Wahconah Boys Take Advantage at Foul Line to Top Taconic
DALTON, Mass. -- There were 37 seconds left in the first quarter when Ben Noyes stepped to the foul line to shoot a one-and-one for Wahconah on Wednesday night.
That was a sign of things to come.
Wahconah's boys outscored Taconic, 18-6, at the free throw line in a 54-45 win.
"I think you've gotta get to the free throw line against a team like this," Wahconah coach Dustin Belcher said. "We didn't shoot free throws particularly well in the beginning. I think we were something like 11 for 12 in the fourth quarter. That was a key, I thought to the game."
A lot of those free throw opportunities came from penetration.
"The whole key for us is to get Calvert downhill," Belcher said. "That's what we say all the time. I think we did a good job with that.
"And then guys moving on the perimeter. [Zack] Bondini, different guys moving and getting themselves shot ready was key as well."
Calvert scored 21 points to lead the way in the win. Noyes and Aiden Trager added 10 and eight, respectively.
The game was even back-and-forth throughout the first half, which ended in a dead heat after Noyes scored in the post to make it 25-25 in the closing seconds.
Taconic (0-2) took its last lead of the night early in the third when Sam Sherman (nine points) hit a free throw to make it 31-30.
Wahconah pulled ahead with a 7-2 run to close out a low-scoring third quarter with Calvert providing the last five points.
But Taconic struck back, closing to within 41-39 with 5 minutes, 16 seconds left when Devan Solomon (nine points) hit a free throw after getting fouled in transition.
But Calvert scored the game's next five points -- three at the line -- to push the margin back to seven.
And after Ezekiel Percy (11 points) scored in the post to make it 46-43, Trager connected from the elbow at the other end, and Wahconah went 6-for-6 from the line in the last 1:18 to keep the visitors at arm's length.
"Too much reaching," Taconic coach Bill Heaphy said of the number of fouls his team gave up. "They're calling everything, and we can't do that. When you're not in position and you're late in rotations ...
"And they were doing a lot of drive and dribble, stuff Hoosac did. And it's something we've got to work on."
Taconic, which started its competitive season on Monday, gets a day of practice to work on some things before going to Monument Mountain on Friday.
Wahconah (11-6) goes to Drury on Thursday.