‘Inspired’ Needham wins
In the darkness, it was the Needham boys basketball team that provided a shimmer of light to a community in mourning.
Playing at home just days after the tragic passing of classmates Talia Newfield and Adrienne Garrido, the Rockets came out fast against rival Newton North before holding off a late-game charge for a 64-57 win in an emotionally draining game in the Bay State Conference.
Thomas Shaughnessy led the way for Needham with 27 points, and Michael Klemm came up with two huge steals in the final minute.
“These have been some tough days, but this was a really good way to for us to come together and unify as a school because we really had something to play for tonight,” Shaughnessy said. “We played inspired. It is a good feeling to come out here and give this community something they deserve.”
Following a moment of silence before the opening tip for their fallen classmates, the Rockets (14-2) got the home crowd going with an opening 10-4 spurt on the way to a 19-9 lead after one quarter. In the second, Shaughnessy did most of the damage, as he hit a pair of 3-pointers, a layup and two free throws while the advantage grew to 40-24 by the half.
Behind some hot thirdquarter shooting from Aaron Cooley, who finished with 18 points, the Tigers (15-4) got within 51-38 heading to the final eight minutes. Newton North closed to within 57-53 on Ethan Wright’s 3-pointer with 2:02 to play, but a Shaughnessy trey and a steal and dunk by Klemm made it a seven-point game with under a minute remaining.
“It’s been an emotional (few days) for these kids, but they all felt like they wanted to play this game tonight,” Needham coach Paul Liner said. “They were playing for their classmates, and being together with your teammates was really important for everyone.”
Freshman Kyrell Luc scored 24 points as Scituate (12-5) upended Hanover, 6636, in the Patriot League . ... Franco Calabro had 18 points as Quincy (13-5) took down Plymouth North, 62-52.
In the Middlesex League, Joe Stanton drained six 3-pointers en route to 22 points, and Melrose (9-7) beat Wakefield, 61-48.
Girls basketball
Lauren Gelly (13 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) and Taylor Scott (11 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) both recorded triple-doubles to pace Hanover (5-11) in a 52-18 drubbing of Scituate in the Patriot League.
Freshman Julia House scored 25 points to lead North Reading (13-5) to a 50-26 rout of Ipswich in the Cape Ann League.
In the Hockomock League, Ashley Sampson and Kaitlyn Mollica each put up 23 points as Foxboro (17-2) crushed Canton, 81-32.