Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Brighton is Going Back!

Brighton came out of the North as a #5 seed and won the sectional playoffs. The team they faced came out of the South as the #1 seed. Scituate High vs Brighton High at the TD Garden for a shot at the MIAA  Division 2 state title in Worcester. Here we go!

In the early stages Scituate had all the intensity on their side. They brought a quick 8-2 lead to the Bengals who had to call timeout (4:15). After all Scituate had an 8 point run to start. But Brighton took a 12-6 swing to tie it up at the end of the period. John Foster of Scituate had 8 pts and 3 rebs already. Nick Simpson of Brighton had 6 points of his own to add to his 2 steals.

Brighton 14 Scituate 14       End 1

The Bengals took a 5-0 run to start the 2nd. That forced a Scituate timeout (6:12). BR 19-14
They would end that quarter with a slightly comfortable lead going into the half. Scituate's Noma Okundaye added 8 of his own that period. Both Foster and Prince Unaegbu of Brighton had 4 rebounds a piece. It was very physical under the rim.

Brighton 27 Scituate 21      Halftime

In the third, Scituate closed the lead to within one (3:33). Then they tied it at 33 (2:53). Brighton who was now in trouble called timeout after Malik James lost a crucial turnover out of bounds (2:40). At (2:02) Scituate took their lead back and went up 2. SC 35-33. 15 of the Scituate's 18 3rd quarter points came between Taran O'Toole and Okundaye. It was their lead to lose.

Scituate 39 Brighton 33      End 3

In the fourth, it got real. Either Brighton was going to have to play or go home. Scituate took a timeout (4:26) while being up 47-38. They extended it to 11 for the largest lead of the game. Brighton rolled into the double bonus (4:03). But from there they came storming back. The Scituate timeout (2:29) showed panic as Brighton who went on an 11-3 run between those timeouts closed to within 1. James scored 8 of those points. The Bengals were only down 50-49. At (1:09) James would hit a free throw to tie it at 50. Scituate took another timeout (34.5) when David Cox hit both FTs to put them up 2. Brighton would take a timeout (16.4) after an intentional foul was given. Cox would miss both of his FTs. Soon after James would hit both of his FTs to tie the game at 52 (8.4). James would follow that up with a steal and a basket to go up 2 (1.2). He would hit the "and 1" FT to complete the 3 point play. The ensuing inbound was deflected and once picked up went nowhere near the basket.

BRIGHTON BENGALS are going back to the MIAA DIVISION 2 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

They will play Saturday at the DCU Center in Worcester.

Game Stats

BRIGHTON HIGH - 55

Malik James            21 pts  4/7 FTs  4 asts 3 rebs 1 stl
Nick Simpson         16 pts  3/4 FTs  5 rebs 2 stls
Daivon Edwards     13 pts  2/2 FTs  3 stls 1 ast
Mark Mojica           5 pts   1/3 FTs  3 stls 3 rebs
Prince Unaegbu                               8 rebs 4 blks


SCITUATE HIGH - 52

Noma Okundaye     17 pts  3/5 FTs   2 rebs
John Foster             14pts   0/1 FTs    7 rebs 1 stl 1 blk
David Cox              12 pts  8/12 FTs  3 rebs 2 blks 1 stl
Taran O'Toole        7 pts    5/6 FTs    3 stls 1 reb 1 ast
Ben McLarey         2 pts                     2 rebs
Matt McRae                                        3 rebs