Friendly Bounce: Wilmington Boys Survive Late Pentucket Shot, Earn Overtime Win

boys basketball head coach Joseph Maiella watched helplessly as Pentucket’s John Modlish lofted a shot that hung on the rim for what seemed like an eternity in a tie game as time expired in the fourth quarter.

“I’m not going to lie to you,” said Maiella, “I thought it was going in.”

Instead, the Wildcats caught a break Tuesday night as the shot clanged out and the game went to overtime knotted at 60-60. Maiella’s charges never looked back as they outran the Sachems in the overtime and went on to earn a 72-65 victory.

“What we’re trying to do there is in that situation you don’t want to foul and have the game be decided at the foul line,” said Maiella. “We just played tough defense, the kid got inside and he missed the tough shot around the rim and out. We’ll take it.”

Vinny Scifo led all Wilmington scorers with 20 points while clutch-shooting Tim McCarthy scored the majority of his 17 points down the stretch to help force the extra session. Nick Godzyk and Cole Peffer each chipped in 13 markers in the winning cause for the Wildcats, who improved to 7-1 on the season.

With 2:10 remaining in the contest, Pentucket snagged a 60-56 lead before McCarthy nailed one of two free throws to slice the deficit to three points for the home team.

Then, with 1:18 to play in the fourth, McCarthy stuck a three-pointer to tie the game and set up the Sachems’ final shot of regulation.

“I hadn’t hit anything all game but I felt like I had to keep shooting to get one in and get us back in the game,” said McCarthy. “We had our confidence once we got the lead. I knew we weren’t going to turn back.”

Scifo set the tone with 3:17 left in the overtime when he drove to the hoop, scored a basket and drew a foul to provide WHS with a 63-60 edge. Pentucket drew within a point before Peffer stuck a long-range shot, and though the Sachems clawed back within a single possession, they never truly got back to striking distance.

Maiella said Pentucket’s man-to-man defense surprised his team and held Wilmington’s offensive unit in check. To make up for an off shooting night, the Wildcat defense responded with several important stops.

Still, the mentor said his team must improve its defense to continue its hot start to the season.

“This is a big win for us, a very big win,” said Maiella. “We work on defense every day. That’s what’s going to win us games down the stretch.”