The Vikings might not have won a game last week, but they’re one step closer to the playoffs after playing two fierce games with postseason-like intensity.
Mascenic hosted both Stevens and Kearsarge last week, two of Division III’s top teams, and got a taste of what will need to be done to make a run to SNHU in March.
Stevens brought a bunch of big-bodied, athletic Cardinals – and a speed demon of a point guard in Noah Spaulding – to Mascenic on Wednesday night. The Vikings kept it tight, but Stevens socked it to Mascenic in the paint in the fourth quarter, making it tough to get to the rim, as the Cardinals outscored the home team 15-9 in that period and took a lead they wouldn’t surrender. Stevens won it 71-63, despite great games from Mascenic’s senior captains Brett Stauffeneker (18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block) and Daimon Gibson (19 points, 3 rebounds).
On Friday, Mascenic hosted last year’s runner-up, Kearsarge, the team that knocked Conant out in the semifinals. The Cougars boast 6’8” center Tayler Mattos, who’d just dropped a 49-point, 21-rebound, 10-block triple-double on Campbell, as well as stellar junior guard Tom Johnson, and both were on full display Friday night. Mattos had 32 and 19, and Johnson had 21, but the Vikings were only down three with seconds left in the fourth and the ball out of bounds. Drew Rines inbounded the ball past Mattos, using his strong catcher’s arm to throw a baseball pass to Stauffeneker, who turned and fired a buzzerbeater three to tie the game and send it to overtime.
WATCH BRETT STAUFFENEKER’S BUZZERBEATER: https://www.instagram.com/p/BO8mDRPFp7r/
But, with Gibson fouled out stopping the clock at the end of regulation, Mascenic couldn’t outscore Kearsarge in the extra period and the Cougars won 77-72.
Stauffeneker had 26 points with 8 rebounds and 2 blocks; Gibson had 15 points and freshman guard Sam Stauffeneker had 18.
Mascenic (3-3) has lost three straight going into Tuesday night’s 6 p.m. game at Wilton-Lyndeborough (1-4).