The Sports Buzz for Jan. 31 - Feb. 3

It's Friday, and you know what that means. It's time for the Sports Buzz, the fastest three minutes in Brookline sports coming your way right now:

Well, downright miserable weather made for a lot of makeups and shakeups this past week, with many of the sports on tap getting back on schedule yesterday. In boys' basketball last night, Brookline dropped a 79-56 decision to non-league host Brockton, the loss coming after a win at Needham last week, and a huge win at that.

“For us it’s a huge win, just from a psychological standpoint,” Brookline head coach Mark Fiedor said, after the Warriors ended a four-game losing streak with a 43-40 over the Rockets. “We needed this to revive our season, and they probably felt the same way. I think the officials and both coaches basically said this is a playoff game, and that’s how it was played.”

At the time, Brookline improved to 5-5 overall and 5-4 in the Bay State Conference.

Both teams came out playing tough defense. The Rockets held the early lead, but it wouldn’t last, as Brookline scored 13 unanswered points finished by a huge tip-in hoop by the 6-foot-5 Zeev Gray-Mandell.

Fast forward to three minutes left in the half, when Needham's Matt Conroy gave the Rockets the lead again with a couple free throws, only to have it matched by Brookline's E.J. Rogers. However, with time running out in the half, Needham's Shyheim Davis canned a three-pointer to give the Rockets the lead back, as Needham led, 23-22, at the break.

Needham looked good early in the third frame, and quickly took a 10-point lead, as the Rockets controlled the offensive boards.

“It’s something we’ve been working on, just finding a way to get on the board," Needham coach Paul Liner said, "Those are hustle plays and effort plays, but we had a hard time finishing sometimes with their big guy going straight up with the ball."

Brookline, however, stepped it up defensively and was also sharp from the foul line, going 5-for-5 in the quarter and 13-for-18 on the night.

The Rockets held a one-point lead, 34-33, heading into the final frame. They had struggled shooting all night, but their offense completely fell apart in the fourth. Only two players, Conroy and Davis, contributed with points, and the squad hit only two shots in eight tries from the line. 

“Tonight, again, free throws did us in,” Liner said of the team's season-long struggle from the line. “I told the kids I don’t fault effort; it’s execution. The effort was great tonight, but you can’t give up a 10-point lead against Brookline.”

Onto girls’ basketball, a terrific story, where Brookline High senior star Amber Dillon has received nomination to play in the 2011 McDonald's All American High School Basketball Games, which benefits the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Among Dillon's most recent outstanding outings was a 20-point effort in Brookline's 51-45 Bay State Conference win over Weymouth. Dillon has helped lead the Warriors to a 5-4 record overall, including 4-3 in the BSC.

Nominees for the McDonald's honor were submitted by members of the McDonald’s All American Selection Committee as well as state representatives who closely follow prep basketball in each player’s respective area.  

The final roster of 24 boys and 24 girls will be announced during the 2011 McDonald’s All American Selection Show on ESPNU, Feb. 10, at 5:30 p.m. ET.

The games will be played at the famed United Center in Chicago on Wed., March 30. 

And we go back a bit, but if you missed it, it's been a long time coming, but the Brookline High girls’ hockey team earned its first win in five years with a thrilling 6-5 win over Peabody. Eighth grader Gabby Rizika registered a hat trick, including the game winner with 1:32 left to give the Warriors the coveted victory. Junior Sydney Karnovsky tallied two goals and two assists, while fellow junior Katherine Wolinski contributed four helpers. Senior Bianca Senepolousa also scored for Brookline. 

 Brian Keaney and Brookline athletics contributed to this report.