MIAA basketball: Greenfield boys’ late rally not enough to overcome Boston United in D5 Round of 32

GREENFIELD — There were chances for the Greenfield boys basketball team to pull off a miracle comeback against Boston United in the MIAA Division 5 tournament Round of 32 on Friday night.

Unfortunately for the 12th-seeded Green Wave, shots didn’t fall in the final seconds and it led to 78-76 loss at the hands of the 21st-seeded Lions at Nichols Gymnasium.

Greenfield trailed by as many as 17 points in the third quarter before making a dramatic comeback that spanned from the end of third and into the fourth quarter. The Green Wave got closer and closer before getting to within two points with 13 seconds left.

“The comeback was great,” Greenfield coach Angelo Thomas said. “The fact that we had to come back was the issue.”

Gavin Arsenault then went to the free throw line but went 0-for-2. The Green Wave corralled the offensive rebound, giving themselves another chance. Grayson Thomas got a decent look from the top of the key but the shot missed and time ran out on Greenfield’s season.

The Lions then piled up in celebration on the court. Boston United moves on to play in the Round of 16 against No. 5 Roxbury Prep.

Greenfield had trouble with Boston United from the very beginning of the game. The Lions played a sound 3-2 defense and had confidence on the offensive end. Greenfield attacked the zone defense more effectively in the second half once shots started to drop.

“It didn’t bother us once we started to hit shots,” Angelo Thomas said. “When we started to get the ball where we needed to. Some guys…their heads just weren’t in it. Teenage boys you just never know from game to game or practice to practice where they are or what’s going to happen. Teams that win championships, you know what you are going to get.”

Boston United led 40-27 at halftime.

“It’s just disappointing,” Angelo Thomas said. “We had the home game with the higher seed. We were prepared to play, scouting wise. We knew who was going to do what. We didn’t break the energy and engagement from the get go.”

Thomas finished with 41 points on his 16th birthday. Conner Bergeron scored 24 points for Greenfield. Bergeron and Thomas kept Greenfield close and fueled the late rally.

“I thought we came back pretty good,” Bergeron said. “We just didn’t finish it. We didn’t come out with the right energy. We needed to pick up the energy, we did in the second half. But the energy killed us at the beginning.”

Greenfield went on a 6-0 run trailing 55-40 with one minute, one second left in the third quarter. Thomas got a basket plus a foul and went 3-for-4 from the line to cut the Boston United lead down to nine points going into the fourth quarter.

Another basket plus a foul from Thomas made it 62-53 with 6:35 left in the game. Greenfield eventually got to within five points but then the Lions stretched the lead back to 70-61 with 3:54 left in the fourth quarter.

Bergeron went 2-for-2 from the free throw line with 31 seconds left to get the Green Wave to within a point. Demarco Carter then went 2-for-2 from the free throw line for the Lions. A basket by Thomas then got the Green Wave to within a point once again.

Nasib Abdikarim then went 1-for-2 from the free throw line. Arsenault got fouled in the rebounding action, sending him to the free throw line. Greenfield finished the season, 15-7.

Hamilton-Wenham 64, Frontier 62 — The 18th-seeded Redhawks’ season came to an end after a close loss against the 19th-seeded Generals in the Division 4 Round of 32 in South Hamilton.

Alex Ellis scored 25 points for the Redhawks. Ty Skroski (15 points) and Max Millette (16 points) were both in double-figures for the Redhawks. Frontier finished the season 18-3 and went undefeated in Hampshire North play. The Redhawks won the Hampshire North league championship.