AMHERST — With under 10 seconds left to play, the Mahar boys basketball team had a two-point lead and victory within its grasp in the Pioneer Valley Tip-Off, at UMass’ Curry Hicks Cage on Saturday morning.
Pioneer Valley Regional moved the ball quickly to get a look at a shot and the ball founds its way to Ryan Potter, who got a good look from the corner for the Panthers.
Mahar’s final defensive rotation of the game was a split second late, and the 3-point shot was good with 1.3 seconds left, sending the Senators back to Orange with a 50-49 loss to open the season.
“Our rotation was good,” Mahar coach Chad Softic said. “But we just got lazy on the last one. We managed a good close out but that kid (Potter) made a great shot.”
To be in position to grab a win was a victory within itself for Mahar (0-1).
Deven Patch, the team’s leading scorer from last season, went down in the second quarter after rolling his right ankle.
Medical personal tended to the ankle and Patch did not return to the game. He is considered day-to-day with Mahar’s next game coming on Tuesday.
Secondly the Senators were abysmal from the free-throw line, going 20-for-45 as a team.
Lastly, the Senators shooting was off as they went 11-for-40 from the field.
But the defense was good for Mahar, utilizing the 2-3 zone and making things difficult for the Panthers, especially near the rim.
With more touches in Patch’s absence, Ely Gonzalez took full advantage with 17 points and 18 rebounds for Mahar.
Charlie Barnes also played well for the Senators, using his speed and strength to get to the rim. He scored 15 points with five rebounds.
Barnes made two free throws in the fourth quarter to give the Senators a 40-39 lead followed by a strong take by Noaha Chabot to make it 42-39.
Gonzalez’s strong post move put Mahar ahead 45-41 before Pioneer began to cut into the lead heading into the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
Patch had five points before his injury.
Mahar hosts Quaboag Regional on Tuesday.
Pioneer Regional’s Jared Hubbard got loose from outside and burned the Senators with 18 points and three steals with four 3-pointers.
