AMHERST, Mass. -- Brody Calvert scored 24 points, and the Wahconah boys basketball team played stifling defense in a 61-36 win over Renaissance on Saturday in the Pioneer Valley Tipoff Classic at the University of Massachusetts.

 

Patrick McLaughlin added 14, and Ben Noyes had eight rebounds as Wahconah started the season with a victory.

 

Calvert had five rebounds and filled out his stat line with four steals, indicative of the kind of afternoon it was for Wahconah's defense, which had its way with the Phoenix throughout the first three quarters.

 

Demari Peters and Allen Miranda scored 16 points apiece to lead Renaissance. Miranda did all his damage in the second half and mostly against the Wahconah reserves.

 

Wahconah roared out to an early lead with a 17-1 lead in the first quarter.

 

Brody Calvert scored six straight to open the run and had a steal out of Wahconah's press to set up Pat McLaughlin's and-one in the post to make it 11-3.

 

Brady Payson knocked down a 3-pointer to end the run and make it a 17-3 Wahconah lead.

 

In the second quarter, Wahconah used a 10-2 spurt to go up by 20.

 

Another Calvert steal in the press led to quick points as Luke DiCicco got to the foul line in transition and drained both his free throws to make it 23-7.

 

DiCicco ended the run with a 3-pointer to give Wahconah a 29-9 advantage.

 

Wahconah finished the half with a 9-2 spurt that ended with McLaughlin's buzzer-beater from 3 to give his team a 38-12 half-time advantage.

 

Calvert scored six in a 10-2 run to open the second half and put the game out of reach at 48-14 midway through the third quarter.

 

Wahconah got four points off the bench from Braedyn Melle in the fourth quarter as Wahconah's reserves held their own against the Phoenix, which had a 15-11 advantage in the period.

 

Wahconah (1-0) goes to Baystate Charter on Monday.