SPRINGFIELD — When the 3-point try left Sutton sophomore Trevian Grenon’s hands from the left wing, the previously vocal fans of both Sutton and Easthampton hushed for a moment as the game and a trip to the state finals hung in the balance.
The shot hit the glass then the rim before landing softly in Ronan Mottor’s hands.
The Eagle junior held it just long enough as the final tenths of a second evaporated, then flipped it aside and to join the celebration as Easthampton held on for a 75-72 victory in the state Division 3 semifinals, Wednesday at AIC.
Eagles senior point guard Sopie Pek said the last shot was hard to watch.
“My whole body was shaking,” Pek said. “I was very nervous. (When it missed), I knew we were going to states and I was just happy.”
The Eagles will go to the school’s first boys basketball state title game, Saturday at 3:30 p.m. against Watertown at Springfield College.
“We knew it was going to be a great game. We played them before and it was the same game,” Easthampton coach Brian Miller said. “When things start going up and down and balls start getting tipped, that’s what we do. That’s what we wanted.”
In a game that went back and forth at warp speed, whoever was able to string together a few stops and put together a late run was going to have a huge edge.
Darnel Whitley had eight of his 14 points in the fourth quarter. Six of those came in an 8-0 run to open the final quarter that gave the Eagles (19-5) their biggest lead of the game at 63-55.
“I had to start scoring. My teammates needed help,” Whitley said.
But in a game that was tied after one, a two-point game at halftime and tied after three, the Eagles weren’t prevailing that easily as the teams continued to trade runs at high speed.
Easthampton led 72-65 with 1 minute, 31 seconds remaining, but Sutton scored four quick points.
“We missed a couple of baskets we should have made that would have maybe put it away,” Miller said. “That’s a credit to Sutton. They kept coming at us.”
After Ant Moynihan (15 points) made two free throws with 43.5 seconds left, the Eagles had a chance to put the game away with a rebound. But Sutton grabbed three offensive rebounds and on its fourth try, Jarod Buffone (30 points) buried a long 3-pointer with 17.4 seconds left to make it 74-72.
Sutton quickly fouled Mottor (11 points) , who made the first and missed the second setting up the final sequence.
“We had some opportunities. We couldn’t get those rebounds at the end,” Miller said.
Pek thrived playing against a team willing to run with the Eagles. He finished with 24 points.
“He’s one of the best point guards we’ve ever had,” Miller said. “He’s so strong. He’s quick. He can finished. He does everything. … If we get the ball in his hands, it’s secure. He’s going to make a good decision.”
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com.
Easthampton 75, Sutton 72
Sutton (17-7)
A. Grenon 4-0-8, B. Grenon 8-2-18, Yargeau 1-0-2, T. Grenon 1-0-2, Buffone 14-1-30, Faucher 1-0-3, Lorkiewicz 1-0-2, McVey 3-0-7. Totals 33-3-72.
Easthampton (19-5)
Pek 9-5-24, Mottor 4-1-11, Caires 1-0-2, Whitley 7-0-14, Moynihan 6-3-15, Jenkins. 4-0-9. Totals 31-9-75.
|
Sutton |
13 |
20 |
22 |
17 |
—72 |
|
Easthampton |
13 |
22 |
20 |
20 |
—75 |
3-Pointers—Sutton 3 (Buffone, Faucher, McVey) Easthampton 4 (Pek, Mottor 2, Jenkins)