Boys’ hoop loses 2 but shows signs of life

Senior captain Colby Gavigan plays taller than his six-foot frame. (Mike Barucci photo)

CHS boys’ basketball head coach Ryan Gordy said every team in the well-balanced and competitive Hockomock League has a slump during the season and it’s up to each team to find its way “over the wall.”

Canton certainly hit the wall last week, losing to Southeastern Vo-tech 47-45 and then to Oliver Ames 65-53 on senior night to fall to 9-8.

The good news is that despite the two losses last week, the team resumed its high caliber of play with a spirited effort against the Tigers. Down 36-27 at halftime, the Bulldogs cut the deficit to three points at the end of the third quarter. They managed to pull within two in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers out-executed and outscored their hosts 17-7 over the final stretch of the game, led by senior all-star guard Nick Bruha, who has scored over 1,000 points in his career.

For the Bulldogs, senior center-forward Colby Gavigan had an outstanding game, finishing with 12 points to go along with double-digit rebounds and a few steals.

“Colby played tonight like he was 6’5” when in reality he is about six feet,” said Gordy. “Oftentimes he is asked to play a bigger guy, someone who is three to four inches bigger than he is.”

With two OA players blanketing Canton’s leading scorer Joe McCabe and limiting him to four points, sophomore forward Sam Larson got the Bulldogs back in the game with 18 points, including several three-pointers. Seniors Chris Murray and Scott Levy each added six points and played well.

“I think we got over the wall by doing the little things in the second half,” said Gordy, who noted that the team watched extensive tapes of its earlier upset win over the Tigers and the two-point loss Tuesday night against Southeastern.

“Hopefully the little things we did against OA (offensive rebounding, forcing turnovers, and overall hustle) will carry over this week,” he added.

In the Southeastern game, the score was tied at 14 at the end of the first quarter, and Canton led 30-23 at the half. Southeastern pulled ahead by one at the end of the third quarter and outperformed Canton in the fourth, with several  offensive rebounds leading to put-back baskets. A Larson layup gave the Bulldogs a shot to tie the game with five seconds left, but Southeastern was able to control the ball to win the game. McCabe and Larson each had 15 points in the loss.

Prior to Friday’s game against OA, senior cheerleaders and basketball players and their parents were saluted as part of senior night festivities. Senior cheerleaders are Kelsie Aufiero, Briana Cast, Marisa Dadasis, Anna Rubin, DeAnna Smith, and captains Kelsy Cummings, Jennifer Gaudette, Jackie Kelleher, Katie Wing, and Ashley Will. Senior players are Anthony Bires, Demitrius Jean, and captains Levy, Murray, Gavigan, and McCabe.

Canton finishes off its regular season this week with a game at Stoughton on Tuesday and will play either Mansfield, Franklin or King Philip on Friday in the Hockomock crossover game. The team will end the regular season at Fairhaven on Sunday and will then await its playoff seeding, with the tournament getting underway after February vacation.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Feb 15 2012. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.