Sports

Stoughton Black Knights Postseason Primer

Stoughton High boys' basketball team kicks off tournament play Monday night, traveling to Hingham at 7 p.m.

The Stoughton High boys’ basketball team will travel to what by all accounts is a raucous Hingham High gymnasium to take on the Harbormen in the opening round of the MIAA Division 2 South Sectional basketball tournament Monday night (February 28) at 7 p.m.

Hingham is the eighth seed, while Stoughton is the ninth seed.

Both teams enter the postseason 12-8, with Stoughton coming off a title in the Walpole Hoop Classic, played last Sunday and Monday. Meanwhile, Hingham enters the tournament with some momentum, winning three of its last four games to end the regular season.

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Stoughton is led on offense by sophomore Aaron Calixte and senior Kris Joyce, who both have the capability to score 20-plus points and take over a game. Sophomore Marcus Middleton can put up big numbers on offense as well, but he is most valuable as the team’s best defender.

Senior Atticus Rentsch provides a spark on defense, as does freshman Joe Wilder. Sophomore Joe Bunce-Grenon adds some explosiveness off the bench, and senior Kevin Bui is another scoring option, and can knock down the outside shot.

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In their last 12 games, Hingham has scored more than 60 points just once. In the same span of games, Stoughton has topped the 60-point plateau nine times.

Hingham is just 2-8 on the road, but a perfect 10-0 at home, and unfortunately for Stoughton, the game is being played in Hingham. But, the Black Knights are battle-tested on the road this season, going 9-4 away from their home gym, including close wins over North Attleboro, Oliver Ames and Sharon, all tournament teams.

Stoughton Head Coach John Gallivan expressed his desire to stay away from Hockomock teams in the postseason, and it’s easy to see why: The Black Knights are 4-0 outside of the league this season, with three of those wins (Concord-Carlisle, Walpole and Xaverian) coming against tournament teams. Stoughton’s average margin of victory in these four games was just shy of 20 points.

“It’s fun to get out of the [Hockomock],” Gallivan said after his team’s victory over Xaverian in the regular season finale. “That’s what the moral of the story is. We’d like to stay out. I talked to a lot of [Hockomock] coaches…and none of us want to see each other. We like going out and playing other teams. It’s different [and] it’s what the tournament should be.”

All ten Hockomock teams made the tournament this season. If Stoughton wins tonight, they will have to take on top-seeded Hopkinton (17-3) on Thursday, March 3 at 7 p.m. 

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, but if Stoughton wins that game, there is a chance that they could face Oliver Ames in the sectional semifinal game. The rivals played in two instant classics this season, with Stoughton winning both by three points. The went into overtime, while the went into quadruple overtime.

Stoughton has received some recognition from ESPN Boston, with high school reporter Brendan Hall picking the Black Knights to advance to the finals of the Division 2 South Sectional. Hall said Calixte is a player to watch in the tournament.

All that matters, however, is tonight. Win, and the season continues; lose and you go home.

For the statisticians among us (compiled by Stoughton Patch’s Ryan Lanigan):

  • Stoughton: 7-1 when Aaron Calixte scores 20+ points (5-7 when he doesn’t)
  • 5-2 when Middleton scores 15+ points
  • 10-4 when scoring 60+ points in a game.
  • 2-4 when scoring <60 points in a game.
  • 8-0 when opposing teams score less than 60 points.
  • 4-8 when opposing teams score more than 60 points.
  • In wins, opposing teams average 54.8 points a game
  • In losses, opposing teams average 71.1 points a game.
  • In wins, Stoughton averages 69.9 points a game.
  • In losses, Stoughton averages 61.1 points a game.
  • 4-0 against non-Hockomock teams.
  • 2-1 in games that go into Overtime.
  • Calixte – season high: 38 | season low: 6
  • Joyce – season high: 26 | season low: 4
  • Middleton – season high: 24 | season low: 3
  • Bui – season high: 20 | season low: 0

Boston Globe features Hingham High gymnasium in article on toughest places to play: Click here to read.

Directions to Hingham High: Click on the link - 17 Union Street, Hingham, MA

Be sure to check out the full sectional bracket, highlights of the Black Knights and Ryan Lanigan’s three keys to victory in the media gallery above.


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