In which Arlington's height challenged group runs into a Greater Boston League foe who has it. Interesting that Arlington had beaten this team at home a few weeks earlier. Hoping I'm not a bad luck charm. It's their first loss.
SOMERVILLE GETS PAYBACK OVER ARLINGTON 71-55
SOMERVILLE, MA. January 18,2017
After a blazing first quarter the Arlington boys basketball team went cold as the night’s icy rain in the second half dropping a 71-55 non-league decision at Somerville Tuesday night to a Highlander team they had beaten a few weeks earlier in Arlington.
The Spy Ponders came out smoking pouring in 24 first quarter points on 71 percent shooting to lead by 5 at the end of one and still held a 34 -32 lead at the half despite cooling off considerably in the 2nd quarter.
Mixing driving layups down the lane with outside jumpers Arlington’s smooth backcourt duo of senior guard Colin McNamara and junior Dominic Black kept the Highlander defense on their heels. They combined for 21 points by halftime.
The wheels came off in the 2nd half as Arlington shot just 30 percent from the floor with all the misses playing right into the hands of the much taller Highlanders particularly 6’5” senior Craig Thomson and 6’3” senior Joseph Shaquille who, between them, seemed to claim every Spy Ponder miss to start their fast break.
Arlington coach John Bowler said, “Somerville played hard and we didn’t sustain our usual energy. I think that was the difference in the game. We didn’t make our shots and that’s a tribute to them. They contested every shot. They played very well.”
Despite the Spy Ponders cold second half it was still a game at 52-46 Somerville with 6 minutes left. From here, though, the Highlanders went on a 9-0 run to lead by 15 with only 3:30 left. A 3 from McNamara cut the lead to 10, but that’s as close as Arlington would come.
Thomson (22), and several blocked shots and Shaquille (18) led Somerville while McNamara (18), Black (17) and sophomore forward James Gascoigne (12) paced the Spy Ponders.
The loss ended Arlington’s 8 game unbeaten string, but they remain undefeated in the Middlesex Liberty Division. They visit Winchester in a league contest tomorrow night at 7.