Missed Shots Result in Eagle Defeat to King Philip

For a squad as reliant on perimeter shooting as the Sharon High boys basketball team, a subpar shooting performance coupled with other opportunities gone by the wayside is generally a recipe for defeat.

That maroon-and-gold mixture took hold at Eagle Gymnasium on Tuesday night, as an Eagles squad tired from many games in a short timespan shot just 29% from the floor. Despite a more consistent effort defensively, Sharon suffered just their second loss of the season, 65-56, at the hands of King Philip.

“We did not shoot the ball very well at all, which has always been our strong point,” said Head Coach Bruce Jackman. “I think King Philip did a nice job with us, but we had great looks. Overall defensively, we did a pretty decent job against them. If we’re not shooting the ball well, we’re not going to win a lot games playing like that.”

Sophomore Matthew Lowerre said, “I think the effort was there tonight. We just didn't make enough plays and sink enough shots. A lot of that had to do with playing five games in the last ten days. At times, I think we were stagnant on offense and didn't stick with the plays, and that threw off our rhythm offensively.”

After a sluggish first quarter ended with King Philip leading 10-6, the Warriors commanded the second period to take a 33-17 lead at halftime. Jackman says that the Eagles’ falling behind so heavily was largely due to their inability to finish at the rim.

“We were shooting ourselves in the foot. We missed a bunch of open layups in the first half. That had nothing to do with KP – we had open breakaways, and we just missed them. We didn’t handle the ball very cleanly. We didn’t get him [Fritzson] in a position where he had good looks, and when he did, he wasn’t hitting his shot.”

With the visitors threatening to pull away in the third quarter, Sharon responded, as has been their recent norm, with spirited third-quarter play. Held without a field goal in the first half, Fritzson rebounded in the third by scoring ten points. At the end of three, the Eagles had trimmed King Philip’s advantage to six points.

Jackman was pleased with how Sharon dealt with the Warriors, a significantly taller bunch, when the visitors possessed the ball. “I just thought we played better defensively as a team than we have been, especially in the second half. Our traps were working pretty well for us; we got [ourselves] back in the game,” Jackman said.

King Philip stretched their lead in the fourth quarter to as many as 13, but Sharon remained within striking distance, refusing to fade quietly. Lowerre drained a three to put Sharon ten points down with 2:04 remaining, and Mello-Klein banked home a trey from the right wing with :32.2 left, pulling the Eagles within six at 60-54.

However, the flurry proved to be too little, too late for Sharon. Warriors junior Jorge Casado sunk both halves of a one-and-one, salting the game away. Senior captain Jimmy Layman led his squad with 20 points in the victorious effort.

Lowerre said, “We came in to this game ready for a big, physical KP team, and I think we played them fairly well from a defensive standpoint. Allowing 65 points isn't ideal, but we know we can win games giving up 65.”

Fritzson led all scorers with 25 points, 20 of which came in the second half as Sharon attempted to mount a comeback, on 7-19 shooting. The guard says that for the Eagles (8-2, 5-2 Hockomock), the loss to Kelly-Rex foe King Philip (4-4, 2-4) reflected the necessity of playing well in each Hockomock game.

“It was a real tough loss. It was really a wake-up call for us, that we have to come prepared to play every game, no matter how drained we are physically,” Fritzson said.

Fritzson says that the recent stretch of six games, five of which have been against Hockomock foes, in the past 12 days, has taxed players heavily.

“It definitely has taken a toll on my body, and I know it has on everyone else. We just have to keep our heads up and play hard all 32 minutes no matter how we feel - the pain is temporary. If we come out as a team and play together, we will be good,” Fritzson said.

Jackman is giving his squad Wednesday off from basketball activities to recover. Sharon, the top team in the Davenport, will return to practice on Thursday to gear up for a matchup the following night with Milford, currently the second-place team in the division, at Eagle Gymnasium.

King Philip’s next game is also against the Scarlet Hawks, on Thursday in Wrentham.

Jackman said, “I just think we’re tired. Thank god we’ve got tomorrow off, so I think we can recharge our batteries. I think we need to take some time off and work on some things offensively. We’ll be fine.”

Senior guard Ade Bright, who was Sharon’s second-leading scorer on Tuesday with nine points, says that the Eagles are on the right track halfway through the regular season.

“We played great defense as a team [vs. King Philip], but there were a few errors that led to easy lay ups,” Bright said. “We just need to communicate better with the big men and finish on the offensive end."