ORANGE — It wasn’t always pretty, but the Mahar boys basketball team beat Quaboag Regional, 43-34, in its home opener on Tuesday night.
The Senators (1-1), playing without Deven Patch, got the necessary offense when needed to quell any momentum gathered by the Cougars throughout the game.
“We were struggling to get easy baskets,” Mahar coach Chad Softic said. “Hopefully we will get him (Patch) back for Friday.”
Charlie Barnes stepped up with 15 points. Barnes did it in the open court, on the glass and in half-court sets.
Barnes nailed a corner 3-pointer in the third quarter to shut down some Cougar momentum and make it 36-27.
“Right now he is our only player with any experience,” Softic said. “We are going to need him to do that but I don’t think he was perfect.”
A Jaden Softic jumper gave the Senators a 30-19 lead before Quaboag went on a run to close the gap.
Closing the game out wasn’t easy for Mahar as some missed free throws kept the Cougars somewhat close.
Mahar center Ely Gonzalez did not play in the first quarter for the Senators.
“Coach’s decision,” Chad Softic said.
Gonzalez was coming off a double-double in Mahar’s first game. Quaboag had a hard time guarding the center when he was in the game.
Gonzalez finished with seven points and nine rebounds.
Noaha Chabot (seven points) had an active game for Mahar, playing the point at times.
Jakob Carron played well with seven points and nine rebounds. Mahar’s defense played efficiently, outside of some lapses at the 3-point line as the Cougars made seven from distance.
Quaboag’s Hayden Perry had nine points on three 3-pointers.
Pioneer 50, Mahar 49 — With under 10 seconds left to play Saturday, Mahar had a two-point lead and victory within its grasp in the Pioneer Valley Tip-Off, at UMass’ Curry Hicks Cage.
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,” 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).
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.
The Senators were abysmal from the free-throw line, going 20-for-45, and they shot 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, Gonzalez took full advantage with 17 points and 18 rebounds for Mahar.
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 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
Pioneer Regional’s Jared Hubbard got loose from outside and burned the Senators with 18 points and three steals with four 3-pointer.
Mahar 62, Four Rivers 11 — Gavin Sullivan’s 11 points led the Senators’ boys basketball team in the win.
Lucas Isrow added 10 points while Connor Sluder chipped in with eight.
