RallyNorth.net

Fri, Feb 15, 2008 07:00 PM @ Marblehead

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Swampscott	12	14	11	17	54
Marblehead	15	7	9	19	50

Marblehead boys capture NEC Small title with win over Swampscott

Friday, February, 15 By Jean DePlacido
Correspondent

The old adage that defense wins games was certainly true last night at packed Swampscott High School.

The Marblehead boys basketball team's pressure defense found a way to quiet the explosive offense of the host Big Blue as the visiting Magicians pulled out a 54-50 thriller over their rivals in the game's final minute. In doing so, Marblehead nailed down the Northeastern Conference South title.

Sharpshooter Ryan Squires drained his third 3-pointer of the night to pull Swampscott even, 48-48, with two-and-a-half minutes remaining, but Marblehead answered on a layup by Damola Abu to go back on top, 50-48 with a minute left.

Tenacious defense by the Magicians forced a turnover before Swampscott could get a shot off, and Magicians forward Tom Powers was fouled. He went to the line shooting 1-and-1.

Marblehead coach Wayne Hanscom couldn't have asked for a better shooter to have at the line in a 2-point game with 20 seconds remaining. Powers, who is deadly at the line, sank both shots to put the game away.

"I didn't really feel pressure," said Powers, who is called "The Ice Man" by some Marblehead fans. "I have to hit them for the team when it counts.

"Taariq Allen stepped up big for us with a huge dunk late in the game to get us going. Swampscott was hitting shots and kept coming back every time we went ahead. It was a real tough game | but a huge win for us."

"We got a lot of big efforts tonight," added Hanscom, whose team improved to 13-5 overall. "I was glad to see Powers at the line in the final seconds because he's a better than 80 percent shooter. In fact, he's close to 85 percent and the best on our team. Abu came up with some key layups and Allen was very active. Both Steen and Corbin gave us a lift when we needed one."

It didn't take long for the crowd to get into the game. The Big Blue shot out to a 6-0 lead, but the visitors kept fighting back and only trailed by three, 15-12, after the first quarter.

It was all Marblehead in the second quarter led by Abu, who wound up with a game-high 15 points | 11 coming in the first half. Swampscott was outscored, 14-7 in that quarter, and at intermission trailed by four, 26-22.

The two teams went up and down the court trading baskets in the second half with Marblehead taking a six-point cushion, 37-31 into the fourth quarter after a 9-2 run at the end of the third. Allen, who had 14 points, hit two layups, and teammate Eric Steen (8 points) added a 3-pointer during that stretch.

"This was an intense atmosphere," said Hanscom. "We try to keep teams under 50 points. Swampscott has such an explosive, high scoring offense, but we were able to limit them to 50. They were cold in the first half, but we knew that wouldn't last. "Once (Ryan) Squires heated up (11 points with three treys) it was trouble. Swampscott did a nice job on the fast break and scored points off it."

Allen had 11 rebounds, including four on the offensive boards, and six deflections while Abu was immense in the middle with nine rebounds.

"It was a fantastic game," said Swampscott coach Paul Moran, his team now 13-6. "It could have gone either way, but Marblehead made a few more plays than us. They deserved it."