The Bromfield boys basketball team improved its overall record to 4–3, beating league rival West Boylston 51–46 in a dramatic league contest on Tuesday, Jan. 6.
The Trojans started off strong in the first quarter, jumping out to a 7–2 lead on drives from freshman Ray Dunn and senior Hugo Al-Homsi. Dunn proved to be a thorn in West Boylston’s side the entire game, using his lethal combination of size, agility, and speed to drive hard to the basket.
The boys in blue used the energy of the home crowd to build momentum throughout the first half. West Boylston struggled early to set its offense. Fast-break chances were squandered as Lions guards repeatedly turned the ball over by passing out of bounds or incurring multiple traveling calls on consecutive possessions. The Trojans were able to net a few points in transition off turnovers and by breaking West Boylston’s tough man-to-man full-court press. The Trojans held a four-point advantage going into the second quarter.
During the second period the Lions cut into the Trojans’ lead. Keyed by three-point shooting from dangerous guards, notably Rob Lombardi and Ryan McKernan, the Lions cut the deficit to three points.
The Trojans struggled to mount an offensive attack early in the third quarter, but eventually exploded using key offensive rebounding and energy to build a 10-point advantage going into the final period. The fourth quarter saw West Boylston’s largest run of the game, all but erasing the Trojan lead with just two minutes to go. Not to be outdone, Bromfield took over the game in the final minutes, when senior co-captain al-Homsi nailed a jumper with less than a minute remaining, to give the Trojans a lead they never relinquished.
Trojans do it again
On Jan. 9 Bromfield traveled to Tahanto to play another league opponent. Despite Tahanto’s weak record, the Stags jumped out to a quick 11–4 lead in the first quarter on hustle rebounding and stingy defense. Al-Homsi was the one bright spot early on for the Trojans, scoring 10 points in the first period to keep Bromfield close.
As the game wore on however, Bromfield gradually began to take control. The inside presence of senior center Caleb Frost created havoc for the Stags’ constantly changing defenses. Frost’s size and rebounding ability resulted in numerous second-chance opportunities. Frost finished with 17 points, thanks to a perfect percentage from the field.
The second half saw the momentum swing in Bromfield’s favor as Dunn, Frost, and Al-Homsi took over the game. Dunn added 15 points at small forward and Al-Homsi finished with 12 on the way to a 60–41 victory.
