Brockton overcomes free throws woes, survives in OT

BROCKTON — Brockton never expected to go to overtime when Diamond Blakely stepped to the free-throw line with three chances to break a deadlock for the Boxers with 0.4 seconds remaining.

But to fourth-ranked Brockton’s surprise, that’s where it ended up in the annual Super Bowl Sunday matchup with No. 5 Newton North.

Once in the extra frame, the Boxers regrouped, shaking off their calamitous fourth quarter to come away with a 64-59 nonleague win over the Tigers at Staff Gymnasium.

“I was sure we had it won. I said, ‘This is a miracle,’” said Brockton coach Bob Boen of the opportunity at the end of regulation as Blakely was fouled on a desperation heave from mid-court. “It was very nice that we recovered and came back and played a good overtime period.”

Brockton (12-1) got a major lift with 30 points from its bench as Vanilton Xavier hit three consecutive 3-pointers and Raymond Bento canned a triple to end the third quarter. Todd Robinson, who scored a game-high 18 points, knocked down a fifth straight 3-pointer to cap a 14-1 run and open up a 54-44 Brockton lead with 6:35 left in the fourth quarter.

But then the Boxers’ shooting struggles commenced as Brockton didn’t score another point in the stanza and went 0-for-10 from the free-throw line.

That allowed Newton North (11-3) to slowly erase the deficit and even the score on three free throws from Tom Andreae (11 points) with 47.6 seconds left in regulation.

The lead then exchanged hands four times to start overtime before Navyon Reid’s free throws put the Boxers ahead by two and Robinson sank a clutch 3-pointer in the corner as the shot clock expired with 18 seconds to go to give Brockton the necessary breathing room.

“We kept going until we got our shots back, and then overtime came and we took over,” Robinson said.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2RUP49f