CHS boys basketball falls to No. 4 S-B in Sweet 16 nail-biter
By Mike Berger
The Canton High boys basketball team found a winning formula this season. (Moira Sweetland photo)
A memorable 2023-24 season and thrilling state tournament run ended in heartbreaking fashion for the CHS boys basketball team last week as the 13th seeded Bulldogs fell just short in a fierce road battle with fourth-seeded Somerset-Berkley, 53-50, in the Division 2 Sweet 16.
In a very competitive game that seesawed back and forth, the Canton boys not only proved they belonged, but they nearly pulled off the upset, surging ahead by as many as seven points late in the fourth quarter before fading down the stretch after a Raider timeout.
SB sophomore Colton Pacheco did much of the damage during that stretch, scoring on three straight trips down the court to make it a one-possession game. Canton still had the lead with under a minute to go in the game and had a chance to put the game away after forcing a turnover, but a layup attempt was just off the mark and S-B was off and running with a transition layup and a foul to put the hosts up 51-50.
Canton had three cracks to regain the lead over the final 45 seconds, but all three shots were well contested, and the Raiders were quick up the floor, forcing the Bulldogs to foul. The Raiders converted both free-throws and a final three-point shot by CHS center Jerry Predin was blocked with .8 seconds to go.
“We’ve talked all season about having some poise, but these are kids; they learn from this,” said head coach Dan Kiser after the game. “They get excited. We got an offensive rebound and shot it quick instead of making them sit down and guard us. We attacked the basket too early and didn’t have offensive rebounders. That’s just the way it is sometimes. But overall, I’m very proud of our kids because they played their hearts out and played with great energy and passion.”
Kiser was also quick to credit the Raiders and their coaching staff, noting, “They did a great job … we had our hands full and it was a good basketball game both ways.”
Senior Jamaal McConnell paced the Bulldogs with 20 points in the loss, while seniors Zaza Francoeur and Owen Lane chipped in with 13 and nine points, respectively. Predin, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder this season, missed time due to foul trouble and was held to five points.
The loss marked the end of an exciting season for the Bulldogs, who finished 15-7 in Kiser’s first season at the helm and tied with Sharon for second place in the Hockomock Davenport Division behind Mansfield. The fifth-seeded Hornets would also go on to lose to Somerset-Berkley one round later in the D2 Elite Eight, while seventh-seeded Sharon has kept on winning — most recently in a thrilling Final Four battle against No. 14 Bedford — to clinch a spot in Friday night’s D2 state title game.
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=122684
Posted by Mike Berger
on Mar 14 2024. Filed under High School, Sports.
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