HAMILTON — Shots weren’t falling in the fourth quarter for the Hamilton-Wenham boys basketball team Tuesday night. With a comfortable double-digit lead over Saugus evaporating, the Generals could have gotten tight.
Instead, they got to the free throw line and got to work on the glass.
Senior captain A.B. Labell grabbed a key rebound with 7.2 seconds to play to deny the Sachems a chance at a go-ahead shot. He was fouled on the play and calmly made both to help his Generals win the 12th annual Patton Tournament on their home floor, 59-55.
Labell, who finished with 15 points plus a half dozen rebounds and assists, was chosen as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
“All year long when we’ve needed a big play, A.B. has stood up on both the offensive end and the defensive end,” said Hamilton-Wenham coach Nick DiMarino. “I almost expect that from him now.”
Junior Caden Schrock (11 points, 11 rebounds) was also selected to the All-Tournament team while Alex Menegoni scored 15 points as the Generals won their fourth straight and 15th in the last 17 contests. They’ll hit the state tournament with a 15-5 record and hope to snag a top 16 seed in Division 4 when the brackets are released on Saturday.
Saugus (7-13) did not make things easy on the hosts. Despite missing their first eight shots and struggling mightily from the floor (33 percent) in the first half, the Sachems came alive in the fourth quarter. Junior All-Tournament selection Ryan Shea scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half and big-man Huey Josama gave the Generals fits down low with 13 of his 18 coming in crunch time.
As a result, what had been a 16-point lead after three quarters shrank to 11 with 5:00 to play. The Generals didn’t make a field goal in the final four minutes and the Sachems drew to within five (55-50) by the 3:00 mark.
It was a one-possession game (55-52) with 1:50 to play and again (57-55) with 41 ticks left, but the Gens made their free throws to hold on.
“We got a little soft on the defensive glass and that’s where most of their points came from,” said DiMarino, who was happy with the way his Generals took care of the ball as Saugus tried to press and create turnovers in the late stages.
“I was impressed with the way we broke the pressure,” the coach continued, “Once we get the ball over half court, I’d like to see us attack a little but more. But we did get to the rim and when the shots aren’t falling its important to get to that charity stripe.”
H-W’s offense ran like a well oiled machine in the first half. Some tremendous passing made it a 17-6 lead after one quarter and the Generals piled on 19 more points in the second quarter. Senior Will Broughton, working his way back from an ACL year suffered last spring, contributed eight points and gives his team another valuable scoring option.
“The first half, the ball was humming around. The movement was great and it led to lay ups and open 3’s,” said DiMarino. “In the second half, it died down and it looked like we wanted to play 1-on-1.”
Revere defeated Northeast, 80-53, in the consolation game before Tuesday’s final. Patriot senior Ethan Day scored an incredible 65 points to become the third player in RHS history to reach 1,000 career points and earned an All-Tourney nod. From Northeast, Esien Clarke was named a tournament all-star.
Hamilton-Wenham 59, Saugus 55
12th annual Patton Tournament championship
At Hamilton-Wenham Regional HS
Saugus 6 16 13 20 55 Hamilton-Wenham 17 19 15 8 59 Individual scoring Saugus: Josama 7-4-18, Rodriguez 1-0-3, Victor 2-0-5, Dupuy 3-0-6, Soroko 1-3-5, Shea 6-3-18, Zeitz 0-0-0. Totals 20-10-55.
Hamilton-Wenham: Filipov 1-1-3, Molitano 0-0-0, Menegoni 6-1-15, Schrock 3-3-11, Labell 5-2-15, O’Bannon 1-2-4, Byers 1-0-2, Scanlon 0-1-1, Broughton 4-0-8, Feron 0-0-0. Totals 21-10-59.
Three pointers: S, Shea 3, Victor, Rodriguez; H-W, Labell 3, Schrock 2, Menegoni 2.
Halftime score: H-W, 36-22.
Records: S, 6-14 ; H-W, 15-5.