third with a big target on their backs.
Gone is the program’s all-time leading scorer and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Devin Foster, who was one of the most dynamic offensive players in the league over the past two seasons. That means there is going to be a lot of opportunities for new players to step up for the Bulldogs. Canton head coach Ryan Gordy said this year’s team will be a “much more space and paced” orientated team. Gordy is expecting a more spread out opportunistic approach that will feature contributions from anyone who checks in.
While Foster graduated, the Bulldogs do have a handful of talented and experienced players back on the roster. Senior Kyle Fitzgerald is the top returning scorer from a year ago, netting double figures in six contests. He is also a workhorse on defense and will be one of the leaders on the court. Robbie Gallery, Matt Giglio, and Eric Mischler were all starters at some point during the 2018-2019 season so Gordy will have some veterans to lean on during the year. Gallery, Giglio, and Mischler all showed the ability to come up with a big shot at any time and will help space the floor.
Defensively, the Bulldogs are looking at their versatility and depth to give them flexibility. Gordy believes he has a strong mix of players that will allow him to switch things up and adjust each and every game. Sophomore Lanse Dorcelus earned minutes for the final month of last season and could be a key piece this season.
“We feel like our program is healthy and players have made a commitment to growth,” Gordy said. “This season we are going to focus on the process and maximizing the strengths of our players. Our culture and direction has been a bright spot as we focus on the player person and team development each practice and game. We’re excited to see where we are and where we can get too.”
2018-2019 Record: 14-9 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round Coach: Jon Gibbs
There is good news and bad news when it comes to the Foxboro boys basketball team this season. The good news is that the Warriors expect to once again be one of the toughest defensive teams in the league. The bad news is for the rest of the Hockomock League as Foxboro boasts an improved offense, and combined with their traditional tough defense, has the Warriors in position for a Davenport division title.
With four of their five top scorers back this season, including senior Brandon Borde (team-high 15.3 ppg) and junior Kevin Gallagher (12.9 ppg), the Warriors are looking to ride a balanced approach on offense to improve their scoring after finishing 10th in scoring in the Hockomock League last season (54.4 points per game). Borde is one of the most experienced players back in the league and has the ability to create his own looks as well as lead the team as the floor general. Gallagher had a breakout sophomore season and can really fill up the scoring column, especially from deep.
Borde and Gallagher will also get help from senior Will Morrison, who can catch fire from deep, and senior Ryan Hughes, who can give opponents trouble in the paint. All four players are returning starters from a season ago, so that gives Foxboro an advantage, especially defensively. Head coach Jon Gibbs called the defense the “foundation” of the team. Foxboro has consistently been very fundamentally sound and disciplined on the defensive end.
Seniors Dylan Barreira, Michael Devlin, Liam Devlin, and Donald Rogers all played important minutes last season and will provide a lot of depth for Foxboro.
“We have been making progress each day,” Gibbs said. “Practices have been very competitive so far as guys work hard to carve out a role for themselves by earning the trust of their teammates and coaches. If we stay hungry, humble, and unselfish, it has the potential to be a very successful season.”
2018-2019 Record: 17-6 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 Central Quarterfinal Coach: CJ Neely
Ever since the Hockomock League split into two divisions, Franklin has entered each season as one of the top teams in the Kelley-Rex and that looks to be the case yet again this year.
As it does each and every season, defense comes first for the Panthers. Franklin was the best defensive team in the Hockomock League last year, allowing just 48.9 points per game. Not only did the Panthers lead the league in that category, they were the lone team to keep opponents under 50 points on average. It’s the second straight year they’ve had the best defense in the division and third straight year they are in the top three. There are a lot of talented individual defenders on the team but year in and year out, Franklin’s team defense gives them a chance to win.
Offensively, the Panthers boast the top returning scorer in the league in three-year starter Chris Edgehill. Edgehill, who eclipsed the 1,000-point mark last season, is an absolute handful to deal with on the offensive end of the court. He can score in a variety of ways, and on top of that, he is very good at getting teammates involved (four assists per game last year). Seniors Jack Rudolph and Steve Karayan are also back after playing valuable minutes last season and will be relied upon on both ends of the floor.
“We have a lot of guys who worked really hard in the offseason to improve and are excited to get on the court,” said head coach CJ Neely. “It’s a great group of people who have a lot of fun together. We need to stay aggressive and share the ball. We hope that strong team defense will continue to be something that defines our program.”
2018-2019 Record: 7-13 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Dave DeStefano
With a solid group of players returning from last season, second-year head coach Dave DeStefano is hoping to guide his Warriors back to the state tournament for the first time since 2015.
The Warriors showed flashes throughout last year, including an upset win of Kelley-Rex champions Mansfield on the road. But they were also on the wrong end of a handful of close games, losing five games by five or fewer points. With a year of experience in DeStefano’s system, and for a lot of players their first year of varsity under their belts, King Philip is hoping to turn those close games into wins.
KP boasts two returning starters in Alex Fritz and Andrew McKinney, both standing at 6’3. Fritz had a breakout junior campaign and was the fourth-highest scorer in the Hockomock League with 15.5 points per game. He was able to score in a variety of ways, including through contact at the rim, and will be a vital piece this year. McKinney was fifth on the team in scoring last year, scoring in double-figures in five contests, including a career-high 19 points at Stoughton. Senior Tommy Donahue looks to give the Warriors a strong presence in the post while classmates Owen Conlin and Chris Roy look to be in the mix. Seniors Robbie Jarest and Tom Weir are back in the mix after a year away from the program.
Defensively, King Philip will be relying on its size and physicality. While Donahue (6’5) will be the main rim protector, having long guards and forwards will help KP make life difficult for opponents. The Warriors will need to improve on the defensive end after surrendering a division-high 63.7 points per game last year. DeStefano is looking to get some contributions from junior juniors Donte Barros, Cole Breen, Joe Cullen, Evan Stephens, Will Kinney, and Jake Silveria while sophomores Charlie Grant and Braeden Sottile will likely be in the mix too.
“The boys have really worked hard this offseason,” DeStefano said. “The practices have been really competitive and physical. For us to be successful we will need to make a big commitment on the defensive end of the floor. We want to make our opponents uncomfortable and focus on working together to get stops. On offense we are looking to have a balanced attack and create great scoring opportunities as a team.”
2018-2019 Record: 22-5 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 South Final Coach: Mike Vaughan
The Hockomock League continues to run through Mansfield.
The Hornets have won the Kelley-Rex division title in eight of its nine years, and it looks like Mansfield will be the team to beat again this year. Three players that burst onto the scene last year – Sam Stevens, TJ Guy, Matt Boen – are now three of the top players in the Hock heading into this season. Mansfield certainly graduated a lot of talent in Tommy Dooling, Damani Scott, and Khristian Conner, but with those three starters back plus seniors Drew Rooney and Makhi Baskin, as well as a handful of newcomers ready to make an impact, Mansfield is poised for another deep tournament run.
Stevens (11.2 ppg) will be one of the toughest players to stop with his ability to finish around the rim as well as deadly three-point shooting, Guy (10.9 ppg) is very good in the post on both ends of the floor, and Boen (9.5 ppg) can score in a variety of ways. All three are capable of filling up the stat sheet on any given night. Baskin provides a lot of energy and can change the game with his effort while Rooney showed last year that he can matchup with some of the top players in the league on the defensive end.
Juniors Brian and Jason See are both strong shooters that work tirelessly on both ends of the floor and should be in the mix for the Hornets this year. Juniors Jack Colby and Brendan Foley will be looking to bring a spark off the bench while sophomore Matt Hyland and freshman Chris Hill are promising young players that could contribute right away.
“I think our depth and ability to play different styles will be a strength of this team,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan. “I’m excited to see where this team can get to as they continue to work hard in practice and mix their individual talents to form our team identity. Transition play, scoring inside and out will be strength on offense. Playing solid man to man and uptempo defense with our depth could create some issues for our opponents.”
2018-2019 Record: 9-12 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Paul Seaver
After a season of ups and downs, the Milford Scarlet Hawks are hoping last year’s growing pains transition into a playoff berth this season.
With a large group of returnees, the Hawks will certainly be in the mix for the Davenport division title. While head coach Paul Seaver returns the majority of his team, he will need some of the those players to step up on the offensive end the fill the void left by graduation. The Hawks graduated its top three scorers, including the second-highest scorer in the league in Brendan White (18.2 ppg). That means there will be a lot of opportunities for new players to step up and contribute.
Junior Jordan Darling (7.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and senior Colby Pires (6.1 ppg) are the top two point producers back this year while junior Dom Schofield also returns after starting as a sophomore. Darling started 19 games this year and was selected to the HockomockSports.com All Underclassman team after a strong season on both ends of the court. Pires is a leader both on and off the court and plays well in all aspects of the game, and Schofield gives Milford a strong post presence on the defensive end, recording a team-high 38 charges taken last season.
Ralph Franklin Jr., Matty Varteresian, Tyler Whetherbee, and Ben Blanchard all saw time throughout last season and could all be in line for bigger roles this season.
“Our depth will matter, our balance will matter, our chemistry is this group’s most important attribute,” said Milford head coach Paul Seaver. “We were the youngest team in the league last season and this group has a lot of players back who are attacking this year with a chip on their shoulder. This group defines what Milford basketball is and that’s a testament to who these kids are hard workers and higher character individuals. I could not be any more excited to coach and work with these kids on a daily basis.”
2018-2019 Record: 9-11 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Sean Mulkerrins
There are going to be a lot of new faces dawning the Big Red uniform this winter. After losing nine seniors to graduation, head coach Sean Mulkerrins has just three players back from last year’s nine-win squad.
With a large amount of new players comes a large amount of opportunities. The Rocketeers graduated its two top scorers but bring back senior Ethan Friberg (7.0 ppg) and junior George Ladd (7.4 ppg) to lead the charge offensively this year. Friberg, standing at 6’5, can cause problems in the paint but also van step out and play along the perimeter. Ladd had a breakout sophomore season and was named to the HockomockSports.com All Underclassman team. He is a little of a throwback player that is very fundamentally sound on the offensive end. Senior Josh Porter, the third returner, saw an expanded role at the end of last season and played well.
Defensively, the Rocketeers will be focusing on limiting opponents to one shot per possession. With some size in the frontcourt, North will try to make it difficult to finish at the rim, and with all five players committed to rebounding, try and minimize second-chance points.
“There will be a lot of new faces with opportunities to make an impact on this year’s team,” Mulkerrins said. “There will definitely be some growing pains and the sooner the new faces adjust to the rigors of varsity basketball, the better we will be.”
2018-2019 Record: 10-12 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Don Byron
Last season, Oliver Ames came up just one game shy of the state tournament. Goal number one for the 2019-2020 season is to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.
With a strong mix of experienced players and hungry new additions, Oliver Ames is ready for the grind that is the Kelley-Rex division and the Hockomock League.
“The expectation is to always get [to the tournament], that’s our first goal,” said Oliver Ames head coach Don Byron. “We’re pretty optimistic but we know it’s going to be a grind, you have to show up every night, you can’t take a night off.”
Byron has been impressed with his guard play so far this preseason, and that will likely mean featuring three guards in the lineup for the majority of the time. Senior Jay Spillane is a returning starter while classmate Owen Friel and junior Amari Brown were top options off the bench a season ago. Spillane can score in bunches, especially from the outside, while Friel combines a solid shooting game with a hard-nosed defensive approach. Friel’s ability to guard a variety of position makes him a valuable piece in the lineup while Brown is a crafty player that does a nice job getting teammates involved.
Senior center Evan Craig (6’5) will be joined by classmate Ryan Burkett (6’2) in the frontcourt. Both picked up valuable minutes at the varsity level last year and Byron is hoping that will help with their expanded roles this year. Senior guard Adam Cann and junior forwards Trey Buggs and Drew Nickla will provide depth for the Tigers.
“It takes some time to get accustomed to the varsity speed and what we expect at this level,” Byron said. “All of these kids gained experience with us last year, and that year of experience is invaluable.”
2018-2019 Record: 3-17 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Andrew Ferguson
After a couple of down seasons, the Eagles will be making a strong push to get back into the state tournament for the first time since 2016.
Sharon boasts a number of players who gained varsity experience that will be looking to help the program bounce back. The first being senior Aidan Kane, the team’s leading scorer last season with 11.5 points per game. When he’s on from keep, Kane is one of the top three-point shooters in the league. He has the ability to change a game very quickly if he gets hot from deep. Senior Andrew Burton emerged as one of the Eagles’ top players last year and could be poised to have a breakout year. Sophomore John Baez will start at the point after joining the varsity team for the final month and a half last season.
The Eagles will be relying heavily on its frontcourt to step up on both ends of the court. Senior Caleb Gayle is a traditional post player that will compete hard on both ends of the court, senior Cam Baker is fundamentally sound and a reliable option and junior Hank Ward picked up valuable minutes as a sophomore and will be an important part of the rebound game as well as defensively. Senior Aaron Karten will be in the mix as well, giving the Eagles an athletic frontcourt.
Junior Jordan Barboza should give the Eagles a spark off the bench this year and head coach Andrew Ferguson will look for him as an important defensive piece. Kiran Chandrasekaran had flashes of the strong play off the bench last year and should see an expanded role this year, while junior transfer Matt Baskin could provide a needed scoring punch.
“This group has worked tremendously hard in the offseason and the preseason and is looking to translate that into success throughout the regular season,” Ferguson said. “Many of the players have gained valuable experience at the varsity level over the past two years and our senior class are tremendous leaders who provide a great example for our younger players.”
2018-2019 Record: 10-11 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 South Preliminary Round Coach: John Gallivan
Stoughton ended its playoff drought last season and with a good amount of those players back again this year, the Davenport division title and a deep playoff run could be in the forecast this season.
The Black Knights have their leading scorer back in 6’5 senior forward Obinna Ugwuakazi, who averaged 14 points and eight rebounds per game with nine double-doubles last year. His athleticism and ability to finish through contact made him a tough matchup for opponents, and he will be at the forefront of the Stoughton offense again this year. Fellow senior Tahkwan Gates Brown, who also stands at 6’5, is also back and we could see the duo play together at times which will certainly make life tough for opponents.
Senior Myles Grigalunas-Powell is back for his third year on varsity. After improving each of the past two seasons, the 2019-2020 season could be a breakout year for Grigalunas-Powell, who can score from three-point range but is also a crafty finisher attacking the rim. Ahmad Jahed had flashes of strong play last year and will be back in the mix again this year, and the same goes for Tommy Sanda. Juniors Brett Pendenza and Jake Queeney are also back after earning some minutes last year.
“We feel like we can score this year both from downtown and from down low,” said Stoughton head coach John Gallivan. “And with our size in the paint, we hope to make it difficult for opponents to score consistently.”
2018-2019 Record: 15-9 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 South Semifinal Coach: Charlie Dacey
After a strong regular season, the Taunton boys basketball team flipped a switch in the tournament and made a run to the D1 South Semis, nearly knocking off powerhouse Mansfield. With a taste of postseason success, the Tigers are hoping to replicate that success this year with another impressive playoff stretch.
The Tigers boast speed, skill, and depth this season and will be in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex division title this season. While Taunton lost a lot of production from last year (Lou Vendrell, Mike Quinn, John Martins, Wesner Charles), there are a handful of players battling to earn their chance at minutes in the Tigers’ lineup. One constant in that lineup over the past couple of years is senior Dante Law, who enters his fourth year with the varsity group. Law was Taunton’s leading scorer a year ago with 14.1 points per game but none of the other returners were over five points a game, meaning there will be plenty of opportunity for new players to step up.
Seniors Fabio Goncalves (6’6) and Aiden Pelot, as well as junior Tyler Stewart (6’6) make up the frontcourt for the Tigers. All three played at the varsity level last year and will be key pieces at helping the Tigers defend and win the battle on the boards. Law will be joined by junior Josh Lopes, who showed flashes during his sophomore season, DaeDae Kenion, and sophomore transfer Tristan Herry as key pieces of the offense.
The Tigers are also excited about the depth on the team this year. Junior Danny MacDougall earned starting minutes last year and is a reliable option in a variety of roles while Trent Santos, Logan Lawrence, and Jonathan Torres will all be in the mix for Taunton.
“With this team, press and run should be ‘Plan A’ although there are skills available to play at a slower pace,” said Taunton head coach Charlie Dacey.
