Boys' Basketball Too Much To Handle For Foxborough

Playing on the road in the first division game of the season isn't ideal for most teams, but it didn't faze the Black Knights (2-0) Friday night, as they were able to handily beat Foxborough, 54-42.  

Senior guards Kris Joyce and Kevin Bui, who each recorded double-doubles, helped Stoughton take down Davenport Division rival Foxborough. Joyce netted a season-high 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Bui scored 13 points and had 12 boards.

Stoughton head coach John Gallivan, who is in his seventh season, was impressed with the senior duo's performance on the road.

"[Joyce] just does so many things that you kind of shake your head and say, 'Wow, who was that?'" Gallivan said.  "It doesn't surprise me anymore but he never stops impressing me."

"Bui had a tremendous game tonight," he continued. "He was really a spark plug out there, [on] both ends of the court."

Foxborough had an advantage in the height department, but Stoughton was up to the challenge, limiting the Warriors on their scoring opportunities.

"When you're as small as we are, we have to be almost perfect positionally…in terms of boxing out and rebounding," Gallivan said.

Bui and Joyce led the way on defense as well. Joyce recorded two blocks and snatched three steals. Bui chipped in with three steals on his own.

"We had to box out and run," Bui said. "We are a small team, quicker team, but if we box out and run we can beat them on fast breaks."

Sophomores Joe Bunce-Grenon (three blocks) and Marcus Middleton (four steals) were also key role players in defending against the Warriors.

Despite winning by 12, Gallivan said there was plenty to work on in the future.

"I just told the guys, a win's a win. We're not happy with the way we played. We're not happy with the way we shot the ball, but we're happy that we won," he said. "We won on the road. We won in our division. Two weeks from now it's not really going to matter that we were two for 30 from the three-point line. It's going to matter that we won."

With the win, Stoughton notches their first-ever victory in the newly formed Davenport Division within the Hockomock League.

"It's something that's new to all of us and we're all trying to get our heads wrapped around it," Gallivan said. "Bottom line is that these games are a little bit more important than the others. This is big tonight."

Stoughton relied heavily on their three-point shot, but was unable to convert on their attempts. Missed shots and Foxborough's style of defense forced Stoughton to switch up the game plan.

"They played higher and they spread it out so we couldn't really shoot threes," Joyce said. "We had to drive [and] kick, strong dribbles in and pass out."

After allowing Foxborough to pull within six points entering halftime, Stoughton came out shooting in the second half. Bui was able to drain back-to-back three pointers and then hit a lay-up for Stoughton, scoring the half's first eight points.

"They gave me an open look so I just took it," Bui said. "Shooters shoot it."

Gallivan said that Bui's two three pointers were big and allowed Stoughton to do more.

"We moved the ball better, we attacked with the dribble a little bit, and we hit the open guys, and we got some second chance baskets too," Gallivan said.

Sophomore Aaron Calixte chipped in with six points, including four in a thirteen second span. Calixte was able to split two defenders and finish with an acrobatic layup. Senior Atticus Rentsch added seven points, four of which he scored in the fourth quarter.

Stoughton is now 2-0 following the season-opening  over North Attleboro.  Up next, the Black Knights will host Franklin High School Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

Stoughton's junior varsity team defeated Foxborough, 50-44, earlier in the night.

For more photos from this game, click here.