DUXBURY — With regards to competing within the Patriot League, groups can by no means take nights off. That is very true with boys’ basketball.
Because of an awesome efficiency from Seth Corridor, Whitman-Hanson was in a position to win a nail-biter on the highway Tuesday. The senior guard completed with a game-high 14 factors, because the Panthers closed issues on a late 10-0 run en path to knocking off rival Duxbury.
“Should you’re going to finish the sport on that type of a run, it’s going to occur on the defensive finish of the ground,” stated Whitman-Hanson coach Bob Rodgers. “That’s what our guys did. They made some actually huge stops, they usually rebounded the ball nicely.”
Previous to Tuesday’s matinee, Whitman-Hanson (9-8) was seeded twenty first total within the Div. 2 energy rankings with a workforce score of 4.6076. Duxbury (9-8-) wasn’t too far behind, sitting at No. 29 (3.3609). The 2 longtime foes had been additionally jockeying for place within the Keenan Division standings, with the Dragons successful their first matchup again on Jan. 14 (a 67-51 victory).
This time round, the primary half turned out to be struggle. Josh Manchester registered 5 factors within the opening quarter, offering the Panthers an early 12-9 benefit by means of one.
Nonetheless, Duxbury staged a 6-2 run of its personal to start the following body, as Tristan Sheehan discovered a rhythm offensively to push the Dragons forward, 15-14. The 2 faculties traded buckets from that second till intermission.
With 3.1 ticks left within the half, Mason Bradley collected an offensive rebound following a free-throw try. The senior ahead banked in a layup at the buzzer, giving Whitman-Hanson a slim 25-22 lead on the break.
Then, Corridor took issues over within the third quarter. The senior guard caught fireplace at first of the second half, registering 11 factors within the body alone because the Panthers constructed a 46-41 lead getting into the fourth.
“Seth has had an awesome 12 months for us,” stated Rodgers. “He’s such a dynamic participant. He’s fast, he’s a wise participant, and clearly an power participant. I feel in that third quarter, he made some actually huge performs for us.”
The Dragons refused to give up, and staged a late rally. With 5:40 remaining, senior Finn Hochkeppel drilled a three-pointer, as Duxbury trimmed its deficit to 48-45.
Moments later, Cameron Frazier knocked down a shot, because the Dragons accomplished a 7-0 run to leap forward, 49-48. Out of the blue, it regarded just like the Panthers had been about to let one other recreation slip away.
After being held in test for a lot of the second half, Manchester transformed a three-point play on the alternative finish, ending a layup as he was fouled. He hit the following free throw to place the Panthers again in entrance, 51-49. They cruised from there, icing an important victory.
Following the conclusion of the boys’ recreation, it was time for the Panthers and Dragons women’ applications to take the courtroom.
All season lengthy, Whitman-Hanson’s women basketball workforce has averted falling into the lure, and the Panthers continued to roll Tuesday night. Senior guard Dylan Hurley dropped 15 factors to tempo all scorers, whereas junior ahead Maliah Pierre netted 13 factors to go along with seven rebounds as Whitman-Hanson pulled away within the second half to topple Patriot League nemesis Duxbury, 48-36.
“It was enormous for us,” Pierre stated. “We’re undefeated within the league proper now, and we’re simply trying to hold that going. Then, coming again after final 12 months, after having all these shut video games with them, I feel it’s turn out to be a rivalry recreation that we’re pleased with.”
The Panthers (17-1) entered their newest bout as one of many prime groups in Massachusetts, main the MIAA’s Div. 2 women basketball energy rankings (12.3288 score). Nonetheless, Duxbury (13-6) has all the time been a thorn within the faculty’s facet, particularly lately. The Dragons themselves had been slotted at No. 9 total within the area themselves with a score of 9.3373. After having so many basic battles in previous years, the 2 Patriot League heavyweights discovered themselves deadlocked at 11-all by means of one quarter.
“Anytime we play Duxbury, we all know it’s going to be a battle,” Whitman-Hanson coach Michael Costa stated. “Particularly final 12 months, we had Dylan hit the game-winner off the backboard, at halfcourt, on the buzzer. Then, clearly the triple extra time recreation within the match. So, anytime we match up with Duxbury, it’s going to be a battle. However the children are actually targeted this 12 months.”
All through the whole thing of the primary half, the Dragons managed the boards, however did not convert second-chance alternatives. In the meantime, Pierre capitalized time and time once more on the alternative finish for Whitman-Hanson, ending with 11 factors throughout the preliminary two quarters to offer the Panthers a 25-19 lead on the break.
After being held quiet for essentially the most half all evening, Hurley shined within the third quarter. The Panthers star caught fireplace on the tail finish of the stanza, sinking eight factors throughout the last two minutes as Whitman-Hanson broke issues open at 40-24 getting into the fourth.
“She’s been on a tear in all probability the final month scoring the ball for us,” Costa stated of Hurley. “I feel she’s up round 17 factors a recreation now. Along with her and Maliah, you’ve obtained to select your poison with us.”
Hurley left the sport late with an obvious damage, however was noticed jogging to the locker room to fulfill along with her teammates following the Panthers’ newest win.
Duxbury was fueled by juniors Regan Donovan (13 factors, 9 rebounds) and Lilah MacQuarrie (10 factors, 11 rebounds).
“It’s laborious,” laughed Costa. “I’m not going to lie. We’ve obtained everyone and their households speaking concerning the No. 1 seed, Patriot League champs and all that. However we do job. My employees does job of maintaining the ladies on monitor. The one energy rankings that matter are those going into the match. Having the one-seed for a part of the 12 months simply implies that we’re heading in the right direction, and we’re doing what we have to do.”
