JV Boys Run out of Steam in Loss to Weymouth

The JV boys basketball team battled back from a large deficit in the first quarter to nearly tie it in yesterday’s battle with Weymouth, but poor free throw shooting down the stretch and a late surge from the visiting team ultimately did them in as they lost 51-63.

“It was an exciting game and a credit to Weymouth,” Needham coach Craig Brenhiser said.  “They executed well, but even when we were down our kids fought back.”

The Wildcats came out shooting and six players, nearly half of their uniformed team, put points on the board in the first quarter alone.  The visiting team would ultimately get 18 points in the first, exactly double the nine the Rockets were able to score.

In the second a tipped ball found the hands of Charlie Snow, who fought off a pair of defenders as he ran the length of the court.  His reverse layup reduced the gap to three points. 

Shortly later Snow, who with 30 points accounted for well more than half of his entire team’s total, would get fouled as he drove to the net.  His bucket and point after tied the game at 20 apiece.

With under a minute remaining in the half Jack Nardi worked his way through the paint, but found it heavily trafficked.  He kicked the ball back out to Jack Winston who was all alone and who put in a 3-pointer for the lead.  Just before the buzzer sounded Weymouth would score again, giving them a one point lead at the half.

Though the Wildcats employed a full court press during the third quarter, Needham was able to build a lead with the help of Snow and Robby McKittrick’s shots from downtown, and a pair of two-point field goals from Winston.

The Wildcats roared back in the fourth, scoring 29 points.  Though Weymouth ran the court during the final minutes of play, there were a few bright spots for the Rockets.  Trevor Dow swatted down two Weymouth jumpers on back to back possessions in an impressive showing.

 “There were some great contributions from our guys,” Brenhiser said, “but we just ran out of steam.”