DUXBURY — When it comes to competing in the Patriot League, teams can never take nights off. This is especially true with boys’ basketball.
Thanks to a great performance from Seth Hall, Whitman-Hanson was able to win a nail-biter on the road Tuesday. The senior guard finished with a game-high 14 points, as the Panthers closed things on a late 10-0 run en route to knocking off rival Duxbury.
“If you’re going to end the game on that kind of a run, it’s going to happen on the defensive end of the floor,” said Whitman-Hanson coach Bob Rodgers. “That’s what our guys did. They made some really big stops, and they rebounded the ball well.”
Prior to Tuesday’s matinee, Whitman-Hanson (9-8) was seeded 21st overall in the Div. 2 power rankings with a team rating of 4.6076. Duxbury (9-8-) wasn’t too far behind, sitting at No. 29 (3.3609). The two longtime foes were also jockeying for position in the Keenan Division standings, with the Dragons winning their first matchup back on Jan. 14 (a 67-51 victory).
This time around, the first half turned out to be war. Josh Manchester registered five points in the opening quarter, providing the Panthers an early 12-9 advantage through one.
However, Duxbury staged a 6-2 run of its own to begin the ensuing frame, as Tristan Sheehan found a rhythm offensively to push the Dragons ahead, 15-14. The two schools traded buckets from that moment until intermission.
With 3.1 ticks left in the half, Mason Bradley collected an offensive rebound following a free-throw attempt. The senior forward banked in a layup at the buzzer, giving Whitman-Hanson a slim 25-22 lead at the break.
Then, Hall took things over in the third quarter. The senior guard caught fire at the start of the second half, registering 11 points in the frame alone as the Panthers built a 46-41 lead entering the fourth.
“Seth has had a great year for us,” said Rodgers. “He’s such a dynamic player. He’s quick, he’s a smart player, and obviously an energy player. I think in that third quarter, he made some really big plays for us.”
The Dragons refused to quit, 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, as the Dragons completed a 7-0 run to jump ahead, 49-48. Suddenly, it looked like the Panthers were about to let another game slip away.
After being held in check for much of the second half, Manchester converted a three-point play on the opposite end, finishing a layup as he was fouled. He hit the ensuing free throw to put the Panthers back in front, 51-49. They cruised from there, icing a crucial victory.
Following the conclusion of the boys’ game, it was time for the Panthers and Dragons girls’ programs to take the court.
All season long, Whitman-Hanson’s girls basketball team has avoided falling into the trap, and the Panthers continued to roll Tuesday evening. Senior guard Dylan Hurley dropped 15 points to pace all scorers, while junior forward Maliah Pierre netted 13 points to go with seven rebounds as Whitman-Hanson pulled away in the second half to topple Patriot League nemesis Duxbury, 48-36.
“It was huge for us,” Pierre said. “We’re undefeated in the league right now, and we’re just looking to keep that going. Then, coming back after last year, after having all those close games with them, I think it’s become a rivalry game that we’re proud of.”
The Panthers (17-1) entered their latest bout as one of the top teams in Massachusetts, leading the MIAA’s Div. 2 girls basketball power rankings (12.3288 rating). However, Duxbury (13-6) has always been a thorn in the school’s side, especially recently. The Dragons themselves were slotted at No. 9 overall in the field themselves with a rating of 9.3373. After having so many classic battles in past years, the two Patriot League heavyweights found themselves deadlocked at 11-all through one quarter.
“Anytime we play Duxbury, we know it’s going to be a battle,” Whitman-Hanson coach Michael Costa said. “Especially last year, we had Dylan hit the game-winner off the backboard, at halfcourt, at the buzzer. Then, obviously the triple overtime game in the tournament. So, anytime we match up with Duxbury, it’s going to be a battle. But the kids are really focused this year.”
Throughout the entirety of the first half, the Dragons controlled the boards, but failed to convert second-chance opportunities. Meanwhile, Pierre capitalized time and time again on the opposite end for Whitman-Hanson, finishing with 11 points during the initial two quarters to provide the Panthers a 25-19 lead at the break.
After being held quiet for the most part all night, Hurley shined in the third quarter. The Panthers star caught fire at the tail end of the stanza, sinking eight points during the final two minutes as Whitman-Hanson broke things open at 40-24 entering the fourth.
“She’s been on a tear probably the last month scoring the ball for us,” Costa said of Hurley. “I think she’s up around 17 points a game now. With her and Maliah, you’ve got to pick your poison with us.”
Hurley left the game late with an apparent injury, but was spotted jogging to the locker room to meet with her teammates following the Panthers’ latest win.
Duxbury was fueled by juniors Regan Donovan (13 points, nine rebounds) and Lilah MacQuarrie (10 points, 11 rebounds).
“It’s hard,” laughed Costa. “I’m not going to lie. We’ve got everybody and their families talking about the No. 1 seed, Patriot League champs and all that. But we do a good job. My staff does a good job of keeping the girls on track. The only power rankings that matter are the ones going into the tournament. Having the one-seed for a good part of the year just means that we’re on the right track, and we’re doing what we need to do.”
