Tag: Paul Seaver

Second Half Adjustments Push Milford Past Stoughton

Milford boys basketball
Milford’s Kayden Kelley (left) and Zack Tamagni (right) surround Stoughton’s Izon Swain-Price in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 
STOUGHTON, Mass. – After 16 minutes of play, Milford head coach Paul Seaver knew he needed to change something.

Although his Scarlet Hawks trailed by just one, the defense was having a tough time stopping Stoughton junior Cam Andrews, who had 17 points by the halftime break.

The change came in the form of an intensified defensive effort with a full court 2-2-1 press, a switch from man-to-man to a 2-3 zone and a strong focus on getting offensive from down low.

Those changes resulted in a strong second half for the Scarlet Hawks and a 56-50 win over the Black Knights in both teams’ first Davenport clash of the season.

“It’s good to start the division games off on the right foot,” Seaver said. “It was a frustrating non-league loss on Wednesday. To bounce back two days later shows a lot of resiliency from the guys. We finally get to go home next week after five of our first eight on the road. But we have to turn the page and have a good practice tomorrow.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Stoughton jumped out to an early lead but Milford chipped away and took its first lead, 11-10, behind a layup from Zack Tamagni (17 points) in the final minute.

Andrews (20 points, seven rebounds) took control of the second quarter – a frame that saw five lead changes in the first minute alone before Stoughton held a slim lead the rest of the way. Andrews shot 4/5 from the field and 4/4 from the free throw line for 13 points in the quarter. Tamagni helped keep the Scarlet Hawks close, registering eight points in the frame while Zach Tomarro hit a late three to bring Milford within one, 27-26, at halftime.

With the changes installed to start the second half, the first four minutes when nearly as perfect as Seaver could have hoped for. Milford’s zone disrupted the rhythm of Stoughton’s offense as the Black Knights went 0/5 from the field and had four turnovers in four minutes.

“Even when we got open looks, we didn’t him them and we were tentative,” Stoughton head coach John Gallivan said. “I thought a lot of that started at the far end with their full court stuff. Even if they didn’t get a steal, they made everyone think twice before you do one thing. Sometimes if it was between ‘A’ and ‘B’ and we chose ‘A,’ it should have been ‘B.’”

Meanwhile on the other end, Milford’s game plan to get junior Kayden Kelley (16 points 11 rebounds) touches was working. Kelley went 4/6 to start the quarter, including a put back off a miss for an 8-0 run of his own to start the second half.

“Cam Andrews ate us up in the first half so that’s pretty much why we needed to go zone,” Seaver said. “[Getting the ball down low] was a focus for us and [Kayden] wanted the ball, he was demanding the ball tonight and he did a good job and that’s what he needs to do,” Seaver said. “He’s an upperclassman now, he’s been on the team for a couple of years. Tonight might have been his best offensive game of his career.”

Cam Gomes (13 points, 10 rebounds) converted a traditional three point play to break Stoughton’s scoreless skid but Kelley came back down the other end with another post basket. Stoughton’s Matt Valle (eight points) drained a three late to cut the deficit to four but a pair of free throws from Milford’s Brendan White gave the Scarlet Hawks a 41-35 lead going into the final quarter.

Tamagni had four points in the first three minutes of the final quarter while Gomes had a pair of free throws. With Milford leading 45-37, Tammaro stepped up to bury a three on back-to-back possessions and the Scarlet Hawks took a 51-37 lead with four and a half minutes to go.

“I thought the kids played hard, I thought they did a nice job of executing our defensive game plan,” Gallivan said. “Milford has some tough guys out there, they have a lot of weapons. If you focus too much on the three-point line, and you saw what happened in the third quarter with Kelley, he was a beast in that quarter. You choose your poison and sometimes its not pretty either way.”

Milford was able to keep a 10 point cushion for the rest of the way until Stoughton scored four points in the final 30 seconds.

Milford boys basketball (4-3 overall, 2-2 Hockomock) return to action on Tuesday with a visit from Canton. Stoughton (1-5, 0-4) will try to bounce back on the same day when it hosts Foxboro.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Boys Basketball: 2016-17 Davenport Division Preview

2016-2017 Davenport Boys Basketball Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2016-2017 Davenport Boys Basketball Preview

Canton

2015-2016 Record: 2-18
2015-2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Ryan Gordy

After a difficult 2015-2016 season, the Bulldogs are looking to build on a strong offseason to have successful season this time around. Canton returns a strong core group that has a year of varsity experience under their belts now.

Junior Tony Harris had a strong sophomore year, leading the Bulldogs in scoring with 13.6 points per game and should be a big factor on both ends of the court this season. Sophomore Devin Foster had a terrific freshman season and will pair with junior Jake Verille, who saw plenty of time a year ago, to form an experienced backcourt.

The Bulldogs will rely on that experienced back court to pace the offense. Canton has a handful of weapons that can connect from deep as well. Defensively, expect Canton to rotate small and big lineups, depending on the matchup.

“The feeling around our program is that we are building momentum and have a chance to be pretty good relatively soon,” Canton head coach Ryan Gordy said. “This is a connected team who will be ready to grind out the always tough Hockomock League schedule.”

Foxboro

2015-2016 Record: 19-5
2015-2016 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinal
Coach: Jon Gibbs

Out of all of the teams in the Davenport division, the Warriors certainly have the most holes to fill from a year ago. HockomockSports.com First Teamer Alex DuBrow (15 PPG, 7.1 APG, 2.8 SPG), leading scorer Jason Procaccini (16.3 PPG) and leading rebounder Robbie Lowey (10.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG) all graduated.

The good news is that Foxboro does have some players coming back that have varsity experience, including Joe Morrison, Jamaine Few, Andrew Block and Mark Clagg – his fourth year on varsity. Freshman Brandon Borde could make an impact right away for the Warriors as well.

The Warriors will continue to prioritize defense and rebounding again this season but the offensive game will have to change. Without their top three scorers, Foxboro will rely on sharing the ball and a balanced scoring attack for this season.

“We have a group of high character kids that are working extremely hard every day, they are fun to coach,” Foxboro head coach Jon Gibbs said. “Practice has been very competitive, and we are focusing on daily improvement. If we stay committed to continuing to get better, we believe that we will be in position to achieve our goals at the end of the year.”

Milford

2015-2016 Record: 10-11
2015-2016 Finish: Reached D2 Central First Round
Coach: Paul Seaver

After making a big jump in wins last season, head coach Paul Seaver and his Scarlet Hawks are looking to continue that trend in the 2016-2017 season. Milford qualified for the state tournament for the first time since 2013 a year ago and are looking to make it two seasons in a row.

One big challenge will be replacing some of the scoring that graduated. Leading scorer Dimitry Torres (14.5) and second leading scorer Dwight Anderson (12.7) both are gone but senior Zack Tamagni, who scored 10.4 points a game a year ago, is back to lead the Scarlet Hawks this season.

Tamagni, who will pace the offense from the point guard position, will be helped along by senior Anthony Arcudi, who saw plenty of minutes a season ago, and junior Kayden Kelley, who begins his third year on varsity.

Arcudi will help replace some of the outside shooting that graduated while Kelley will give Milford a presence in the post. Tamagni can score from multiple spots on the court and his ability to move the ball and find the open teammate will pay dividends this season.

“Our goal this season is take the next step forward with our program,” Seaver said. “We have some production to replace, but we have the leadership and experience to do so. This is my third season at Milford and I believe that this is the best defensive team that I’ve had.”

North Attleboro

2015-2016 Record: 8-12
2015-2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Sean Mulkerrins

A switch to the Davenport division might have come at the perfect time for the Rocketeers, who have a strong core of experienced players looking to make a push for the postseason.

The Rocketeers have seven varsity players back from a year ago, including seniors Brent Doherty and Jonny Friberg, who have both started since their sophomore seasons. Doherty was third in scoring in the Hockomock a year ago with 16.8 points per game, as well as 4.2 RPG and 3.0 APG while Friberg offered Big Red rebounding (5.8 RPG) and a post option on offense (8.8 PPG).

Doherty and Friberg have a strong supporting cast with Kyle McCarthy, Chad Peterson, Tom Reynolds and Hacmoni Cuevas all getting plenty of minutes last season. The Rocketeers deployed more man-to-man defense a year ago after relying on zone the year prior. Expect Big Red to mix it up this year, and with experience using both, the defense could be a solid weapon.

“We believe our strength will be our experience in running our system,” North Attleboro head coach Sean Mulkerrins said. “The experience should allow us to develop a more consistent offense which relies on ball movement, spacing, and great shot selection.”

Sharon

2015-2016 Record: 12-10
2015-2016 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round
Coach: Andrew Ferguson

Sharon is bringing back just three players from a year ago so the Eagles will be relying on new faces to step up for the 2016-2017 season.

Though just three players are back, three-year starter Ricardo Ripley is one of them. His experience and skill will be vital, quarterbacking the offense and leading the charge defensively. Both Jimmy Fitzhenry and Malik Lorquet picked up varsity experience last year and will likely see expanded roles this year.

Expect the Eagles to use their speed and athleticism on both ends of the court to try and bother teams. Offensively, Sharon has a couple of shooters that can help space out the floor, which can provide Ripley with the space he needs.

“We’re going to need some of our less experienced varsity players to step up throughout the year,” Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson said. “There is some great chemistry on our team and we’re pushing each other in practice, so hopefully that extends into the season.”

Stoughton

2015-2016 Record: 7-13
2015-2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: John Gallivan

The Black Knights will be relying on a big senior class in the 2016-2017 while trying to get back to the postseason and make a push for the division title.

Stoughton has 10 seniors, including captains Ryan Sullivan, Cam Gomes and Matt Valle. Junior Cam Andrews is also a captain for the team. The Black Knights were able to give teams problems with their pace last year and will look to do the same again this year.

With plenty of athletes, the Black Knights will use their speed to try and run past teams while applying lots of pressure on the defensive end. Andrews (12.9 PPG as a sophomore) is one of the top returning scorers in the league and can be a handful for defenses to deal with.

“All four are captains and have two to three years of varsity experience each,” Stoughton head John Gallivan said. “Although we aren’t a real tall team, we have great speed and quickness and plan to play fast as much as possible.”

Foxboro Closes Out Division Title In Win Over Milford

Foxboro boys basketball
Foxboro’s Rob Lowey goes up strong for a bucket in the first half against Milford (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

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FOXBORO, Mass. – Foxboro erased a nine point second half deficit and slammed the door shut with a dominant fourth quarter to beat Milford, 66-48, and clinch the Davenport Division title outright.
The Warriors held a one point lead at halftime but trailed by as much as nine points in the third quarter and entered the fourth with trailing by one.
Foxboro used a 23-4 fourth quarter to pull away and clinch the program’s first outright league title since 2003.
“Give credit to Milford, they’ve got some very talented scorers and some very talented guards and they made some tough shots,” Foxboro head coach Jon Gibbs said. “They’ve been playing really well lately, they had won six of the last seven coming in. I’ve seen them lately have some really big quarters and big halves offensively where they just make shot after shot and that happened some here today. I thought our defense was pretty good for the most part and they just made some contested shots. But I was really proud of the way we fought through the adversity.”
The Scarlet Hawks embarked on a 13-3 run to open the second half and take their biggest lead of the contest. Senior Dimitry Torres (game-high 18 points plus six assists) started the run with a pair of free throws and then found Austin Albano for a corner three to go up 31-29. Zack Tamagni drained a three, Torres found Dwight Anderson for a layup and then Torres found Anthony Arcudi for a three to make it 39-30 with 3:53 to play in the third.
Foxboro was inch back, closing out the quarter on a 13-5 run with all points coming from seniors. Alex DuBrow and Jason Procaccini each scored four points, Jonathan Carnino hit a corner trey late in the shot clock to start the run and Rob Lowey scored off a nice post move.
It didn’t take long for the Warriors to assume the lead in the final quarter with DuBrow — who scored 12 of his 16 points in the final quarter — driving and laying one up and under on Foxboro’s first possession to go up by one. Foxboro never trailed again.
“Falling behind and losing the momentum in the third quarter we could have folded, we could have quit but he hung in there, we stayed with the plan defensively and we picked up our energy level and we were able to execute on offense and start making some plays,” Gibbs said. “I was really proud of the way we hung in there and came back and that’s what good teams do. We’ve been able to fight through it more as the season has gone on and that’s something that can help us when we get to the state tournament.
“I told the guys we’ll find our rhythm eventually on offense and eventually we’ll knock down shots but we had to lock them down and not let them score. I told them if we could lock them down defensively then eventually we’ll catch up and get the lead and I think we did a good job of that. I think we started to get some offense off of our defense when we lifted our energy up.”
Procaccini’s three point play preceded his assist to DuBrow at the top of the arc for a three. DuBrow came away with a steal and easy bucket before the Warriors used the same play – finding Procaccini on the baseline for a kick out to DuBrow for a three to put the run at 13-2.
Sophomore Joe Morrison had back to back steals that resulted in two points from DuBrow, a putback from Lowey off a missed three and a Procaccini layup stretched the run to 19-2. Foxboro went on to win the final quarter 23-4.
“You can’t have a quarter like that against the league champions and expect to win the game,” Milford head coach Paul Seaver said. “I thought we played well for three quarters but things just dominoed for us from there.”
While DuBrow had 12 points in the final frame, all 16 of them came in the second half. He had six assists in the first half and finished with eight overall along with five rebounds.
“He really just put us on his back,” Gibbs said of DuBrow. “He’s a tremendous player, he’s a special player and I think what you saw tonight was just how valuable he is to our team. When we were down and we were in a tough spot and we really needed a spark and someone to make some tough plays and produce, the way he can step up and put the team on his back. Whether it’s making a big basket or making a big pass or a big steal. All of a sudden, when we needed him the most, he was all over the place on both ends of the court. That’s why he’s such a special player and that’s why we’ve been so successful.”
Procaccini finished with 15 points and eight rebounds, Lowery had 15 points and nine rebounds and Mark Clagg chipped in with 10 points and four rebounds. The Warriors had a 34-18 edge in rebounding.
Foxboro boys basketball (16-4, 12-3) will close out the season by hosting Sharon in search of avenging a loss to the Eagles in late January. Milford (9-10, 6-9) finishes the regular season by hosting Canton. With a win, the Scarlet Hawks will qualify for the state tournament.
“Our goal the whole season was to get to the state tournament,” Seaver said. “We’ve grinded through a lot all season and we’ve put ourselves in a position to get there. Now we have to win to get there on Monday so it’s essentially a playoff game and we’re going to treat it like that.”

Foxboro Boys and Girls Complete Sweep of Milford

By Allie Piergustavo, HockomockSports.com Contributor

MILFORD, Mass. – Despite a strong effort by a young Milford girls’ squad, it was not enough to overcome the Foxboro Warriors on Friday night, falling by a score of 66-55.

Dominance from the start was key in the Warrior’s victory. Foxboro outscored Milford 20-7 in the first quarter, despite committing five fouls. Foxboro senior Cassidy Harrison scored 12 of the team’s 20 points in the first.

“She’s been scoring a lot early in games, and everyone moves off of that energy she brings out there offensively,” said Foxboro coach Lisa Downs. Downs also complimented the team’s defense early on in the game. She said, “Our defense in the first half was a catalyst to what we were able to do on offense.”

Milford, however, did not go down without a fight. The effort from the Scarlet Hawks was at top level throughout the entire game. The game as a whole was a total team effort, with points being distributed throughout multiple players.

“We knew who we were going up against; we knew Foxboro was a very good team,” said Milford coach T.J. Dolliver. “We kept the energy up and we needed to, because if we ever hung our head at any point, it would’ve affected us mentally, and in the game as well.”

Despite having a young roster, Milford continues to improve game-by-game. After losing a tough match-up to Sharon on Monday night, they looked to bounce back stronger than before, striving to reach their goal of getting better every game.

Milford’s top scorer on the night was senior Jill Powers with 15 points and she also added six rebounds. Sophomore Nicole Dahlgren added 10 points and five rebounds for Milford.

Foxboro looks to continue its win streak on Tuesday night at home against Franklin, while Milford looks to come back from tonight’s loss Tuesday night at home versus Attleboro.

Foxboro Boys Run Away With Road Victory

After a strong victory on the girl’s side, it was up to the Foxboro boys to complete the sweep. It was soon clear that the team would have little issue completing the challenge. The Warriors completed a statement victory over the Scarlet Hawks, winning 64-44.

After trailing Milford 1-0 for the first minutes of the first quarter, Foxboro’s offense came alive, and ultimately outscored Milford in the first quarter 15-8, while committing just two fouls.

Foxboro’s top scorer for the night was senior forward Rob Lowey, tallying 20 points for the Warriors. Next to Lowey was fellow senior Alex DuBrow, with the guard adding 15 points.

Despite these numbers, Foxboro’s victory tonight was a full team effort. “I was really proud of our depth,” said Foxboro coach Jon Gibbs. “A lot of different guys stepped up for us tonight when we had some of our key guys in foul trouble, so I was really proud of that.”

On the Milford side, the leading scorers for the Scarlet Hawks were junior guard Zach Tamagni and senior forward Dwight Anderson, with 12 and 11 points, respectively.

A junior and senior-heavy roster means returning experience for the team. This has shown throughout the season, especially after a statement win over Davenport rival Sharon this past Monday night.

Milford (3-3, 2-2) looks to bounce back from tonight on Tuesday night at Attleboro. The future for the Warriors is very bright, as well. After tonight’s victory, Foxboro (6-1, 4-1) looks to carry that momentum into the next game at Franklin.

Gibbs said, “We’re continuing to get better, so right now its just continue to get better, and continue to build momentum and keep it going as long as we can.”

Boys Basketball: Davenport Division Preview 2015-16

Sharon's Tyler Smith (2) and David Roelke are two of eight returning varsity players for the Eagles. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
Sharon’s Tyler Smith (2) and David Roelke are two of eight returning varsity players for the Eagles. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

CANTON

2014-2015 Record: 5-15
2014-2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Ryan Gordy
The Bulldogs have a good amount of talent with experience returning this season and have added some key young pieces and head coach Ryan Gordy is hoping that combination will be a recipe for success this season.
Senior captains Rishi Jambunathan, Woanyen Mahn and Ben O’Neill all got plenty of experience last year and will be relied upon in getting the younger players involved. Griffin Jerrier, who was a strong rebounder last year, is also back and will help the Bulldogs in the paint.
“We are a team that has a nice mix of veterans and rookies, we have some athleticism, a good work ethic and IQ for the game,” Gordy said. “I would say we are relatively deep this year with 11 guys who can give quality minutes at the varsity level. Our biggest weakness is that this roster is unproven, and we need to learn how to execute in big moments to win games.”

FOXBORO

2014-2015 Record: 15-8
2014-2015 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinal
Coach: Jon Gibbs
When it comes to talent coming back, Foxboro is near the top of the list with the players they have returning this season. Hockomock League All Stars Alex DuBrow and Robby Lowey are both back for their senior seasons and will look to lead the Warriors to another deep postseason run.
Along with DuBrow and Lowey, Foxboro has junior Mark Clagg (third year of varsity), Andrew Block and Jonathan Carnino all back this season. Sophomore Joe Morrison was brought up at the end of last year and the Warriors got transfer Jason Procaccini from Nobles and he could emerge as one of the Foxboro’s top scoring options. Head coach Jon Gibbs will be relying on experience and depth to try take the next step this year.
“We have some good pieces offensively and should be able to score in a variety of ways, so as long as we stay unselfish, we should be able to put some points on the scoreboard,” Gibbs said. “Ultimately, our success will be determined by how big of a commitment we make to defense and rebounding.”

MILFORD

2014-2015 Record: 2-18
2014-2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Paul Seaver
After just two wins in head coach Paul Seaver’s first year, the Scarlet Hawks are looking to take a big step forward in the 2015-2016 season. With nearly everyone back, Milford is in prime position to pick up more victories this season.
Dwight Anderson, a Hockomock League honorable mention last year, is back for his senior season, junior sharpshooter Nate Davila is back, junior Zack Tamagni will be back running the point and senior Dimitry Torres is a player that can make an impact at both ends of the court. Sophomore Kayden Kelley saw some time in the second half of the season last year and should provide good length and size in the post.
“We return 10 of 14 guys from last year’s team, which was the youngest in the league,” Seaver said. “This group had a terrific offseason, coming together both on and off the court, and helping to rebuild the culture within Milford basketball. Some of our strengths would include our improved teamwork and general awareness of working with each other after having played together so much over the last year.”

OLIVER AMES

2014-2015 Record: 20-4
2014-2015 Finish: Reached D2 South Final
Coach: Don Byron
After reaching the D2 South Final last season, the Tigers will have a to overcome a lot to try and get back there this season. All five starters (Carney, Handy, Kyne, Flynn, Welch) from last year’s team graduated as well as a key role player off the bench (Kelley) and another junior Franklin Holgate transferred to Nobles.
But the goal hasn’t changed for Oliver Ames as the Tigers will be making a push for the postseason again this year. Senior Tim Kelley will be one of the Tigers’ go-to options on the offensive end of the court and junior Carter Evin will provide some size in the post to give OA options on offense and defense. Connor Moroney will also be a source of scoring while Shawn Cardoza is another post player with some good experience.
“We graduated a strong senior class last year but with a nucleus of five returning players who played in a number of high pressure games last year we are optimistic,” head coach Don Byron said. “We also will add seven players who were key players on our successful JV and freshmen teams last year.”

SHARON

2014-2015 Record: 11-10
2014-2015 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round
Coach: Andrew Ferguson
Similar to Foxboro, Sharon is near the top of the list when it comes to returning players back this year. First year head coach Andrew Ferguson has eight returning varsity players at his disposal as the Eagles will look to not only make the playoffs, but try to get further than they did this past season.
Seniors Matt Lowerre, Tyler Smith, Bryce Smith, Mitchell Sirota, Andrew Filipkowski, David Roelke, and Michael Zola are all back for another year while juniors Ricardo Ripley and Peter Banks both saw time last year. Ferguson will be relying on that depth to try and challenge Foxboro in the Davenport title race. Although the Eagles don’t have a ton of size, they make up for it in athleticism.
“We are very excited to begin the season, and expect a lot from a very experienced roster,” Ferguson said. “Our roster will allow us to be very versatile as we try to create mismatches on both ends of the floor.”

STOUGHTON

2014-2015 Record: 8-12
2014-2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: John Gallivan
There are a lot of questions heading into the season for Stoughton but at the same time, there is a lot of optimism among the Black Knights.
Brandon Teixeira is back for his third year on varsity and is among the best shooters in the league. He will be relied on to captain the team on both ends of the court while junior Ryan Sullivan – who saw minutes last season – should see a bigger role in 2015-2016.
Beyond those two, head coach John Gallivan will be looking for others to step up and emerge as options on offense and as consistent players on defense. Sophomore Cam Andrews could be one of those players after seeing some minutes during his freshman year and junior Cam Gomes could provide some size for the Black Knights.
“There’s a big difference between the games that start at 5:00 and the one’s that start at 6:30,” Gallivan said of JV to varsity. “We have a lot of guys that haven’t played the 6:30 ones yet. We don’t have a ton of size but we can run and we’re hoping to make teams play our style.”

Fourth Quarter Run Sparks Scarlet Hawks In Opener

Milford's Zack Tamagni draws a double team in the second half against Hopedale. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
Milford’s Zack Tamagni draws a double team in the second half against Hopedale. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By Ryan Lanigan, Editor-in-Chief
MILFORD, Mass. – Four, two and three.
That’s what the differences were at the end of the first, second and third quarters respectively between Milford and Hopedale in the second half of a doubleheader on Friday night.
So how did Milford eventually build a lead – as much as 12 – in the fourth quarter on their way to a 55-49 win over its rival?
“We hit shots, that’s it,” Milford head coach Paul Seaver, who is in his second year, said.
After trailing by four at the end of the opening stanza, the Scarlet Hawks clamped down on defense, allowing just five points while scoring 11 for the second straight quarter to build a 22-20 lead at the break.
Junior Nate Davila, who finished with 18 points, kept the Scarlet Hawks afloat in the first half. He scored a team-high nine points in the first half while sophomore Kayden Kelley provided four points and five boards off the bench.
Milford twice got the lead to five points in the third quarter but each time Hopedale closed the gap, even taking a lead at 33-32 with just under three minutes left in the quarter behind a basket from Chris Carron (12 points, five rebounds).
But Davila drained his fourth three pointer of the game to get the lead back and Kelley converted to put the Scarlet Hawks up 37-33. A free throw from Carron made it a three point game going into the final frame.
Davila was the first to put points on the board in the final quarter, hitting his fifth three but only for Hopedale to answer immediately with a bucket underneath.
That’s when Milford made it’s biggest – and most important – run of the game. Senior Dimitry Torres, who was held scoreless in the first half, drained a three to extend the lead to seven. Consecutive buckets from junior point guard Zack Tamagni (eight points, seven boards, three assists) pushed the lead to 47-40 and Torres followed up with another basket.
Torres capped the 12-4 run with another three pointer to give the home side a comfortable 52-40 lead with just under two minutes to play.
“We were quiet offensively for most of the game but we hit shots in the fourth quarter,” Seaver said. “Nate Davila hit them all game long and Dimitry Torres stepped up in the fourth quarter and we were able to extend the lead, that’s it.”
The Blue Raiders made the most of the last minute of play, closing the game via steals off inbounds plays and missed free throws from the Scarlet Hawks, but Milford’s lead proved to be too much.
Despite finishing relatively level in the rebounding battle (31-26 edge to Hopedale), the Scarlet Hawks were able to overcome to get the win.
“They had more height than I think we expected,” Seaver said. “Carron, [Brian] Espanet and [Tyler] Miller, those were the three guys. They did a great job crashing the glass. We have to get better at boxing out. We have some height but we’ve got to get better position.”
Beyond Davila’s game-high 18 points and Torres 15 points, Kelley had eight points and six rebounds and senior Dwight Anderson had four points and a pair of rebounds and assists. Anderson, who led the Scarlet Hawks in scoring last year, was bottled up most of the night thanks to Hopedale’s Brian Espanet (17 points, 13 rebounds).
“That’s probably a credit to Hopedale and their preparation,” Seaver said. “Espanet guarded him the whole game, had four fouls but didn’t foul out. I think he bothered Dwight but he made other plays for us. He played almost the entire game, he rebounded well, he set good screens, he got us through the offense. Just because he didn’t score doesn’t mean he wasn’t an impactful player, I thought he played good tonight.”
Milford (1-0) is already halfway to tying its win totals from last year when they went 2-18. The Scarlet Hawks will open their league schedule on December 18th when they travel to Oliver Ames.
“We needed this win,” Seaver said. “We had a terrific offseason. This group wanted to show this crowd and this environment how hard they worked all offseason. The most important thing was to get a win to show that and they did that tonight.”
Ryan Lanigan can be contacted at RyanLanigan@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @R_Lanigan.

Milford Names Paul Seaver New Boys Basketball Coach

Paul Seaver

Paul Seaver was the Canton High JV head coach and varsity assistant this past season. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By Ryan Lanigan, Editor-in-Chief

Milford High has tabbed Paul Seaver as the new boys basketball head coach, both Seaver and AD Rich Piergustavo confirmed to HockomockSports.com.

Seaver, 24, becomes the third head coach in the last three years for the Scarlet Hawks, replacing Jason Potty, who was at the helm for one season. Steve Manguso had been the head coach for 30 years, his last coming in Milford’s first season in the Hockomock League in the 2012-2013 season.

“Milford is the perfect fit for me,” Seaver said. “It’s my dream job. I grew up, played and graduated from Milford High, so the opportunity to come home and begin my varsity coaching career is simply incredible. I could not be anymore excited.”

Seaver is a 2007 graduate of Milford High School, where he captained the basketball team. He spent this past season as the Canton High JV head coach and varsity assistant coach and was the freshman coach for the Bulldogs the previous year. The Milford-native spent two seasons as a varsity assistant at Blackstone-Millville before his stint at Canton. 

Seaver turns 25 next week and will be the youngest head coach in the league when the season tips off in December of 2014. Seaver’s father, Paul “Wally” Seaver, began his coaching career in 1983 as a JV assistant coach at Milford High. Wally went on to coach varisty basketball at Franklin High for a decade, winning the league title in his final season. 

“It’s special,” Seaver said of coaching at the same school his father did. “I would not be anywhere close to where I am today without my father and all that he taught me about coaching and the game of basketball. He has and always will serve as my inspiration.”

Milford was 4-16 overall last season and 3-13 in league play. The Scarlet Hawks won the Davenport Division in the 2012-2013 season and went on to win the D1 Central Championship.

“I just want to thank Coach Ryan Gordy, the staff and administration at Canton,” Seaver said. “I learned so much in the two years I spent at Canton and am so thankful for the time that I spent there.”

Canton was quick to congratulate and thank Seaver for his time with the program through their Twitter account.

Ryan Lanigan can be contacted at RyanLanigan@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @R_Lanigan.