Catholic Memorial rallies past Needham, 69-63
NEEDHAM >> In the regular season’s closing weeks, Catholic Memorial’s experience has shined through.
Peter Gellene scored 23 points while Malachi Bryant added 18 more as No. 5 Catholic Memorial overcame a ferocious effort from No. 8 Needham to pick up a 69-63 boys basketball road win on Thursday night at Needham High School.
Catholic Memorial (17-2) finished the game on a 12-2 run over the last 3:30. The spurt helped the Knights overcome an evening in which they surrendered 30 offensive rebounds.
“We have guys who have been there before because of our state tournament run last year,” Catholic Memorial coach Denis Tobin said. “Peter Gellene, Matthew St. Martin, Brady McGowan, those guys have been there. Then it helps when you have a player like Malachi to close it out.”
The sides were tied at 36 entering the third quarter but Needham grabbed the lead. Henry Bickford connected on a three-point play to push the Rockets’ advantage to six, 50-44.
After five straight from the Knights, Jackson Shaw connected on a strong lefty layup at the buzzer to give Needham a 52-49 lead hanging into the fourth quarter.
The Rockets’ relentless attack on the offensive glass allowed them to maintain their lead for the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. An offensive rebound by Bickford led to a three-point play and after Gellene completed his own layup through contact, a second chance opportunity for the Rockets led to a triple by Campbell Keyes to put Needham up 61-57 with 3:10 left.
Catholic Memorial, however, found the last burst. Two free throws from Corey Dolison tied the game and when Needham missed a third chance at a three-pointer, St. Martin secured the defensive rebound and hit two free throws to put the Knights up 65-63 with 38 seconds remaining.
Consecutive stops and four free throws from Bryant and St. Martin sealed the win for Catholic Memorial.
“It was a terrific high school game,” Tobin said. “Needham played great but our guys to their credit found a way.”
Needham came out on fire to start the game as the Rockets drilled five first-quarter triples to go in front 23-12.
The Rockets stretched their lead to as many as 15 early in the second quarter but the Knights worked their way back in the game. Dolison had a pair of baskets, Bryant hit a triple, and Gellene connected on two pullups as part of a 21-6 run for the visitors that tied the game at 36 going into halftime.