ESPN

With the unveiling of our MIAA All-State Teams for Boys and Girls late last week, the 2011-12 basketball season has come to close. But before we officially slam the book on another exciting season of hoop, and move on to spring sports, I wanted to get out a few thoughts on the landscape for next season.

To whet your appetite for the 2012-13 season, here are my early projections on the state's must-see teams to watch:

BOYS

Central Catholic - Plenty of talent returning with this squad, which captured the No. 1 overall spot in Division 1 North despite missing Luis Puello (ankle) for most of the season. ESPN Boston All-State guard Tyler Nelson returns as one of the state’s top shooters, but the Raiders also return all three of their regular bigs in Joel Berroa, Doug Gemmell and Nick Cambio.

New Mission – Apparently it’s never too early for bulletin board fodder, because head coach Cory McCarthy is already making some barnstorming rounds, telling ESPNBoston.com this afternoon that if the Titans don’t win the Division 2 state title next year, “I should be fired.” Bold, yes, but it’s hard not to like a lineup of Isshiah Coleman, Nate Anderson, Greg Bridges, Damion Smith and Shaquan Murray. There is some promising talent in those ranks.

Mansfield – Folks are talking about the Hornets being one of the South region’s top teams in two years’ time, between promising freshman Brendan Hill and sophomore Michael Hershman. I’m of the camp that believes with those two versatile parts, paired with a terrific coach in Mike Vaughan, the future is now.

Taunton – Shaquille O’Neal Davis. That’s legitimately his full name, and one you certainly will not forget by this time next year, for reasons that have nothing to do with The Big Aristotle.

West Springfield – Terriers return virtually everyone, including Chris Lipscomb, Paul Bessette, Andy McNulty, Dewey King, and leading scorer Riyadh Asad. West Side is the early favorite next year in Division 1 West.

St. John’s (Shrewsbury) – Junior transfer Tarik Octave was one of the nice surprises of the playoffs, and freshman Davon Jones has shades of former Pioneers great David White all over him (Doesn’t hurt that Jones was also the Pioneers’ starter at safety last fall, too). A boat load of underclassmen return, including Ken Harrington and T.J. Kelley, which should more than make up for the graduation of Matt Palecki.

Danvers – Falcons graduate 6-foot-7 center George Merry, an ESPN Boston All-State selection, but return some terrific guards. Nick McKenna, Nick Bates, Eric Martin and Dan Connors can all shoot the ball, and are perfectly-suited for John Walsh’s four-out offensive system. My early pick to repeat at D3 champs.

BC High – Eagles return what ought to be one of the state’s best backcourts in point guard Charles Collins and ESPN Boston All-State swingman Jameilen Jones. Throw into the mix one of the region’s best basketball minds in Bill Loughnane (he of four state titles) and it’s hard to think of the Eagles as anything but a favorite in the South.

Springfield Central – A plethora of talent graduates, including Chris Prophet, Lee Turner, Jevaughn McMilian, and ESPN Boston Super Teamer Tyrell Springer. But All-State forward Kamari Robinson should have another terrific season, and the way Cornelius Tyson exploded onto the scene in the Division 1 state final makes us all wonder if he’s about to realize the potential that many in the Springfield area have been talking about for so long.

Stoughton – Super Teamer Aaron Calixte and Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Middleton formed the state’s best backcourt in 2011-12. If all goes as planned, they’ll be well-equipped to defend that notion next season.

Wareham – Vikings might not endure an unbeaten regular season again next year. But another year of All-State point guard Darien Fernandez means they’re not going anywhere.

GIRLS

Braintree – Wamps started three freshmen this year: Ashley Russell, Bridget Herlihy, and 6-foot-1 center Molly Reagan. Expect them in conversation for state title contention from now until their time runs out in 2015.

Archbishop Williams – Ditto the Bishops, who have two 6-foot freshmen to look forward to the next three seasons. Add in sophomores Olivia Conrad and Leah Spencer, and their fiery mouthpiece Sara Ryan, and this could be another top-five team come December 2012.

Reading – The Rockets made a flawless run through the Division 2 gauntlet, winning their first Division 2 state title in school history as one of two final unbeaten squads in Massachusetts. Two-time Middlesex MVP and ESPN Boston All-State Olivia Healy returns, as does guard Morgan O’Brien.

Andover – Golden Warriors are expected to come down to Earth with the graduation of two-time ESPN Boston Miss Basketball, Nicole Boudreau, and UConn lacrosse commit Ally Fazio. What might be overlooked amidst Andover’s unprecedented run to a third straight state title is that there were plenty of terrific complimentary backcourt pieces in the underclass.

Central Catholic – Raiders treaded water after some injuries early on. But once junior forward Casey McLaughlin was back to full strength, they made a run all the way to the Division 1 North semifinals. Have to imagine they’ll be in conversation again next year.

THE SUPER TEAM

Guard – Aaron Calixte, Jr., Stoughton
An exceptional athlete gifted with a tenacious motor, and one of the state's most dynamic scorers, the 5-foot-11 Calixte was the driving force behind the Black Knight's run to the Division 2 Eastern Mass. final, and asserted himself as the state's premier point guard. For his junior season, he averaged 19 points and six assists, and was named a Hockomock League All-Star. Calixte also stands out on the gridiron for the Black Knights' football squad.

Guard – Tyrese Hoxter, Jr., Charlestown
After playing in the shadows of former All-Stater Akosa Maduegbunam a year ago, the 6-foot-3 Hoxter thoroughly burst onto the scene and had a monster campaign for the Townies, leading them to the TD Garden floor for the first time since 2005 before bowing out to Brockton in the Division 1 Eastern Mass. Final. This season he averaged 19 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Guard – Tyrell Springer, Sr., Springfield Central
After falling short of a state title two seasons ago with New Leadership, the 6-foot-2 Springer led Central to the DCU Center floor this season where the Golden Eagles captured their first Division 1 state title since 1991. The centerpiece of one of the state's most athletic lineups, Springer averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, seven assists and 7.3 steals. He is undecided on college plans.

Forward – Jake Layman, Sr., King Philip
The 6-foot-8 Layman was one of the most dominant players in Massachusetts this season, with the ability to score both inside and out, as the Warriors set a school single-season record for wins (18) before suffering a surprise upset in the Division 2 South quarterfinals. In 21 games, he averaged 26.5 points, 16 rebounds, 5.8 blocks, 3.2 assists and three steals. He closes his career with with 1,752 points, 1,098 rebounds and 391 blocks, giving him career averages of 20.6 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.6 blocks, 2.8 steals and 2.6 assists. This is his second appearance on the Super Team; he also captured the Hockomock League's MVP for the second straight season. Layman, who was named ESPN Boston's "Mr. Basketball" earlier this week, is ranked the nation's No. 62 overall senior by ESPN, and will continue his career next season at the University of Maryland.

Center – Sayvonn Houston, Sr., Brockton
A nightly double-double machine, Houston established himself as one of the state's most dominant true centers, making life difficult down low as the Boxers went 23-3 and made their first Division 1 state final appearance since 1985. He saved his biggest performances for the biggest stages, such as his 20-20 night in the Division 1 South semifinals, or his 22-point, 13-rebound effort in Brockton's overtime win over Charlestown in the Division 1 Eastern Mass. Final at TD Garden. Houston is undecided on college plans.

BEST OF THE REST

Jalen Adams, Soph. G, Melrose
Quickly rising as one of the Bay State's most complete scoring guards, the 6-foot-1 Adams took home Middlesex League MVP honors after averaging 21 points per game. He led the Red Raiders to an 18-2 regular season record, before they fell to state runner-up Brighton in the Division 2 North semifinals. Adams has already declared that he will be transferring to Wilbraham & Monson Academy next season, where he will reclassify to the Class of 2015.

Jaylen Blakely, Jr. G, Brockton
Like Houston, the 5-foot-11 Blakely saved some of his best performances for the crunch time in the playoffs, such as his eight-assist performance in the Boxers' win over Catholic Memorial. Blakely distributed evenly to Brockton's talented shooters and post players, as they went 23-3 and reached their first state final appearance since 1985.

Matt Droney, Sr. F, Catholic Memorial
A terrific shooter, the 6-foot-4 Droney was named the Catholic Conference's MVP after a season of averaging 20.7 points, six assists and five rebounds per game. He also became the eighth player in school history to surpass 1,000 points earlier this season. The Canton resident will be doing a post-graduate season next year at the Taft School in Connecticut.

Darien Fernandez, Jr. G, Wareham
The 5-foot-7 waterbug demonstrated a tenacious motor in leading the Vikings to their second Division 3 Eastern Mass. Final appearance in three seasons. Wareham was the state's last unbeaten before losing to state champion Danvers. For the season, Fernandez averaged 24 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and five steals, and recorded three triple-doubles. He needs just 45 points next season to reach 1,000 for his career.

Rony Fernandez, Sr. G, Charlestown
Fernandez was one of the most outstanding point guards of the MIAA tournament, leading the Townies to a thrilling win over Lexington in the Division 1 North final before bowing out to state runner-up Brockton in the Eastern Mass. Finals. For the season he averaged 16 points and seven assists. He is undecided on college plans, but is currently fielding interest from Division 1 programs such as Maine, Northeastern and Hartford.

Joey Glynn, Sr. F, Cardinal Spellman
The 6-foot-5 Abington resident did it all this season for the Cardinals, averaging a double-double (18.5 points, 12 rebounds, three steals, 2.2 blocks) as they lost to Eastern Mass. runner-up Wareham in the Division 3 South semifinals. For his career, Glynn scored 1,425 points. He will continue his career next season at Bentley University.

Steve Haladyna, Sr. G/F, St. John’s Prep
One of two repeat All-Staters, the 6-foot-3 Haladyna was unable to lead the Eagles deep in their Division 1 state title defense, but he still leaves the Danvers campus as one of its most decorated basketball stars. He averaged 22.4 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, both team highs, and for his career he finishes with 1,392 points -- second all-time on Prep's scoring list. The South Hamilton resident will continue his career next season at Tufts University.

Malik James, Soph. G, Brighton
The 6-foot-1 James elevated his game when the Bengals needed it most, as they made their first state final appearance in school history, falling to Mahar in the Division 2 title game. For the season, James averaged 18.1 points, 8.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds as the Bengals won their first-ever Eastern Mass. title.

Jameilen Jones, Jr. G, BC High
BC High's season came to an unexpected halt as the Eagles loss in the first round of the Division 1 South tournament, but the 6-foot-2 Jones has established himself as one of Eastern Mass.'s premier two-way players. For the season, he averaged 17 points and eight rebounds as the Eagles went 15-6.

Zach Karalis, Sr. G, North Andover
The 6-foot-1 Karalis was one of the driving forces for the Scarlet Knights, who went 21-2 and reached the playoffs an unprecedented 47th straight time. For the season he averaged 15.9 points and shot 46 percent from the field, to go along with 6.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.8 steals. Karalis will continue his career next season at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Kevin LaFrancis, Sr. C, Acton-Boxborough
After a stellar season in leading the 21-2 Colonials to a Division 1 North semifinal appearance, the 6-foot-6 LaFrancis was named the Dual County League's MVP. He averaged 19.5 points and eight rebounds this season, and finishes his career at A-B with 1,012 career points. He is undecided on college plans.

Alex Lopez, Sr. G, Springfield Commerce
The 5-foot-10 Lopez led the Valley League in scoring for the second straight season, averaging 22.3 points as the Red Raiders went to the Division 1 Western Mass. Finals and took state champion Springfield Central to the wire. He led Western Mass. in field goals made (185) and total points (512). Lopez is currently undecided on college plans.

Damian Lugay, Sr. G, Weymouth
The 6-foot-2 Lugay led the Wildcats to a second straight 17-win season, before they were bounced in the first round of the Division 1 South tournament. For the season he averaged 18.1 points and just under four assists, and leaves Weymouth as a two-time First Team All-Bay State Conference. Lugay is undecided on college plans.

George Merry, Sr. C, Danvers
At 6-foot-7, Merry was a force at both ends of the floor for the Falcons, known for his ability to redirect shots as much as his scoring touch. He averaged 16.1 points, eight rebounds and 6.6 blocks as Danvers captured its first Division 3 state championship in school history. Merry is currently undecided on college plans, but showing interest from several schools in Divisions 2 and 3.

Marcus Middleton, Jr. G, Stoughton
Tasked nightly with locking down the opposition's top scorer, Middleton established himself as one of the state's premier on-ball defenders. Middleton averaged 16 points per game for the Black Knights, who won the Division 2 South title before bowing out to state runner-up Brighton in the Eastern Mass. championship at TD Garden. Middleton also stars on Stoughton's football squad.

Matt Mobley, Sr. G/F, St. Peter-Marian
One of state's most pleasant late-blooming surprises, the 6-foot-3 Mobley was one of the leading scorers in Central Mass. as the Guardians made it all the way to the Division 1 Central Final. For the season, he averaged 23.2 points in leading SPM to its most successful season under head coach Marcus Watson. Mobley finished his career at SPM with 1,175 points, and will do a post-graduate season next year at Worcester Academy.

Tyler Nelson, Soph. G, Central Catholic
The 5-foot-11 Nelson established himself as one of the state's premier shooters, as the Raiders made it to the Division 1 North semifinals before bowing out to champion Charlestown. He averaged 15.5 points and four assists this season, shot 42 percent from three-point range, and 91 percent from the free throw line.

Colin Richey, Jr. G, Whitinsville Christian
After winning a Division 3 state title a year ago, the 6-foot Richey nearly led them back, as the Crusaders lost in the final seconds to state runner-up St. Joseph Central in the state semifinals. For the seaosn, Richey averaged 16.8 points, 6.7 assist and 6.3 rebounds for the Dual Valley League champions.

Kamari Robinson, Jr. F, Springfield Central
The 6-foot-5 Robinson was a rock underneath for the Golden Eagles, who captured their first Division 1 state title since 1991 and third overall. He was a nightly double-double threat this season, averaging 13 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and three assists, as Central went undefeated in Massachusetts.

Michael Thorpe, Sr. G, Newton North
The Tigers went run-and-gun this season, and the 5-foot-11 Thorpe kept them thoroughly going. One year after reaching the Division 1 South finals, he nearly led them back, before losing to state runner-up Brockton in the semifinals. He was named the Bay State Conference's MVP, with averages of 15 points and four assists. Thorpe will continue his career next season at Emerson College.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
MARCUS MIDDLETON, STOUGHTON
The kind of on-ball pressure Middleton provided nightly to some of the state's premier scorers can take its toll physically, but he was routinely up to the task. As teammate Aaron Calixte saw a barrage of double-teams and box-and-one's, Middleton did his part at the other end, hedging off screens and staying one one's hip, chasing them all over the floor. As much praise as Calixte will get in this unprecedented season for the Knights, an equal amount must be thrown Middleton's way.

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
G – Marcus Middleton, Jr., Stoughton
G – Anthony Hodges, Sr., Holy Name
G – Darien Fernandez, Jr., Wareham
F – Jake Layman, Sr., King Philip
C – George Merry, Sr., Danvers

COACH OF THE YEAR
HUGH COLEMAN, BRIGHTON
The Bengals lost their best player before the start of the tournament, and backpedaled into the playoffs with uninspiring losses to Acton-Boxborough and Madison Park. Yet in the end, they were one step away from the school's first-ever state title. Coleman is an unabashed disciple of the legendary Jack O'Brien, and staples of those historic Charlestown squads are sprinkled all over the program. Not only has Coleman done a remarkable job bringing the team to heights never before reached in his three seasons at the helm, but this is a program that will be dangerous for the next few years.

RUNNERS-UP:
Paul Connolly, Newton North
Dean O'Connor, Franklin

FINALISTS:
Kevin Brogioli, Wareham
John Gallivan, Stoughton
Reggie Hobbs, Lexington
Malcolm Smith, East Boston
Chad Softic, Mahar
John Walsh, Danvers
Dennis Wilson, Madison Park

BROCKTON, Mass. -- Stoughton's star point guard Aaron Calixte said before the game that losing wasn’t an option. His performance showed just how serious he was.

The junior poured in 22 points, and added eight assists and three steals, to lead the No. 4 seed Black Knights to a 68-42 victory over Hockomock league rival and ninth seeded Oliver Ames, in a Division 2 South semifinal at Brockton High.

“He’s pretty good,” Stoughton head coach John Gallivan joked. “He’s the kind of guy when he gets the ball, it’s kind of an ‘Uh-oh, who has to go guard him?’ When we spread the floor like that, it’s a tough match up for anybody.”

After a back-and-forth first quarter, Calixte’s partner-in-crime Marcus Middleton scored a quick five points to push Stoughton ahead 18-13 entering the second stanza. Calixte then took over with 10 points, outscoring the entire OA team himself.

The Black Knights received a career night from senior Antonio “Nuke” Ferreira, who put up 16 points (10 in the first quarter) and 15 rebounds -- 10 of which came on the offensive glass. Both totals were career highs. He also added four blocks.

“He got his points when we were having trouble getting them,” Gallivan said. “He gave us some room to breathe and to catch our breath and get out legs under us, and that was huge.”

The two rivals split the season series with each team winning on their home court and the Tigers with the victory in the second meeting –- something Gallivan thought was beneficial, saying the loss was “possibly” a blessing in disguise.

“It’s hard,” Gallivan said of beating a team on the third game. “It’s hard to beat a team in our league two times.”

Oliver Ames head skipper Don Byron said his team was used to scoring in the 60-point range, and credited the Black Knight defense on how they played. Gallivan also credited his team’s defensive adjustments from the two teams’ prior meeting as a key.

“One was to stop their sideline break which killed us last game,” Gallivan said. “The other thing was in their man-to-man sets, we had trouble with some of their flex stuff. We paid a lot more attention to detail on that. I thought we did a much better job tonight.

“Defense was the main focus all week. Last time we played them, they scored more points against us than anyone had all season. We just made a commitment to defense.”

Bruha Goes Out Fighting: Oliver Ames senior captain and 1,000-point scorer Nick Bruha didn’t get off to the best start, but he made sure he finished the game -- and his high school career -- strong.

Off a combination of cold shooting and solid defense from Middleton, Bruha entered halftime with just one field goal and a total of 4 points. There was no quit in the guard, who dropped 14 in the second half to finish out his last game in orange with 18 points.

“It’s going to be real odd not to have him in the gym,” Byron said. “He’s been running the team. When I came, he was a sophomore and he started every game for three years.”

In traditional fashion, Bruha found success in a number of ways, including his aggressive drives to the hoop and his three-point game.

“The next time I walk into the gym, he won’t be there,” Byron added. “I remember Nick as a five-year-old kid. He had a terrific career, a tremendous career.”

A Rivalry Continued: The semifinals matchup between these two Hockomock Davenport Division rivals was just another chapter in the storied history between these schools. With their home courts separated by less than seven miles, these kids have grown up playing with and against each other.

“This rivalry is history and it’s epic,” Gallivan said. “Every time we play, there’s a story, and tonight obviously went our way. There was no telling going into this game what was going to happen.”

As soon as each of these teams won last week, they each eagerly tried to find out if their rival would be their next opponent. When they did, the hype began. And when it was all said it done, with Stoughton putting their mark on this chapter, it was hard to describe how it felt for Ferreira.

“I can’t, it’s like unexplainable,” he said. “And plus we’re going to the finals. It’s crazy.”

Role Players Fill in Nicely With the attention normally focused in on Calixte and Middleton, Ferreira stepped in nicely, but he wasn’t the only one. Junior Steffan Jackson -- who missed the majority of the teams’ second meeting, and the following three weeks -- grabbed 13 rebounds (6 offensive) and added two blocks.

“Steffan missed the last time against these guys,” Gallivan said. “That’s the big part of our team. He’s been the missing link the last couple of games. Having him back is huge.”

Stoughton also saw sophomore Mike Gallagher and senior Raymond Bowdre come in throughout the game and play an important part. Gallagher got an offensive rebound and floated in a runner to put the Black Knights up by 11 in the second and then went on to hit a three at the buzzer of the third quarter.

Up Next: Stoughton will now play Hopkinton High in the D2 South Finals on Saturday at UMass-Boston's Clark Athletic Center. The Hillers are coming off a thrilling 64-62 win over Wellesley tonight in the other D2 South semifinal, at Taunton High.

And in case we need another reminder that Hopkinton is the defending D2 South champ, they knocked out No. 2 seed and would-be state title contender King Philip in the quarterfinals.

Franklin head coach Dean O'Connor passes along this year's boys basketball All-Stars for the Hockomock League.

Any all-star lists can be sent to either Brendan Hall (bhall@espnboston.com) or Scott Barboza (sbarboza@espnboston.com)

MVP - Jake Layman, Sr., King Philip
J.J. Jolaoso, Sr., Attleboro
Joe McCabe, Sr., Canton
Sam Bohmiller, Jr., Franklin
Joe Palazini, Sr., Franklin
John Mullane, Sr., King Philip
Brian Hershman, Sr., Mansfield
Michael Hershman, Soph., Mansfield
Nick Bruha, Sr., Oliver Ames
Andrew Reardon, Jr., Oliver Ames
Brian Mukasa, Soph., Sharon
Aaron Calixte, Jr., Stoughton
Marcus Middleton, Jr., Stoughton

WALPOLE, Mass. -- For the second time in as many games, the Needham Rockets have knocked off a top 15 opponent.

After a 32-point victory over No. 6 Newton North last Thursday, Needham upset No. 11 Stoughton 53-49 in the first game of the Walpole Hoop Classic. Quite simply, the Rockets are playing their best basketball at the right time of the year.

“The Newton North game, senior night was excellent,” said Needham head coach Paul Liner. “I though we had great energy and the kids came out to play right from the beginning. There’s been some games where we kind of sit back and let things come to us, and I thing we’ve been the aggressor, gaining confidence and playing a complete game.”

The Rockets (14-5) were certainly the more aggressive team to start Sunday’s game verse Stoughton.

Junior forward Connor McLeod scored 16 of his game-high 26 points for the Rockets in the first quarter, boosting Needham to a 22-11 lead after the first.

The Black Knights (15-4) outscored the Rockets in the middle two quarters, holding Needham to just six points in the third quarter to tie it at 37 to start the final frame. However, Stoughton was held to just a 1 for 11 effort from the field in the fourth quarter.

Lanky D: The Rockets have a lot of size and length, which has helped them to hold opponents to just 46.7 points per game, the best defensive Record in the Bay State Conference.

“One of our game goals has been under 50,” said Liner. “We’ve been able to do that and holding teams to under 50 is really important.”

The big guys down low for Needham, Zach Nussbaum, Kevin Farley, John Madsen and Trevor Dow do a lot of the dirty work that won’t show up on stat sheets, but is vital for success. And they held Stoughton’s leading scorer Aaron Calixte to just six points on the evening.

“I knew we had three athletes that could play him really well, and he’s so dangerous with the ball.”

Another interesting matchup was Needham’s Shy Davis covering Stoughton’s Marcus Middleton.

Middleton finished with 12 points, but was held scoreless in the final quarter.

“He’s a great shooter,” Davis said of Middleton. “Marcus was a floater, so I just had to keep an eye on him. And I’m much taller and lankier than him so it was an easy cover.”

Needham will play Xaverian in the championship game of the Walpole tournament Monday at 7:45 at Walpole high school after the Hawks picked up their first win of the season 63-55 over the host’s Walpole.

FRANKLIN, Mass. -- "I don't know whoever said that third time thing," Franklin head coach Dean O'Connor laughed to reporters, moments after putting the finishing touches on this surprise season.

The first two times the Panthers squared off with Stoughton this season were forgettable ones. In their most recent meeting, last Feb. 2, the Black Knights came rocketing out of the gates, and quickly left Franklin in the dust en route to a 20-point win.

So tonight's result, a 69-56 win at Franklin High's Field House that captured the Hockomock League Cup, had to feel good. After coming into the season as a dark horse with question marks, the Kelly-Rex Division champs are thoroughly a thoroughbred.

"It's been crazy," junior point guard Sam Bohmiller (12 points) said of these last few weeks. "But I mean, it's a huge confidence boost. Winning the Hockomock against archrival Mansfield, we knocked off KP [King Philip] here, and now knocking off Stoughton, that's huge."

The matchups between the Panthers (14-4) and Stoughton have been intriguing each time for their contrast of style, with O'Connor countering John Gallivan's uptempo style with a surgical flex scheme from the other end of the basketball spectrum. And this time Franklin was the lead dog; they never trailed in this one, and turned in some of its most inspired defense of late to start the first half.

Franklin opened the second quarter with a 13-2 run to head into the break holding a 27-17 lead, essentially grinding Stoughton's affinity for an uptempo pace to a halt. A stout zone defense forced the Black Knights (15-3) into settling for low-percentage shots, and it reflected on the stat sheet -- the Black Knights shot just 6 for 25 in the first half, including 1 for 10 from three-point range.

As expected, the Knights made a run in the third quarter, hitting their first four 3-pointers, including two from Marcus Middleton (18 points). But it didn't make much of a dent in the Panthers' cushion of a lead; they returned the favor with three-balls from Matt Pellegri (17 points) and Joe Palazini (10).

Just how much did the Panthers slow the game down? Exhibit A might have been the final scoring sequence of the third quarter from Bohmiller, who called for a spread play, spacing players far apart from each other around the halfcourt to initiate dribble penetration. With 15 seconds left and just a few ticks on the shot clock, Palazini launched up a three that hit front iron, but senior forward Matt Pilis (14 rebounds) hauled in the long board and sent it back out to Bohmiller with another 15 seconds to work with.

From there, Bohmiller dribbled around the left wing before pulling up near the elbow, shaking his defender with a shot fake, and sinking a feathery 12-footer at the buzzer to make it 48-37.

"I trust him," O'Connor said of Bohmiller. "He'll make a good decision. He doesn't take very many bad shots, and he's such under control. You feel confident with it in his hands. He knows what we want, and he's going to do the right thing, so you can kind of let him go a little bit."

Marking Calixte: It's hardly the first time Stoughton's superstar junior point guard Aaron Calixte has seen a box-and-one defense this year, and hardly the last. Heck, tonight wasn't even the first time he'd seen it from the Panthers.

On most nights, Gallivan has countered the box-and-one defense by sending Calixte to the blocks and having him play with his back to the basket, often drawing repeated touch fouls from guards who aren't accustomed to post-up defense. Tonight, however, the Panthers stuck Pellegri on Calixte and had him dogging him around the court, with Perdikis periodically coming in to give him a break.

Calixte is in perpetual motion at times, and a difficult player to mark. But Pellegri was able to stay on the star point guard's hip most of the night, and while he ended up with respectable stats -- 12 points, on 4-of-9 from the field -- he was not a factor for some of the most integral stretches of the game.

"Pellegri, I mean, he does it to everybody," O'Connor said. "He's a great defender. He's a glue guy on our team. He makes it all happen, he's a great leader, he defends, and he scored the ball well tonight, too."

Pellegri said Calixte, who currently holds scholarship offers from Towson and Quinnipiac, is "much better than people think."

"He dishes the ball, and gets all his teammates involved," Pellegri said. "Second time we played them, they beat us pretty good, and he was dishing, so we wanted them to force the other guys to beat us.

"We just wanted to be physical with him, and not let him get into his groove. Because once he gets into his groove, the whole team starts going. And we don't want to let them get going."

STOUGHTON, Mass. -- Marcus Middleton is considered Stoughton's best on-ball defender, if not one of the best such south of Boston, and perhaps that still holds up when he's only able to give it 80 percent.

That was head coach John Gallivan's diagnosis when the two crossed paths in the school hallway at 10 this morning, the junior off-guard unable to practice the previous two days with flu-like symptoms, and still feeling a bit groggy.

"I talked to him, he said 'How ya doing?', he was sucking down a Powerade," Gallivan recalled. "And then he said 'I'm fine, I'm ready to go'."

One hundred percent, 80 percent, no matter, Middleton turned in another vintage performance for the Black Knights in their win tonight over the red-hot Franklin Panthers, snapping the Panthers' 10-game win streak with a dominant 81-60 win before a packed house at Stoughton High's gymnasium.

Chasing Franklin's leading scorers Sam Bohmiller and Joe Palazini, and having to constantly plow through perimeter screens to get it done, Middleton did his job in keeping coach Dean O'Connor's patented flex offense from getting going. On the offensive end, he led all scorers on the night with 26 points, 19 of them coming in the first half as the Knights (13-1) jumped out to nearly a 20-point lead at the break.

"He's a physical specimen," Gallivan said. "I keep asking him, 'Are you tired?', 'Are you OK?', and he says, 'Yeah coach, leave me alone, I'm fine'. And that's a kid who had a stomach virus for two days this week, so imagine what he's like when he's completely healthy."

Heading into tonight, the Panthers (10-4) were the Hockomock's hottest team, winners of 10 straight, and scoring upsets over No. 11 Mansfield and No. 9 King Philip in the last week and half to punctuate their good fortunes. But with an explosive second-quarter run, the Knights doused those flames in a snap.

Up 22-15 to start the stanza, Stoughton opened up the quarter with a 13-2 run, keyed by three-pointers from Middleton and junior point guard Aaron Calixte (19 points, nine rebounds, eight assists). O'Connor tried fanning the flames with various presses, but that ended up playing into the Knights' hot hand.

After Calixte's first trey of the period, O'Connor called timeout, and the Panthers returned to the floor in a 1-1-2-1 full court press. Calixte funneled the ball down to the right corner, where Joe Bunce-Grenon nailed a baseline three. Out of the next timeout, the Panthers showed a 1-3-1 three-quarter press, and again the Knights broke it with deep perimeter shooting, this time Middleton knocking down his second trey of the quarter.

Calixte capped the run with a walk-up three with under a minute to go, giving the Knights a perfect 5-for-5 quarter from three-point range. Stoughton outscored Franklin 24-13 in the quarter to take a 46-28 halftime lead.

O'Connor admitted going from Tuesday's battle with King Philip -- which generates offense off of penetration from 6-foot-8 stretch forward Jake Layman -- to game-planning for the uptempo Stoughton attack in less than 48 hours had its challenges.

"King Philip, we wanted to spread them out, and wanted to dribble-drive," O'Connor said. "These guys, they got more quickness than we do, whereas we had the quickness advantage against KP. So, I think we expended a lot the other night, both physically and emotionally, but Stoughton's a hell of a team. They played like we did the other night, and we didn't match that level tonight."

Jason McKie led the Panthers with 12 points, while Bohmiller chipped in with 11.

Middle Man: After this two-game swing, it's pretty clear who the X-factor is on this Stoughton team. Tuesday night, with Middleton battling aforementioned illnesses, the Knights struggled to overcome a 4-10 Foxborough squad, winning 62-55.

Tonight, with a somewhat healthier Middleton, the Panthers were held to just over 30 percent from the field in the first half, and the Knights held a 46-25 advantage on the boards.

"It's a great energy for Marcus to come in and [take on] the best player on the court," Calixte said. "We know he's our best defender, and he always does a great job. He doesn't let us down."

Interest for Calixte picking up: Besides the obvious proximity of Boston College, the Atlantic Coast Conference has had a history with the Hockomock League, going back to the late 1990's with North Attleborough's Mike Babul (Georgia Tech) all the way up through this year with King Philip senior Jake Layman, who signed with Maryland last November and is currently ranked the No. 61 overall senior in the country.

Another potential ACC-to-Hockomock connection appears to at least be in its infancy. Gallivan confirmed with ESPNBoston.com tonight that coaches from the University of Maryland have reached out to him recently, inquiring about Calixte. The electric junior point guard already has mid-major Division 1 interest, with Towson University extending a scholarship offer.

It'll be interesting to see if any legs develop here, or if it is merely due diligence. Layman, one of the Terrapins' prized recruits, has raved both publicly and privately about Calixte's skills, and there is a local tie with Leominster native and St. Bernard's High alum Scott Spinelli on Maryland's staff. Spinelli was among the first to recruit Layman while at Texas A&M, and when he came over to the Terps alongside then-Aggies head coach Mark Turgeon as Gary Williams' replacement, the Terps jumped to the top of Layman's list of suitors.

WRENTHAM, Mass. -- John Gallivan remembers the first time his star point guard was in a situation like this.

The Stoughton head coach recalled two years ago when a young Aaron Calixte, at the time a freshman, went to the line needing to make one crucial free throw. Calixte promptly clanked the shot, and the Black Knights went on to lose a close one.

"I think he basically said to himself, 'That's never going to happen again'," Gallivan said.

And it hasn't. The electric 5-foot-11 junior point guard put on an offensive clinic in the first half, but was attacked for shooting fouls repeatedly by the fourth quarter. But in going 8-of-12 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter, he kept the No. 6 Black Knights just enough ahead to hold off No. 9 King Philip, 73-69, in a thrilling atmosphere at the Warriors' gymnasium.

"It feels good, really good," said Calixte, who finished with 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. "We came to their home court, they had a crazy home crowd and we shut them up. We just did good, we played well."

Between KP's prized 6-foot-8 Maryland signee Jake Layman, and Calixte -- who has started to garner interest from Division 1 schools, including an offer from Towson -- this game had some considerable hype coming into it. And the billing did not disappoint, with both stars carrying their teams for stretches of this one. Calixte had 19 points by the half and several swift dishes, while Layman finished the night with 30 points and 13 rebounds.

KP (9-2) cut the Stoughton (10-1) lead to 60-56 with under three minutes to go in the contest, but the Black Knights seized control with some heads-up play on the break. First, Marcus Middleton (20 points) drew a shooting foul and sank both free throws; the next trip down, Steffan Jackson (seven points, seven rebounds) cut backdoor for a quick layup.

On the ensuing KP possession, Stoughton's Antonio Ferreira came up with a steal near midcourt, drove to the lane and delivered a behind-the-back pass to Calixte, who was taken down hard but nailed both free throws to make it a 66-58 game.

Stoughton increased its lead to 10 with under a minute to go, but the Warriors got off two quick three-pointers from Sam McDonald to make it 71-66. But Calixte hit two more free throws to ice it.

The Knights led 44-36 at the half, but just 53-52 after three quarters.

"Middleton and Calixte were tremendous tonight," said KP coach Sean McInnis. "I think they went 27 of 33 from the free throw line. Tough to beat a team like that."

Marking Layman: The key matchup tonight was how the Black Knights, who don't dress a player over 6-foot-2, were going to defend against the 6-foot-8 Layman, a returning ESPN Boston Super Teamer who has single-handedly toyed with teams at times so far this season.

The task was given first to Middleton, the team's best on-ball defender, who at 5-foot-10 gives up nearly a foot to the nation's No. 61 overall player. Reminded of this, Gallivan cracked, "It's only a foot."

Yes, Layman got his buckets, leading all scorers on the night. But Middleton covered him from end line to end line, digging his chest into the big man's midsection, keeping his hands and hips active, and generally making him labor on any movement into the painted areas.

When it wasn't Middleton pressing on Layman, Gallivan left the duties to Jackson, with Calixte rotating in with some help defense.

"Marcus is just an animal defensively," Gallivan said. "He covers everybody's best player, so why should we switch it? And the other guys helped Marcus. You can't chin Layman and expect to box him out at the same time, so the other kids helped him, kept him off the boards a few times."

McInnis conceded that Layman "worked for every point that he had."

"He's such a tremendous defender," McInnis said of Middleton. "John does such a great job with them on defense, he preaches defense, and that's exactly what we saw tonight. Middleton was tremendous on Jake, took away some of his inside game on Jake, and what happened to us is that it too Jake out of the flow of the game, where it was tough to get Jake inside because he was fighting so hard to get down there. He exhausted a lot of energy to do that."

Switch to zone hushes Warriors: In the second half, Stoughton switched to a unique 2-3 zone defense that gave the Warriors some trouble. Gallivan would surmise later that "You throw it all against the wall and you see what sticks," but this was certainly a package he'll keep in his binder.

Installed just two days prior to tonight's game, the Black Knights' zone was tight for the most part, cutting off diagonal lanes through the zone, forcing ball reversals around the perimeter and long lobs over the top to the opposite sidelines. Against the zone, the Warriors went through stretches where they settled for circumventing rather than penetrating, and it showed on the stat sheet -- KP was just 11 for 32 from the field in the second half, with seven of the baskets coming from three-point range.

Layman's buzzer-beating three to end the third quarter fired up the home crowd, as he flexed to the student section. But against the zone, those moments were too few in between.

"I think we started to feel comfortable taking those shots," McInnis said. "We felt as though the zone was open in the middle, but I think our guys saw that first look at the three and took that shot...I think some came in the flow, and some were shots that we're gonna work on in our shot selection. I think that we forced a couple up -- we took some on the first pass that we could have had two or three passes later."

SHARON, Mass. -- Last February, as most schools do, Stoughton High honored its seniors in a game against Hockomock rival Sharon High. But when the final buzzer sounded, it was a visiting freshman in his first start that had people buzzing.

Brian Mukasa, now a sophomore, limited Stoughton’s 1,000-point scorer Kris Joyce to just seven points in that contest, and the face of Sharon basketball for the near future was born.

The 5-foot-10 point guard is off to a great start in his first full season on the varsity squad, averaging 17.1 points a game, good for fourth overall in the Hockomock, behind the league's most prolific players: Stoughton's Aaron Calixte, Oliver Ames' Nick Bruha, and King Philip's Maryland-bound forward Jake Layman.

“The ball is in his hands constantly in the offense,” Sharon head coach Bruce Jackman said. “He’s basically fearless, which you really don’t find sometimes in a sophomore. He was under fire last year as a freshman. It’s not like he’s not used to being in that situation.”

The 3-6 Eagles have relied heavily on Mukasa on both sides of the ball this year. He scored a career-high 32 points earlier this season to rally Sharon past Falmouth.

“When I try to score, I really try to pick my spots carefully,” said Mukasa. “I try to see where the weakness in the defense is, see where I can attack [and] expose the defense for myself but also for my teammates as well.”

Mukasa said he trusts his mid-range game and his quickness allows him get to the basket. On top of that, Mukasa is shooting an impressive 40 percent from three-point range, which Mukasa said helps stretch the defense out.

But he isn’t just a scorer. Jackman said Mukasa was originally brought up last year because the varsity squad needed help defensively.

“He’s really taken it upon himself this season to be a defensive stopper, and he’s really tried to shut down all of the other teams’ best players,” senior captain Caleb Piltch-Loeb said. “He doesn’t just focus on offense, he works extremely hard on defense.”

In the offseason, the left-handed floor general plays for the New England Playaz AAU Club, which Calixte also plays for. After scrimmaging together in addition to playing each other twice a year as Hockomock rivals, Calixte has seen Mukasa mature in the past 18 months.

“He has a great understanding of the game,” Calixte said. “He creates opportunities for himself and is a great competitor.”

The Hockomock is full of top players at the guard position, including Calixte, Bruha, Stoughton’s Marcus Middleton, Attleboro’s J.J. Jolaoso, and Franklin’s Sam Bohmiller. Mukasa is hoping his all-around game will help him stand apart.

“There are guards who can score or get their teammates involved or defend at an exceptionally high level,” said the 15-year-old guard. “I’ve really focused on having a well rounded game so there’s no one weakness teams can take advantage of.”

Sharon has had an up-and-down season so far and is in the midst of their longest losing streak of the season. However, Mukasa’s maturity shows, as his confidence remains high and he tries to learn from each game.

“We try to be even-keeled around here,” said Mukasa. “We’ve lost a couple tough games, but we know we have to be ready for the next game.”

The good news for the Eagles is that they are a young team. Mukasa has played well with fellow guards and sophomores James Fritzon and Ade Bright this season. Beyond them, there are five other juniors who still have another year to prove themselves.

“We’re a very young team,” Jackman added. “I think with Brian’s leadership, along with a couple other sophomores who are plying right now, I think it bodes well for us. We’re just going to get better and better and Brian is going to be the leader of that group.”

With time, Mukasa’s skills will only continue to evolve and aid Sharon’s mission to get back to the top of the Hockomock.

With many teams across the state reaching the midway point of their schedule this week, here are my mid-season picks for our annual MIAA All-State, All-Defensive, and Coach of the Year awards.

THE SUPER TEAM
G – Aaron Calixte, Jr., Stoughton
G – Steve Haladyna, Sr., St. John’s Prep
G – Tyrese Hoxter, Jr., Charlestown
F – Jake Layman, Sr., King Philip
F – Isshiah Coleman, Jr., New Mission

BEST OF THE REST
Yadoris Arias, Sr. G, Lawrence
Tyler Delorey, Sr. G, Holy Name
Matt Droney, Sr. G/F, Catholic Memorial
Joey Glynn, Sr. F, Cardinal Spellman
Leroy Hamilton, Sr. F, New Mission
Jameilen Jones, Jr. G, BC High
Kevin LaFrancis, Sr. C, Acton-Boxborough
Alex Lopez, Sr. G, Springfield Commerce
Damian Lugay, Sr. G, Weymouth
George Merry, Sr. C, Danvers
Marcus Middleton, Jr. G, Stoughton
Matt Mobley, Sr. G/F, St. Peter-Marian
Brian Mukasa, Soph. G, Sharon
Tyler Nelson, Soph. G, Central Catholic
Quinton Perkins, Sr. G, Fitchburg
Luis Puello, Sr. G, Central Catholic
Colin Richey, Jr. G, Whitinsville Christian
Kamari Robinson, Jr. F, Springfield Central
Tyrell Springer, Sr. G, Springfield Central
Michael Thorpe, Sr. G, Newton North

ALL-DEFENSIVE
G – Luis Puello, Sr., Central Catholic
G – Anthony Hodges, Sr., Holy Name
F – Jake Layman, Sr., King Philip
F – Antonio Ferreira, Sr., Stoughton
C – George Merry, Sr., Danvers

COACH OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Scott Boyle, Lowell
Hugh Coleman, Brighton
Paul Connolly, Newton North
Paul DiGeronimo, Fitchburg
John Gallivan, Stoughton
Paul Neal, Lawrence
Brendan Smith, Boston Latin
Malcolm Smith, East Boston
Mike Vaughan, Mansfield
John Walsh, Danvers

RANDOLPH, Mass. -– For the first time in school history, Stoughton (5-0) captured the Blue Devils Holiday Classic tournament by defeating host Randolph, 66-36.

“They’re a good team,” said Randolph head coach Kalon Jenkins. “They’re a very good team, very well coached, they play tough, [and] there’s a lot of familiar faces for me on that team, [but] I thought for us, knowing how good they are, we had a little bit of stage fright, we had some moments to do some things, but that’s a very good team.”

The Black Knights wasted little time after winning the opening tip to secure the lead, and eventually the game, as senior forward Steffan Jackson sparked his offense with a highlight reel dunk, which then led to an 11-2 run to close out the first quarter. That gave them an 18-7 lead.

Randolph (3-1) attempted to rally midway through the second, as junior forwards Emmanuel Manoli and Chisom Echebiri connected on back-to-back three-pointers before Stoughton head coach John Gallivan called a timeout.

Stoughton then responded by scoring 16 points, and holding the Blue Devils to just four points for the remainder of the opening half to take a 39-19 lead into the break.

“[We had to] stop missing the box outs, and stop trying to run for dunks and just run for lay-ups,” said Gallivan, when asked to elaborate on what he said to his team during the second quarter timeout.

The head coach continued by saying, “I think we probably left eight points on the court tonight where we should have got a fairly easy lay-up, and we didn’t because we were trying to set our feet up or our hands up for a dunk, and we end up dropping the ball or missing the dunk.”

Junior co-captain Aaron Calixte (21 points, four assists, four steals), helped the Black Knights grow their lead even more during the first few minutes of the second half, as he knocked down his second three-pointer of the evening, as well as two back-to-back free throws before his team secured a 30 point lead in the fourth quarter.

“Basketball is a game of runs, and we’re always going to run every single game, but we just capitalized off the run, [and] didn’t make too many mistakes, and we [then] kept scoring and defending well,” said Calixte.

“I think we try to make it a one possession at a time mind frame,” said Gallivan. “They’re hard workers, and they want to play, they love playing, and whether it’s a starter or sub, they’re going to play as hard as they can.”

Stoughton’s reserves finished the game, and held Randolph’s bench to just five points during the closing seconds to preserve the win, and their fifth victory of the season.

Myers Struggles: Blue Devils senior co-captain Devante "D.J." Myers struggled all game, and didn’t record his first and only field goal until the fourth quarter.

“He’s been a little bit colder this year than last year. He’s taken some good shots,” said Jenkins. “As a coach, I just have to get him more opportunities to shoot the basketball. [If he] can get himself in a rhythm, he’ll be fine.”

Gallivan also commented on the play of Myers when he stated, “We talked about their guys, and he’s definitely one of their guys. Sometimes it’s like that. You have a tough night shooting the ball, but it does a lot of other things that are impressive that maybe don’t show up on the stat sheet.”

Calixte named Tournament MVP: After Friday’s game concluded, Calixte was awarded the most valuable player of the tournament. He was humble when asked about the honor, explaining that his team’s victory was more important than a plaque.

“It doesn’t mean anything [because] it’s a team effort, so it’s all about my team,” said Calixte.

Stoughton’s junior guard and co-captain Marcus Middleton (11 points) and senior forward Antonio Ferreira (8 points) were announced as two of the members of the all-tournament team as well.

Friends and Allies: After the game concluded, John Gallivan told the media that this game was special for him because he was able to coach against a former co-worker, but also a close friend. Jenkins was an assistant under Gallivan from 2003 to 2009.

“This is our first time [playing in the Blue Devils Holiday Classic],” he said. “It was a special game for me because Kalon and I coached together for seven or eight years, and we were very good friends. We talk every day. We talk about his team, and my team, and to have the two teams play is definitely different.”

RANDOLPH, Mass. –- While some schools across the state kicked off their regular-season basketball schedule this weekend, for others it was an opportunity to get in one last tune-up before the game start counting for real. All Saturday long at Randolph High School, a number of teams got in two scrimmages at a time, including Foxborough, Concord-Carlisle, Dennis-Yarmouth, Weston, North Quincy, Marshfield, Randolph, and Rhode Island power La Salle Academy.

The most anticipated games came in the evening, where defending Division 2 state champion and preseason No. 3 New Mission squared off with two rising D2 powers ranked in ESPN Boston’s preseason poll, No. 13 Stoughton and No. 5 King Philip.

Each game consisted of two eight-minute quarters. Stoughton blew the doors off of Mission in the first quarter, 25-2, but the Titans stormed back and won the second quarter 18-2. KP took the first quarter of its scrimmage with Mission, 13-4, and played to a 9-9 tie in the second.

Duke Nukem: One of the most impressive performances of the night had to be that of Antonio Ferreira, Stoughton’s senior spark plug around the rim. Much of the attention with Stoughton this preseason has come as the result of the Black Knights’ dynamic backcourt of Aaron Calixte and Marcus Middleton; but with a visible lack of size, the slashing abilty of the 6-foor-3 Ferreira comes as a positive.

The Denver Nuggets have Chris “Birdman” Andersen. The Knights have Ferreira, a lanky, wild-looking ball of energy equipped with a thick Mohawk and sleeve of tattoos running down his right arm –- including his nickname, “Nuke”, inked boldly in Olde English lettering along his outer forearm. In the first quarter against New Mission, Ferreira had three blocks on Mission’s touted forward Isshiah Coleman, and had some overall terrific rotations in the low post.

Ferreira’s emergence could be just what the Knights need to divert attention, and could be a nice story to boot. He came up through the Stoughton youth system, moved to Worcester at the start of high school, only to return last year and inch along, in the words of head coach John Gallivan “very slowly.”

“We sorta saw a light come on in his eyes this year,” Gallivan said. “He’s playing with unbelievable passion and confidence, and as you saw tonight, he gets up quick. He’s about 6-2, but he plays like he’s 6-6. I thought he was the most dominant player out there for the first four minutes tonight.”

Also of notice was the emergence of senior forward Steffan Jackson, who hasn’t played since his freshman year due to academic troubles. Jackson drew the biggest crowd reaction in the first quarter when he made a block on the defensive end, then came down in transition and shifted his torso 180 degrees mid-air for a reverse layup over the 6-foot-4 Coleman.

“He obviously made some mistakes out there like he was in his freshman season two and a half years ago,” Gallivan said. “But still, he made some unbelievable athletic plays.”

Angle pursuit: If you followed our football coverage this fall, you've probably heard us mention a few times about the skill crossover between lacrosse and football, especially with skill positions. Stoughton had success this fall in football, especially in the secondary with Middleton and Calixte, and that closing speed translated nicely in the Knights' 2-2-1 press.

"Aaron and Marcus have been playing together since the fifth grade in football, basketball," Gallivan said. "They know each other, they know what the other one's doing, and they were really effective."

Coleman gets his work: New Mission head coach Cory McCarthy said the scrimmage with KP was a game "they had circled on their calendars for a while", and it might have something to do with the above video. That's Coleman dunking on two Warriors players last September at the Beantown Hoops Shootout.

Against KP, Coleman was saddled with the task of posting up Jake Layman, the Warriors' Maryland-bound superstar forward. In the first quarter, Layman came up with a block of Coleman, then played a smart rotation by cutting off his driving lane; when Coleman tried to go opposite baseline, Layman stretched out just long enough for a help defender to cut in and help stuff the forward as he tried to hit a reverse layup.

Then in the second quarter, Coleman returned the favor. He forced Layman into a bad shot, then took a charge on the next possession. Then for good measure, Coleman took one more charge the next trip down, before capping it off with another vicious block.

"I thought we played Layman well tonight," McCarthy said. "But we weren't consistent with it. We weren't learning from our lessons."

Said KP head coach Sean McInnis of Coleman, "This has been an ongoing thing, this matchup, and hopefully we get to see them one more time [in March]. I thought Isshiah is tremendous, and has come a long way since August alone. He's a tremendous player."

Growing pains: At 6-foot-8 and a gifted skill set, and already ranked in the Top 50 for the Class of 2012 by ESPNU, Layman will inevitably win games with his length at this level. But no matter his star power, McInnis said Layman "has a long way to go."

Layman came up with back-to-back steals of entry passes on the wing, but he also had some struggles around the rim and turned the ball over when bringing it up. Ballhandling no doubt will be an area of improvement going forward.

"We're definitely going to be working on ballhandling, and being able to shoot up off the dribble," McInnis said. "I think those two things right there will make Jake a better player. But he'll make all of us better players, as we get Jake to be able to do that."

STOUGHTON, Mass. –- Jared Schneider ran for two and passed for one touchdown to lead Oliver Ames over Hockomock Davenport rival Stoughton 24-14 last night.

Down 7-3 at the half, Schneider attributes the second half play to coach Jim Artz’s halftime speech.

“Coach told us that he loved us,” Schneider said. “He didn’t want to give up on us and Thanksgiving, he didn’t want that to be our last game with this group.”

OA (5-4, 2-1) came out in the second half and scored in just over three minutes to take the first lead of the game, a 30-yard scamper over the left tackle by Schneider. He had a running back to option to on his left, but the field opened up and he went in.

After an illegal motion penalty and two plays that netted two negative yards, Stoughton’s Alex Fernandes threw a pass that was intercepted by Ryan St. Clair and brought to the Stoughton 14. Four plays later, Schenider scored again from two yards out.

At 17-7, the Black Knights (5-5, 2-1) were two scores down and needing to produce points on the next drive to keep some momentum.

Starting from their own 40, Stoughton looked as if they might get a first down, after two rushing plays set up third and 2 from their 48, but an Alex Tepper sack on Fernandes set up fourth and 5. A bad snap to Alex Calixte forced him to fall on the ball at the Stoughton 25, which Oliver Ames ate up. The Tiger then took just over three minutes to find the end zone with Tepper taking a 4-yard grab from Schneider at 9:14 in the fourth quarter.

Stoughton was able to come back on the following drive and score with 8:07 left to make the game 24-14. They recovered a fumble on their own 25 and scored on a 25-yard touchdown pass. However, the play was negated due to illegal motion before the snap (two players motioned simultaneously). OA gobbled the next three minutes running the ball and keeping passes in bounds, and even though Stoughton made it down to the Oliver Ames 34 with just under two minutes left, senior captain Brian Crosby got an interception that allowed the Tigers to take a knee, as Stoughton had used their last time out during Oliver Ames’s previous drive.

TEPPER TOWN


Alex Tepper is 6-2, 245, the size of most linemen, so when he goes out for a pass, with his speed and size, it doesn’t make for a good matchup with linebackers, who usually weigh in between 175-215 pounds.

“All the hard work in the offseason, putting on size, lifting, running, it pays off,” Tepper said. “I am a hard person to tackle over the middle.”

McGRATH'S HIGHWAY
OA kicker Ryan McGrath missed one field goal (42) but made the second (37) on the following possession. Going in with points on the board was key for Oliver Ames, for when the scored in the second half, they already had the lead. The first one was not his fault, according to Artz.

“We accounted for the wind a little but too much,” Artz said.

Artz told McGrath to kick it and let the wind shift the ball through the uprights. McGrath did as he was told but the wind did not carry the ball the way Artz and staff had expected.

“He was like, ‘Coach, I put it where you wanted it.”

DEVIANT ACCOUNTS


Although Schenider shared Artz's emotional halftime speech, telling the team that he loved them and wanted to see the team play past Thanksgiving, the coach did not want to recount any of his speech after the game.

“Nothing" was what Artz would divulge of the pep talk that turned his team on in the second half, he said with a smile.

OLIVER AMES 24, STOUGHTON 14
O (5-4) 0 - 3 - 14 - 7 --– 24
S (5-5) 7 - 0 - 0 - 7 –-- 14

First quarter
S – Marcus Middleton 53 pass from Alex Fernandes (Fernandes kick)

Second quarter
O– Ryan McGrath 37 field goal

Third quarter
O – Jared Schneider 30 run (McGrath kick)
O – Schneider 2 run (McGrath kick)

Fourth quarter
O – Alex Tepper 4 pass from Schneider (McGrath kick)
S – Aaron Calixte 11 pass from Fernandes (Fernandes kick

THE MYTH OF KENNY
By day, he's just an unassuming high school student. Come Friday night, he's a legend.

Beverly running back Kenny Pierce inspired some tall tales while racking up five touchdowns in the Panthers' come-from-behind 36-35 win over Lynn English. The hashtag #KennyPierce had Twitter abuzz on Friday night.

"I wanted to get it trending," tech savvy athletic director James Coffey said Monday at the high school.

While the myth of Pierce's performance, which was highlighted by an 81-yard touchdown return for a score, continues to grow, all the mild-mannered running back was concerned with was next week's game against Winthrop. For the returning Division 3 Eastern Mass. Super Bowl champions, it's just another test in getting back to where they want to be.

"We had everybody rooting against us last year," said Pierce of the Panthers who entered postseason play at 5-6 last season, "that just motivated us more. We just want to get back there."

SO FAR, SO CLOSE, SO UNDERRATED

Melquawn Pinkney’s performance for Putnam Friday night is the stuff of instant legend: 17 carries, 421 yards, six touchdowns.

The undersized speedster was the catalyst Friday for a Putnam squad that is quickly erasing that “underrated” moniker, coming four yards short of the state record in his eye-popping performance (Lynn English’s Brandon Guy went for 425 in a 2001 win over Swampscott).

The Beavers debut at No. 20 this week in our statewide MIAA poll, and it’s a recognition well-deserved. Some wonder if these guys are on par with Longmeadow – we’ll have to give it a few more weeks before we jump to that conclusion.

But back to Pinkney – just how underrated are these guys?

“Springfield as a whole is underrated. I guess they don’t think our players are as good or as talented, but we’ve got some good players coming out of here.”

He continued, “I went to a lot of showcases over the summer time, and I hung with the best of them.”

SHOCKING THE HOCK

Two of the state’s strongest two-tier conferences already find themselves full of twists and turns after a weekend full of surprises.

Stoughton provided the upset of the weekend when the Black Knights faced a Mansfield squad that had been averaging 33.5 points per game and promptly shut them out, 8-0. The Knights held a slim 3-0 lead headed into the fourth quarter, then tacked on a safety and last-minute field goal to preserve the shutout.

Did we see this coming? No. Were were totally shocked? As with most things, the truth lies somewhere in between. Take note of the youth on the squad, and pay attention to the secondary featuring juniors Marcus Middleton and Aaron Calixte. The latter is already known on the hardwood, ranked as one of the top junior point guards in New England; but on a whole, this is a unit that sticks out on film for its athleticism.

With King Philip off to a dominating start on defense (4.6 points per game allowed) and North Attleborough being its usual self; combined with promise from Foxborough and Oliver Ames; and the wild card that is Attleboro; this is far from the last upset. Fasten your seat belts.


NEW-LOOK TROJANS
If you weren't paying attention, you might not have recognized the Bridgewater-Raynahm offense in the Trojans' 28-15 win over Marshfield on Saturday.

After struggling to move the ball on the ground during their first offensive series, Trojans head coach Dan Buron made the decision to flex out hard-nosed running back Nick Schlatz out wide. Without Schlatz to key on the in backfield, B-R diversified it's approach, putting the ball in fellow running back Branden Morin's hands as well as letting quarterback Brad Deluliis make plays with his feet.

The spread look, which included four-receiver sets and some trips alignments, is a far cry from the meat and potatoes I-form rushing attack common at B-R.

“We’ve been doing it a little the last couple of years … with [Brad] Deluliis, Mike Connolly and even Billy Zolga last year, we spread it out and threw a little bit more,” Buron said. “But now what we’ve done is split Nick Schlatz out there and then we have Arcel Armstead, who’s a pretty good running back, too, on the other side, so people have to worry about them because they’re good receivers, too.”

Subtle adjustments like those have gotten the Trojan offense back on track after having a shutout thrown at them by Duxbury on opening night.

Though Buron was not without some weighty praise for the No. 2 Dragons and their swarming defense.

"That's the best defense I've ever seen," Buron said. "We were just trying to get out of there alive."

AUBURN’S O-LINE AMONG STATE’S BEST

With true Belichickian aesthetic, Auburn head coach Jeff Cormier tends to err on the side of caution when giving out praise. Compliments aren’t exactly handed out like candy on Auburn Street – and honestly, when you’ve won a state-best 40 straight games, why change?

When pressed about making it 40 straight following Friday’s 35-6 domination of St. Peter-Marian, “We’re 3-0” was the repeated theme amongst coaches and players alike. But holding back on praise for the big guys in the trenches continues to be an upwardly difficult journey.

Tell you what, we’re not afraid to say it anymore.

Auburn –- yes, Auburn, the birthplace of the modern rocket, tucked away neatly beneath the I-290 loop -– boasts one of the best offensive lines in the state. Doesn’t matter if they’re in Central Mass Division 3, or one of the power conferences in Eastern Mass. As a unit, they’re already one of the biggest around, averaging 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds across. But what separates them from some of the state’s other beefy lines is their surgery.

There’s a significant difference between outweighing your opponent at the point of attack and overpowering them, and the Rockets certainly fall into the latter. Line coach Dana Giampa deploys an aggressive zone-blocking scheme (think Shanahan-era Broncos) that his players ran to near perfection on Friday night. Star SPM defensive end Jordan Knowles found himself out of the play most of the night, after factoring significantly in the Guardians’ first two wins over Shepherd Hill and Fitchburg.

The unit of tackles Steve Domenick and Will Greelish; guards Matt Ramirez and Aaron Dyke; and center Jordan Giampa, paved the way for 462 rushing yards by the varsity, including 191 from Dan Flink.

"I think our offensive line is starting to come along, and I give a lot of credit to Dana Giampa for that, really working with those kids.” Cormier conceded after the game. “They trust in what he's teaching."

Said running back Fred Taylor, "Our line stepped up big. Everybody basically had their A-game."

Time to start taking these guys seriously.

And by the way, what’s scarier, the rushing totals reminiscent of 90’s Nebraska, or the fact that the line is entirely comprised of juniors and sophomores?