EASTHAMPTON — Charges are rewarded in the Hopkins Academy boys basketball program. It perplexed coach Jim Hart that the Golden Hawks didn’t have any in the first half against Easthampton on Friday.
“That means you’ve got to step in and take it,” Hart said. “They’re going to be physical.”
James Fitzgibbons used the Eagles physicality against them. The Eagles had the ball down three late, as JabariSifrin worked in the post. Sifrin had killed the Golden Hawks down low in the second half. Fitzgibbons held his position laterally drew a charge with 12.1 seconds left to seal a 70-66 win.
“That turned the tide,” Hart said. “I looked at my assistant coach like ‘well it’s about time.’”
Fitzgibbons’ stand capped a furious second half. The lead changed hands three times in the final 5½ minutes. Patrick Fitzgibbons hung in the air for a layup to give Hopkins a 57-55 advantage at with 5 minutes, 23 seconds left, then Easthampton’s Sameer Hanafi splashed a 3 that put the eagles ahead 60-57 at 4:15.
Cam Wade (nine points) hit a go-ahead reverse layup with 1:28 on the clock, sinking it through a foul. He also made the free throw for a 69-66 lead.
Senior Cody West led Hopkins Academy (1-0) with 28 points, scoring 20 in the first half. He hit seven 3s.
“He was on fire. I just let him go, and everybody has to find him,” Hart said.
Teddy Cyr added 17 points for the Golden Hawks, while Pat Fitzgibbons scored 11.
“We were just tenacious,” Hart said. “We’re trying to utilize their strengths, and I think the toughness of our seniors came in.”
Hopkins Academy (1-0) led 36-27 at halftime after Cody West rattled in a 3 at the buzzer. But Easthampton picked its way back, and senior captain SameerHanafi put the Eagles ahead 44-43 with 2:11 left in the third quarter.
“They really took ownership of stopping the little mistakes,” Easthampton coach Kevin Wilby said. “A nine-point game at the half, it could go one way or the other, and we chose to fight back.”
Senior captain Mateo Navarro led Easthampton with 20 points. Sameer Hanafi scored 17, and Jake Redmond added 11 for the Eagles.
Sifrin finished with 18 points off the bench.
“We always say the sky’s the limit for him. He loves basketball,” Wilby said. “He continues to fight, continues to get better. When you get a kid that wants to prove themselves day in and day out, it’s great because you can help them, guide them in that direction.”
Easthampton jumped out to a 14-7 lead early before the Golden Hawks responded.