Hurricanes Hold Off Bay State in Class D

CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Hoosac Valley boys basketball team survived a tougher-than-expected test Wednesday night, holding off Bay State Academy for a 65-59 win in the first round of the Western Mass. Class D Tournament.

 

Senior standouts Adan Wicks and Qwanell Bradley powered the top-seeded Hurricanes, offensively. Wicks poured in a game-high 28 points, while Bradley added 24 as the duo accounted for all but 13 of Hoosac’s points.

 

Wicks set the tone early, scoring Hoosac’s first 11 points of the game, including three shots from beyond the arc. The opening quarter featured a fast pace, with Bay State Academy looking to push the ball after nearly every defensive rebound. The visitors edged ahead 16-13 after one.

 

In the second quarter, Bradley began to assert himself inside. He scored six straight points on strong drives to the rim, giving Hoosac a 19-18 lead. With Wicks continuing his hot shooting, the Hurricanes built momentum and carried a 32-27 advantage into halftime.

 

“When Adan gets hot like he did, it gives us a good jumpstart and energy right off the bat,” Hoosac Valley coach Matt Larabee said. “When you see him come out and do that, you know it’s going to be a good night.”

 

The game remained tight throughout the second half, rarely stretching beyond a few possessions. Midway through the third quarter, Larabee made a key adjustment by switching to a zone defense to slow Bay State’s speed in transition. The change disrupted the visitors’ rhythm and created turnovers that allowed Hoosac to get out and run.

 

“Their speed was killing us, so I figured I’d try some zone and hope they didn’t kill us with 3s, which they didn’t, so I was happy with that,” Larabee said.

 

Hoosac carried a four-point lead into the fourth quarter, but Bay State stayed within striking distance. With four minutes remaining, Wicks knocked down a corner jumper to push the lead to five. Moments later, Carson Durant delivered a pivotal 3-pointer that stretched the margin to six with under a minute to play.

 

From there, the Hurricanes calmly converted at the free throw line to seal the 65-59 victory and advance to the semifinals, where they will host No. 5 Hopkins Academy, a 50-48 winner over Duggan on Wednesday night.