By Jake Loomis — Senior Sports Writer
Hyped from an exit rally with the entire school, teachers, and parents, the Sharon Eagles Boys Basketball Team traveled to the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, Friday March 15th to face reigning two-time defending state champion Malden Catholic Lancers who were seeking an historic three-peat.
The Eagles rode high momentum into the game after a clutch game-winning shot by Jackson Rava against Bedford in the Final Four game. The final victory, however, went to the Lancers, 65-42.
Above photograph by Lori O’Neill
In the first quarter, nerves were high as both teams missed shots and turned the ball over. Malden Catholic got an early lead as they pressured the Eagles with physicality down low. The Eagles clawed back later in the quarter behind two three’s by Ryan Brown and Jackson Rava. After the first quarter the score stood 11-8 Lancers.
At the start of the second frame, the game turned into a Malden Catholic runaway as star player Matt Gaffney (17 points), got hot from the arc. A 24-2 Malden Catholic run in the second quarter along with intense defensive pressure and experience weighed on the Eagles.
After halftime, it was more of the same story as Malden Catholic overwhelmed Sharon with their size and speed on both sides of the ball. Nate Katznelson (15 points) was the primary scorer for the Eagles in this one, using his size to get down low. He put up good shots; however, they just did not fall.
Going into the fourth, Malden Catholic held a commanding 47-18 lead. During the fourth quarter as the game was coming to a close, Sharon made a run as Jacob McLoughlin (a quiet 10 points) finally got going with two threes. This was not enough, however, as the Eagles would drop the game 65-42. The Eagles’ effort was highly commendable; at the end of the game, however, Malden Catholic emerged simply as the better team.
Jacob McLoughlin and Nate Katznelson will finish their careers as one of the greatest duos to ever grace a Hockomock League court; their impeccable play and strength at times truly showed why they were a matchup nightmare for many.
This playoff run was one for the ages and will not be forgotten. Captain Jaden Segal said that “our team battled up’s and down’s; when we got to the playoffs, we all came together and worked 10 times harder to support each other day in and day out. That’s why we made it to the end.”
The Sharon fans also showed great support for the boys in this game, showing up in record numbers. This team’s run truly illustrates the depth of Eagle Pride, affirming that in all of the amazing aspects of Sharon High School, basketball stood tall amidst challenging moments and injuries and united the community in the excitement of a magical playoff run.