BELCHERTOWN — Nolan Vogel and Mitch Medina sealed the Belchertown boys basketball team’s place in the postseason at the free-throw line Monday.
The seniors combined for nine free throws in the fourth quarter, as the Orioles beat Frontier Regional, 55-48.
Medina made five and Vogel had four to maintain a two-possession lead while the Red Hawks (8-5) tried to extend the game. They barely grazed the rim down the stretch.
“I’m shooting like 90 percent from the line this year,” Vogel said. “I’m used to making them.”
Belchertown’s 10th win of the season clinched its first playoff berth since 2013. The Orioles went 0-40 in the prior two seasons and have won more games this year than in the previous four combined.
“This was my biggest goal of the season,” Medina said. “Now we shoot for making it to the Cage and trying to win Western Mass.”
Belchertown (10-5) held a 49-46 lead with 1 minute, 6 seconds left and extended it to a seven-point win exclusively from the line.
“We shoot a lot of free throws (in practice),” Belchertown coach Matt Stenuis said.
Frontier couldn’t reduce the gap with its shooting woes. The Red Hawks only made four shots outside the paint all game: Owen Morse’s four 3-pointers.
“When as a team we’re not shooting well it really clogs up the middle,” Frontier coach Ben Barshefsky said.
The Red Hawks still looked to center Carsten Carey to score through the blockage. He went to the post with 47.5 seconds left, but Medina blocked his shot and was fouled going for the rebound. Carey (27 points) fouled out, and Medina put the Orioles up 51-43 with two free throws.
“Obviously he can jump, but put a jump stop, a pump fake in there, he’s not going to stay in the air forever,” Barshefsky said. “We were a little timid at times but definitely could have done a better job taking it strong.”
It worked much better in the first half. Frontier went inside to Carey for its first 13 points and led 13-9 entering the second.
“He is a real good post player, probably one of the few post players left in western Mass,” Stenuis said.
Belchertown rotated Medina over to him and eventually switched to a zone. Carey only scored two points in the third quarter.
“They just didn’t hit him when we were in the zone. He was open,” Stenuis said. “He flashed, and they didn’t throw him the ball.”
Morse (12 points) hit a 3 at the halftime buzzer to send Frontier to the locker room with a 25-23 lead.
Few leads lasted long in the third quarter, as the teams exchanged baskets. Medina put Belchertown up 40-39 at the end of the third after an offensive rebound and a putback.
Frontier never led again after that.
“We slowed the game down with a lead,” Medina said. “We’re still getting used to playing with a lead and winning games.”