CAMBRIDGE – The gang was deafening. The strain at its peak.
Noah Feldman answered the bell.
The senior ahead (25 factors) hit the game-tying layup on the finish of regulation, then sealed issues with a sequence of free throws in time beyond regulation as No. 18 Marshfield shocked No. 15 Cambridge Rindge and Latin on the street, 66-63, within the first spherical of the Div. 1 boys basketball event.
“To me and all of the seniors, it means all the things,” Feldman mentioned. “I didn’t wish to exit. Nobody wished our season to finish, and it felt nice. As soon as we received to time beyond regulation, we knew it was our sport. We received it accomplished. So pleased with the group, so pleased with everybody.”
There was not a seat to be discovered at Al Coccoluto Gymnasium, as a whole bunch packed the historic facility. With the followers raging on, the packages exchanged punches within the opening body as Marshfield (19-3) took a slim 17-16 lead getting into the second quarter.
Then, the Rams caught hearth from the sphere as Feldman banked in a contested layup as a part of a 7-0 run. Marshfield closed the half by out-scoring Cambridge (14-7) at a 17-6 clip to assemble a 36-25 benefit at intermission.
Because the third quarter rolled alongside, the hometown Falcons tried to chip away. Marshfield responded, as Dan Padden fed a cross to Brody Hession for a layup within the closing seconds of the stanza to make it a 48-40 contest getting into the ultimate body.
Then Cambridge staged its rally. Seniors Aaron Abebe and Jaydaan Correia sank consecutive three-pointers as a part of an 8-1 run for the Falcons, as they battled again to inside one at 49-48 with 5:20 left in regulation. The fitness center merely received louder with every passing second.
Afterward with 1:08 to play, Correia hit two extra from the stripe to supply Cambridge its first lead because the opening quarter at 57-55.
Instantly, it appeared Marshfield was about to see its playoff run come to a fast conclusion in heartbreaking style.
“We knew we needed to climate a storm,” mentioned Marshfield coach Bob Fisher. “We knew there was going to be a storm within the third interval. We had been hoping the storm wouldn’t be as unhealthy because it was, nevertheless it was a hurricane as a substitute of a storm. It was virtually just like the blizzard we had on the South Shore. … They didn’t blow us out, however they received again within the sport.”
But, with 29.7 seconds remaining, the Rams got a golden alternative because the Falcons turned the ball over throughout an inbound try. With 11.7 seconds left, Hession discovered Feldman standing alone beneath the basket with an inbounds cross, and the senior hit the game-tying shot. The Rams got here up sturdy defensively with a block on the other finish, and the faculties had been certain for time beyond regulation, deadlocked at 57-all.
“We knew the atmosphere we had been coming into,” Feldman mentioned. “Just a little publicity to it previously, however not as a lot although. So, (Coach) simply mentioned: ‘Keep calm.’ Primary factor he mentioned again and again was to climate the storm. Get via it. We fought via adversity, and received it accomplished.”
After Cambridge evened issues once more at 63-all within the additional session, Feldman hit one-of-two free throws to make it a 64-63 sport for Marshfield. The Rams got here up with one other defensive cease, and the senior discovered himself again on the line with 12.4 ticks left. He hit each makes an attempt, then celebrated together with his teammates as a game-tying triple got here up quick for Cambridge on the opposite finish as time expired.
Feldman completed 15-for-17 on the free throw stripe for Marshfield, whereas Padden (16 factors) and Luke Richardson (13 factors) added clutch buckets all evening. Abebe completed with 17 factors to tempo Cambridge, whereas Imam Firmin added 15 factors for the Falcons.
