South Hadley boys’ basketball improved to 2-1 on the season with an impressive showing over Chicopee on Wednesday.
Coming off a 29-point performance against West Springfield, South Hadley senior Tim Loughrey entered the matchup looking to keep the momentum rolling, and he did just that. Loughrey once again posted 29 points, making a crucial impact on both sides of the court for a 67-47 result.
“Tim has played great. He can handle it. He’s a big guy, he’s tough around the rim, he can finish with both hands,” South Hadley coach Chris Gerber said. “That’s what happens when you work hard and lifts weights in the off-season. You’re ready.”
After an early 2-2 start, a shot from beyond the arc from Griff Soderbaum leaned the scoreboard towards South Hadley in the first minutes. With a quick defensive stop and layup from Loughrey, the Tigers were up by seven before the first timeout.
Isiah James added to the offensive surge, building on the team’s early success, while Loughrey and Noah Hambley continued to apply pressure in the paint. Strong defensive play from South Hadley, including multiple blocks, gave the team a nine-point lead after just the first frame.
It was a slow start to the second quarter for the Pacers, who saw only one point in the first two and a half minutes. A travel committed by South Hadley with 4:48 on the clock gave an opportunity for a momentum change, yet a missed three and a jump ball in the Tigers’ favor kept the game moving with South Hadley firmly in control.
The Pacers regrouped following a timeout, led by senior guard Dominic Garcia who finished with a game-high 23 points to keep Chicopee within striking distance
Garcia kept the trend going and opened scoring in the second half. The teams traded baskets throughout the quarter, maintaining even scoring efforts on both sides. Still, South Hadley maintained a steady lead, outscoring the Tigers by a point in the third to rest the scoreboard at 51-35 with eight minutes left of gameplay.
A technical foul given to the Chicopee bench gave Hambley two shots from the line before the fourth quarter even began. With an additional foul drawn soon after, the Pacers began the last frame with two fouls in just twelve seconds. This set an early tone for the Tigers to pull away even more, extending their lead to twenty by the final buzzer.
“We really defended well. We stayed in front of the ball and did a good job rebounding,” said Gerber.
South Hadley will host Northampton on Friday, December 19th at 7 p.m. for their next matchup, meanwhile Chicopee travels to West Springfield on Monday, December 22nd for a 7 p.m. game.
