Franklin topples fifth-ranked Mansfield, 63-45

FRANKLIN — Familiarity tends to breed confidence and Franklin played with that confidence against Mansfield.

In the first matchup of the season of the Hockomock League rivals, the No. 8 Panthers turned in a strong all-around performance to take down the fifth-ranked Hornets, 63-45, Friday night in front of a packed home crowd.

Declan Walmsley provided a major boost off the bench by netting a game-high 18 points while Chris Edgehill (16 points) and Jack Rudolph (13 points) also had a hand in Franklin’s seventh straight win to start the season.

“We know it’s going to be a ridiculous challenge every time we play them and we were excited for it,” said Franklin coach CJ Neely as the Panthers had lost the previous four meetings against Mansfield. “They present a huge challenge and I thought we were up for it.”

Franklin’s red-hot shooting staked it to a lead midway through the first quarter that it never surrendered.

The Panthers hit their first five 3-pointers, including getting a pair from Rudolph to spark a 14-2 run and take a 19-6 lead late in the opening frame.

Walmsley played his best at the start of the second quarter when he erupted for nine straight Franklin points and capped off his personal run with a trifecta.

“By far the best game of his career,” Neely said. “No question about it.”

Mansfield (4-2) only got within nine points the rest of the way in large part due to Franklin’s terrific man-to-man defense.

The Panthers took the Hornets out of their offensive rhythm and held Mansfield without a made field goal for a span of 12:30 bridging the third and fourth quarters.

“(Franklin) showed up with a purpose and wanted to prove something and we showed up like we’ve been here before,” said Mansfield coach Mike Vaughan.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2FkekhS