No different from their matchup on the football field back in late October, Masco vs. Marblehead hoops came down to the very last whistle on Monday night, with Masco clinging on for a 58–55 victory.
From the opening tip-off, the game stayed close throughout its entirety. Masco grabbed an early lead to begin the first quarter, but in classic Magician fashion, Marblehead battled right back and eventually tied the game.
After Marblehead senior captain Finn Gallup gave the Magicians their first lead with an impressive and-one transition layup with 28.2 seconds left on the clock, it came down to junior NEC All-Star Thomas Denton. The 6’5” big man hit one of two free throws, tying the game at 50 apiece and sending it to overtime.
In overtime, it felt like every trip up and down the court ended with a whistle, resulting in both teams continuously going to the free-throw line due to being in the bonus. Masco had three players, including Farrell, foul out, while Marblehead had two of their own foul out. Marblehead hit one more free throw than Masco in the extra time, but huge fast-break layups from senior guard Cal Weidman and junior guard Matteo Stefanelli, followed by a free throw from senior guard Ryan Richardson, made it a three-point game—and that was all she wrote.
Masco had some trouble with Marblehead’s press, as the Magicians were often able to speed up the Chieftains and force careless turnovers. Despite coming in as heavy underdogs, Marblehead didn’t give up and fought hard, especially on the glass, where they snagged 17 offensive rebounds.
“After the slow start, we were able to get right back to our basics, playing our physical brand of basketball and holding our own on the defensive side of the ball,” said Stefanelli. “We stayed confident throughout the game and didn’t let the pressure get in our heads. There’s a lot of talent and experience on this team, and it showed late in the game when the moments grew bigger and bigger. That’s how we were able to close out the game and get a big NEC win on the road.”
On a night where not many shots were falling for Masco, it was up to All-NEC senior captain Jimmy Farrell to will his offense to some buckets. Farrell did damage in every quarter, staying consistent and dropping a game-high 22 points.
“Whenever they went to their man defense, we were able to get good looks pretty much every time,” said Farrell. “I was able to take advantage of my matchup and use ball screens from the big men to force the defense to make a tough decision. My pull-up mid-range has always been my go-to shot, and it was working well when it needed to. Throughout the game, I was able to figure out their defensive tendencies, and that allowed me to open up my offense and get to my spot, along with finding the open man.”
Another key factor of Farrell’s game that may not be talked about as much is how fantastic he is from the free-throw line. Farrell went six-for-six in this game and is now 15-for-15 on the year from the charity stripe. As a second-year captain, Farrell was able to rally his teammates at halftime and make sure Masco avoided a tough upset.
“The entire game, I was reminding the team that we need to stay together,” he said. “With the way we were turning the ball over, it’s easy to start pointing fingers and lose the team chemistry that we really value. Our constant message was to stay together no matter what. When guys make mistakes, they can get in their own heads and worry about the next possession. One mistake can lead to another without support from your teammates. I always try to keep my teammates’ heads high whenever a mistake is made. With a mix of positivity and constructive criticism, it allows our players to move on and put their mistakes behind them.”
At the break, second-year Chieftain head coach Jaycob Morales was extremely disappointed with his team’s lack of rebounding, but there was significant improvement in the second half as senior big man Jamason Vella grabbed nine of his 12 rebounds after halftime.
Going into North Andover tonight, Masco needs to clean up errors on the glass and find a rhythm offensively.
“It’s as simple as limiting turnovers and limiting rebounds for the other team,” said Stefanelli. “Our standard is excellence, and we need to be excellent in all of the little things. It’s going to be a challenge against a great out-of-league team. We have a brotherhood here, and we all have a goal that we’re chasing.”
Stefanelli has climbed the depth chart so far this season and now looks to be a key contributor going forward, letting his game speak for itself with an incredibly clutch bucket late in overtime.
“Matteo is starting to come into his flow,” said Morales. “We should expect some of his best basketball to continue moving forward.”
With the win, the Chieftains move to 3–0 and will come in as the favorites tonight as they tip off against North Andover at North Andover High School at 6:30 p.m.