Oliver Ames boys not done yet
EASTON — There may not have been many people more appreciative to get a second chance to extend his season than Oliver Ames center Jefferson Smock.
Having battled a shoulder injury last season and missing a chunk of this season with a concussion, it appeared the high school career was over for the 6foot-7-inch senior on Saturday afternoon when OA was left off the postseason bracket for not submitting the proper paperwork to the MIAA.
Bristol County Superior Court judge Katie Rayburn gave the Tigers a second chance on Monday by issuing an injunction that not only allowed OA to play, but also keep its No. 32 seed.
Smock was a huge presence in the post, scoring 18 points and grabbing 22 rebounds and giving OA the lead for good with 11.3 seconds left off a fourthchance opportunity. It helped Oliver Ames hold off No. 33 Norwood, 54-51, in the preliminary round of the MIAA Division 2 boys’ basketball tournament.
“A lot of emotions, just the ups and downs after seeing the asterisk next to our name, most of us thought the season was over,” Smock said. “Shout out to Norwood, coming this far, thinking they had a home game. I’m just glad we got through as a family.”
The Tigers (7-14) will next face top-seeded and two-time defending champion Malden Catholic (11-9) on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Matty Mahoney, the Tri-Valley League Large Division MVP, kept Norwood (11-10) in the game by scoring 24 of his gamehigh 28 points in the second half. He had a chance to tie the game from the line with 5.6 seconds left, but only made the second of two free throws.
Smock and the Tigers used their size down low over the last couple minutes to secure the victory. Smock had three field goals over the final 2:43, all putbacks following offensive rebounds.
“He’s missed a lot of time this year and he’s starting to come into his own,” OA coach Eric MacKinnon said of Smock. “He’s strong and gets his hands on a ton of rebounds, and ultimately, that’s what won us the game tonight.”