David Creed •
This Whaler sports activities roundup consists of an replace on the boys basketball workforce after profitable a state event sport at residence, the ladies basketball following a highway loss, and the boys hockey workforce, who went on the highway shorthanded and misplaced to at least one Division 4’s high groups.
Bramwell’s 20 Points Lead Nantucket To Tournament Win
The #29 seeded Nantucket boys basketball workforce is shifting on to the Round of 32 following a 71-53 victory at residence Thursday night over #36 Oakmont Regional High School within the MIAA Division 3 State Tournament’s Preliminary Round.
Whaler head coach Willis Ferreira stated he was happy with his gamers and their capacity to attain 71 factors on a stingy Oakmont workforce.
“I knew coming in defensively they were going to be a problem for us,” Ferreira stated. “Refs let them play a little bit. They were holding, grabbing, pushing, shoving. We didn’t like it, but once we settled in and realized we weren’t going to get the calls, we had to fight back and toughen up, and I thought we responded in a positive way.”
Nantucket was in a position to shake off some offensive struggles, rust, and foul hassle early on. They trailed Oakmont 19-12 after one quarter, however Nantucket’s sophomore guard Burke Lombardi carried his workforce offensively within the first half – scoring 16 of his 20 factors – to assist the Whalers take a 34-31 lead into halftime.
The star of the sport was senior Amare Bramwell – who scored 20 factors within the sport together with 19 factors within the second half. Ferreira lauded Bramwell’s unselfishness that he has proven all through his varsity profession as this system’s level guard – routinely sacrificing private statistics and accolades to make sure the offense runs nicely and the ball goes into the suitable participant’s fingers on every possession.
“Amare took advantage and really played great for us,” Ferreira said. “We needed him down the stretch, and he delivered. We needed somebody to step up for us offensively. They did a really good job of trying to take Burke away. We didn’t get much from Vallon (Jeanty) or Gav (Smith) tonight offensively. Vallon got into foul trouble. Ryder (Tartamella) scored those first couple hoops of the game for us but then he got into foul trouble, so we really needed somebody to step up. Some things opened up for Amare, and he had a smaller guy trying to guard him and he took advantage.”
Junior huge man Ben Slosek scored 11 factors and was as soon as once more a reliable presence within the paint.
“Ben was huge in a lot of different spots whether it was on the glass, needing a big hoop when we needed one, blocking shots,” Ferreira stated.
Nantucket will now be touring to play Swampscott High School, who’s the 4 seed within the event. That sport might be Saturday, February 28th at 1 p.m. in Swampscott. Ferreira stated Swampscott has a superb offensive workforce and they’ll current a tricky problem, however can also be optimistic his children can match up nicely with them.
“I think we match up pretty good with Swampscott. They’re smaller. They’re not real big. They got a lot of really good guards. They like to shoot it. They can score,” Ferreira stated. “I don’t think it will be the defensive battle. I think we’ll be able to get shots. It’s just a matter of can we make shots? Can we hang around? Can we find a way? And again, we got to go on the road, which we haven’t been good on the road. So hopefully we can match the energy and just go in there and just fight.”
You can view more photos from this game here.
Girls Hoops Season Comes To An End
The women basketball workforce’s season got here to an finish on Thursday following a 49-26 loss on the highway to O’Bryant High School.
Whaler head coach Angela Paterson stated she thought the rating wasn’t indicative of how her workforce performed, they simply weren’t in a position to manufacture sufficient offense. The second quarter turned out to be the distinction maker as O’Bryant outscored the Whalers 20-1. Nantucket solely scored seven factors within the first half.
Sophomore guard Grace Schroeder led the workforce with 9 factors on three three-pointers. Paterson stated juniors Quinn Canty and Madden Myers, in addition to senior captain Marin Mooney performed very laborious defensively. Freshman guard Ruby Steadman managed the court docket the perfect she might, Paterson added.
“I’m proud of the team and how the season went,” Paterson stated. “They played hard all season and never gave up.”
Nantucket ought to be capable to carry momentum from this season into subsequent winter. They might be returning most of their gamers, with simply two seniors graduating. They received six of their ultimate seven common season video games to make the state event – together with wins within the ultimate three video games of their common season towards groups that had crushed them earlier within the yr.
Shorthanded Boys Hockey Loses To Littleton
The 31st seeded boys hockey workforce went on the highway to play #2 Littleton within the MIAA Division 4 state event on Thursday and misplaced 10-0.
The Whalers have been shorthanded on this sport after a number of senior gamers voluntarily left the workforce on their very own following their common season finale on February nineteenth to go on a joint trip with family and friends throughout the island’s faculty trip week slightly than end the season out alongside their teammates within the state event.
The workforce’s captain and two assistant captains have been among the many gamers who left the workforce. The program named seniors Andrew Lavin and Ben Freeman, in addition to junior Paxton Fitch because the workforce’s captains for Thursday’s tilt with Littleton.
The seniors who remained on the workforce via the tip of the yr have been Andrew Lavin, Ben Freeman, and Baer O’Banion.
Moran stated previous to the season that this might be his ultimate yr as head coach of this system. On Thursday, he stated it “could be” his final earlier than saying that the youngsters he has had the privilege of teaching have been particular to him.
“These 10 seasons (through two coaching stints) are the most memorable times of my life here over the last 42 years I’ve been here (on island),” Moran stated. “These kids have been special to me and the various coaches I’ve had with me. Of course, the 22-23 and 23-24 seasons were something special and I will always hold those very close. A few records were created by these kids along the way, and I hope the trip to the final four (three years ago) will eventually be broken and (the program) will secure a state title for the island in the sport of varsity boys hockey.”