The Bromfield boys basketball team coasted to victory on a wave of offense and tenacious defense that resulted in a blowout home win against Tahanto.
The game was uniquely important for both teams because it was being covered as the “Friday night game” by local WCTR-TV3 news channel. The Trojans were also determined to improve upon their previous performance against the Stags at Tahanto, in which they trailed at halftime and had to fight back to win the game.
Bromfield was able to respond to the call for improvement. The first half was dominated by the stellar point-guard play of Hugo al-Homsi, who scored five of the Trojans’ first seven points early in the first quarter. Al-Homsi went on to finish with 16 points in the first half, powering the Trojans to a 20-point half-time lead. Sophomore Dan Ockene got his first varsity start in the small forward spot and gained valuable game experience that could prove helpful down the stretch as Bromfield moves toward the playoffs.
Tahanto failed to mount any serious offense, and their shooting ability was severely inhibited by the Trojans’ 2-3 match-up zone. Most of Tahanto’s points came from tough angles and second-chance rebounds. Bromfield controlled the game in terms of rebounds, with centers Caleb Frost and Connor Kempton each totaling more than 10 boards apiece. Frost came in big off the bench, immediately attacking the basket and using his size and aggressiveness to his advantage.
The win was an especially important one for Bromfield, which had just come off a disappointing loss to Oakmont, ranked 10th in Central Mass.
“We had an excellent comeback game this week against Tahanto,” said Coach Charlie Noonan. “After playing under our abilities against Oakmont and losing, it was good to see everyone playing well, and the team is coming together on defense.”
The second half was dominated by the Trojans, this time with strong play from senior captain Ben Brown. Brown repeatedly used his size and agility to penetrate into the zone defense of Tahanto, either scoring amid a crowd of defenders or getting to the free-throw line. Brown’s play also earned him time in the Channel 3 spotlight after the game, a position he is accustomed to as a result of being a senior captain on the Bromfield state championship soccer team. Senior Brian Morgan was also crucial to the Trojans’ success, forcing turnovers and wild shots by way of his speed and dexterity. Morgan finished with seven points, including an important three-pointer in the first half.
When all was said and done, it was the Trojans that prevailed, widening their first-half lead to win the game by 30 points.
“This was an important league game, against a team that we did not play well against at Tahanto,” said Noonan. “It was a fun game to watch, and I was pleased to see the rebounding skills of Caleb and the strong shooting of Hugo. We are learning the importance of playing as a team.”
