The Sharon High boys basketball led nearly wire-to-wire with a strong offensive performance and downed Silver Lake, 78-71, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Div. II South playoffs.
The 12-seed Eagles earned their first home postseason game in several years by knocking off the host Lakers. A well-rounded offensive performance sent Sharon home from Kingston victorious on Thursday.
Eagles senior captain Ian Beach said, “Great win – feels great to get a tournament win for the team and the town. A team win.”
“I thought we played very intensely,” said Head Coach Bruce Jackman. “Offensively, a lot of good things. Good contributions from everybody who was out there. Defensively, we did what we had to do.”
Senior swingman Brian Lawrence says that an offense predicated on quick passing worked effectively for Sharon. “We had really good ball movement,” Lawrence said.
“Everybody bought into it,” said Beach. “We shot over the zone, penetrated the zone. Every starter had over double-digits. We got the ball to the elbows and then to the low post - and layups, which are easy.”
Sharon posted 20 assists as a team. “Unselfishness – we moved the ball, passing to each other very well,” said Jackman. “[Junior guard] Jimmy [Fritzson] shot the ball well. [Junior guard] Brian [Mukasa] had a lot of assists. It was a good team effort.”
Sharon scored between 18-21 points in each quarter. Beach says that Thursday was one of the first times this season that the Eagles scored consistently throughout the entire game. “I don’t know if there was a momentum shift at all; I feel like we were in control the whole time,” he said.
Silver Lake’s offense was on point, keeping Sharon within striking distance the whole night. Jackman said, “They’re a good, solid basketball team.
“The two Bouchard kids [Tanner and Tucker] are very tough. [Zach] Tanello [team-high 24 points] is a nice player, and [Josh] O’Neill certainly played above his abilities; he scared us in the first half [with 14 points],” Jackman added.
During the fourth quarter, Sharon made the stops it needed to seal the victory. Lawrence said, “We were active. We have to do a better job of getting to the three-point arc. But overall, we protected the basket.”
Jackman says that the Eagles, most of whom were playing in their first basketball state tournament, responded well to the situation. “We didn’t miss a beat from how we’ve been playing. I don’t think there was any nervousness whatsoever,” he said.
“It was just like playing another basketball game,” Lawrence said. “It was normal. It means more, but it doesn’t feel like it means more [while on the court].”
In the quarterfinals, Sharon will host the #13-seed Quincy Presidents, who defeated Randolph on Thursday, 53-42. The game will tip off on Saturday at 5 pm at Eagle Gymnasium.
Lawrence says that the Eagles are enthused about hosting a home playoff game. “Very exciting. It adds the home crowd, and it’s our gym, so we’re comfortable,” he said.
Beach said, “Quincy doesn’t know what’s coming to them… Fans are going to be crazy; it’s going to be like the OA and Milford games, except bigger. It adds the community in being involved. It’s not just our team; it’s for the whole town.”
The winner earns the right to take on the Scituate/Hingham victor in the sectional semifinals.