Scott Burrows goes up for a free throw in early action against Bartlett

Photo Credit: Steve Balestrieri

The Woolies set up the defense

Photo Credit: Steve Balestrieri

After an 8-0 Millbury run, Bartlett coach Tony Paranto lit into his players, and they would respond

Photo Credit: Steve Balestrieri

Luke Bernard deflects a pass away, he would be hot from the 3-point range in the game hitting 5.

Photo Credit: Steve Balestrieri

MILLBURY, Mass. - The Millbury Boys Basketball team lost a tough game against Barlett High School 74-69 Friday night in Webster. It was a back and forth affair all evening as both teams went on runs to seemingly take charge of the game only to falter and see the opposition do the same.

The Woolies started off very slowly with Bartlett jumping off to a huge lead in the opening quarter. With the score 15 -10 the Indians hit back to back three point plays by Matt Huberdault and Nick Kobel in the last minute to take a 21-10 lead after the first quarter. Things were looking bad for Millbury, but then the Woolies went on a 8-0 run to narrow the lead to 21-18, highlighted by back to back layups by Nicholas Guaragno.

Millbury was hit with quite a few turnovers as they attempted some very long passes. Bartlett called timeout and coach Tony Paranto lit into his players. It had the desired effect as then Bartlett went on an 8-0 run to run the lead back to 11 at 29-18. Millbury began chipping away, with some nice play down low by Bobby Boire the Woolies had come back at halftime and trailed only by three at 33-30.

The game would see-saw through the beginning of the third quarter with Millbury's Brian Balkus hitting on two 3-point attempts and then Dakota Miller hit a shot to tie the score at 42. Again Bartlett answered, running off eight of the next ten points to go up 50-44 before Tristan Cano again brought the Woolies within four at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter would see each team go on runs and the momentum would go back and forth, with Bartlett running the lead up to 10 at 69-59 with less than two minutes left but then Millbury once again made a 7-0 run to narrow it to 69-66 but would get no closer.

The Indians closed it out finally at 74-59, both teams were hot on hitting three point shots all night, Millbury's Lukas Bernard (on five 3-pt shots) and Bartlett's Nick Kobel led all scorers with 15 points each. Brian Balkus with 12 and Scott Burrows with 11 points each  helped lead the Woolies scoring.

Although the team again dropped a tough, heartbreaker there is no quit in the Woolies as they fought back from adversity time and again.