Trailing by 18 points entering the fourth quarter, it would’ve been easy for the No. 17 Greenfield boys basketball team to call it a night.
But the Green Wave got off the mat and nearly pulled off a stunner in the MIAA Division 5 Round of 32 on Friday night.
Greenfield got within two points in the final minute of the game against No. 16 Salem Academy Charter, but the hosts hit free throws down the stretch to hold on for a 71-64 victory in Salem.
“This game was a microcosm of our season,” Greenfield coach Angelo Thomas said. “We had some ups, some downs and everything in between.”
The slow start ended up plaguing the Green Wave, but it doesn’t take away from the effort in the fourth to get back in the game. It was the shooting from deep that got Greenfield back in the game, knocking down six 3’s in the final frame.
“We got down 15 in the first half,” Thomas said. “They outscored us by two in the third quarter and we decided to start playing in the fourth. We got it down to two but we couldn’t hit that next shot and they made their free throws to seal it.”
David Carey led the Green Wave with 19 points. Jon Breor scored 12 points and pulled down 16 rebounds while Caleb Murray and Brendan Driscoll each scored 10 points in the loss.
Salem Academy will travel to play at No. 1 Taconic in the Div. 5 Round of 16 next week.