High schools: Domeniq Sanchez, Jack Riley help Smith Vocational boys basketball edge PVCICS in overtime

Published: 12-23-2024 9:31 PM |
The Smith Vocational boys basketball team edged PVCICS, 68-60, in overtime on Monday night at the Hampshire College Gymnasium in Amherst.
The score was knotted up 54-54 after 32 minutes of regulation, but it was the Vikings who outscored the Dragons, 14-6 in the final frame, to move to 2-2 on the season.
“We basically just tightened up and stopped making silly passes,” Smith Voc head coach Akara Holder said. “We tightened up on our passes so it resulted in a score. It was kind of just refocusing and remembering what our offense is.”
Domeniq Sanchez and Jack Riley were the Vikings’ top scorers as Sanchez secured 27 points while Riley registered 20.
“[Riley] plays as a big-man, which is what he’s supposed to do and [Sanchez] is our guard,” Holder said. “I got [Sanchez], he was taking threes in that first quarter and I was like ‘it’s not doing it for you.’ He did take one at the end of the fourth quarter, that was fine, that was better timing. They know their roles and they play their roles very well.”
The Dragons (2-2) led 54-53 with less than 30 seconds to go with possession, but turned the ball over to the Vikings, who then went to the free-throw line with 13.2 seconds on the clock. Smith Voc’s Spence Warner went 1-for-2 from the line to even the score, before the visitors outperformed PVCICS in the extra period.
“We just got a little tentative with foul trouble and stuff,” Dragons head coach John Gingras said. “Our better player Grafton [Tolopko] didn’t play much at all in the second half, which hurt us a lot too. [Smith Voc] really stepped up the press at the end there too, they were doubling really effectively.”
Tolopko paced the Dragons with 20 points and Mino Paul kept the hosts in it in the fourth quarter especially, draining three 3-pointers, before finishing the bout with 11 points.
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“[Paul] is just a spot-up guy, he’s so good at it,” Gingras said. “If we can rotate the ball to him, it’s pretty much money. [Tolopko] is aggressive off the dribble, hit a couple threes tonight too, but those guys will lead us all season. That’s just the way it’ll go.”
PVCICS was sharper early as it held a 18-14 lead after the first quarter, but the Vikings chipped away in the second quarter to take a 30-28 advantage into the break. The scoring tightened up in the third as neither team netted more than 10 points, setting the stage for the exciting finish at 38-38.
Smith Voc is off until Dec. 30 when it hosts Pathfinder. The Dragons return to the court on Thursday, when they’ll head to Veritas Prep. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Hampshire 5o, Turners Falls 40 — The Raiders saved their best for the fourth quarter.
Turners Falls held a 29-28 lead going into the final frame when the Hampshire offense exploded for 22 points, Isiah Isa (15 points) leading the charge with 10 in the quarter, as Hampshire won in a Hampshire League North contest on Monday.
Jack Wresen tossed in 11 points, Kole Kolodziej added eight and Gerald Moreau tossed in seven in the win.
Smith Academy 57, Franklin Tech 32 — The Falcons ran away with a win on Monday night behind 15 points from Garrett Willard including four 3-pointers.
Connor Kowalski had 13 points and Cameron Graves netted nine for Smith Academy.
Granby 58, Gardner 44 — Seventeen NeNe Fernandez points paced the Rams in a double-digit, out-of-region win over Gardner on Monday night.
Cody Breault put up 14 points, Riley Goodhind scored 10 points and Zavien Fernandez had seven. Granby held Gardner to 11 total points across the second (five) and third (six) quarters.
Monument Mountain 47, South Hadley 44 — Jack Loughrey (20) and Tim Loughrey (14) combined for 34 of the Tigers’ 44 points as they fought hard against the Spartans, but ultimately fell at home Monday night.
Noah Hambley (five), Noah Rivera (three) and Isiah James (two) rounded out South Hadley’s scoring.
Mahar 72, Hopkins 29 — The Senators led 23-6 after one quarter and cruised to a 72-29 Hampshire League South victory over Hopkins Academy in Orange.
Jayden Delgado exploded for a game-high 25 points to pace Mahar, which led 39-11 at halftime. Chace Earle poured in 19 points to pace the Golden Hawks on the road.
Holyoke 84, Chicopee 58 – Calvin Godbolt dropped in 30 points and Jordan King-Perilli netted 23 to lift the Purple Knights to another dominant victory.
Pathfinder 40, Gateway 35 – Jesse Balboni’s 14 points were tops for the Gators in a tight loss to Pathfinder on Monday.
Belchertown 86, Baystate Academy 15 – Shea MacLean led five Orioles in double figures with 20 points, as Belchertown rolled to a second straight victory on Monday.
Kyle Dunigan (11 points), Gabe Ibekilo (11), Ian McDonald (11) and Brice Letendre (10) also scored in double figures for the Orioles (2-2).
Westfield 52, Amherst 5 — The ‘Canes managed just five points in a loss to Westfield on Monday night, as they fell to 0-4.
Amherst looks for win No. 1 of the season on Friday at South Hadley.
Boys basketball
South Hadley 77, Monson 49 — Make it three straight games with 70 or more points for the Tigers, as they improved to 4-0 on the season with a drubbing of Monson. South Hadley scored 21 points in each of the first two quarters.
Jack Loughrey (21) put up another 20-point game, Noah Hambley scored 15, Isiah James splashed home four 3s en route to 14 points and Tim Loughrey chipped in a baker’s dozen in the win.
Northampton 68, Chicopee 61 — The Blue Devils improved to 3-1 behind a trio of impressive scoring outputs, led by senior Naihmond Peters-Wolfe’s team-high 21 points. Brayden Nichols-Staples and Eli Reid (season-high) both added 18 points apiece to help Northampton in the home win.
Chicopee’s Jay’anthony Serrano scored a game-high 27 points in a losing effort.
Easthampton 57, Hampshire 50 — Patrick Larson put together a career-high 17 points to pace the Eagles past Hampshire on Saturday. Jasper Alvarez (11) and Chase Canon-Smith (10) combined for 21 points as well for Easthampton.
The Raiders were led by Jack Wresen and Braylon Jarrett, each scoring 11 points.
Girls basketball
Pope Francis 47, Belchertown 43 — Despite four players scoring in double figures, the Orioles couldn’t get past the Cardinals on Friday night, dropping their first game of the season.
Morghan Litz (11), Chloe LaRoche (10), Aubrey Klingensmith (10) and Kina Roy (10) provided the point-scoring for Belchertown, which led 25-21 at halftime.
South Hadley 67, Hampshire 44 — A 25-point third quarter separated the two Hampshire County schools on Friday night, and a game-high 17 points from Tigers forward Kate Phillips was too much for the Raiders to overcome.
Cara Dean (16) and Olivia Athas (15) also had strong outings for South Hadley while Hampshire was led by Makayla Labrie (13 points), Alexandra Henrichon (10) and Shayne Moynahan (10).
Boys ice hockey
Agawam 3, Easthampton 1 — Grayson Prevey-Catrambone scored the lone Eagles goal, which was assisted by Parker Christy and Jae’vian Lopez.
Tommy Bixby made 17 saves in the crease for Easthampton.