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# Hollis Brookline boys basketball avoids upset, rallies for OT win over Laconia (video)
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/hollis-brookline-boys-basketball-avoids-upset-rallies-for-ot-win-over-laconia-video/
- Published: 2020-03-11T14:17:22.000Z
- Updated: 2020-03-11T14:17:22.000Z
- Description: HOLLIS - The Hollis Brookline High School boys basketball team hadn't attempted many 3-pointers during Tuesday's Division II preliminary-round game against Laconia. But with the Cavaliers down three points, and under 20 seconds to play, senior Maxwell Stapelfeld knew his team needed one. With the S
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division II, boys basketball, Hollis Brookline, Laconia, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

HOLLIS - The Hollis Brookline High School boys basketball team hadn't attempted many 3-pointers during Tuesday's Division II preliminary-round game against Laconia.

But with the Cavaliers down three points, and under 20 seconds to play, senior Maxwell Stapelfeld knew his team needed one.

With the Sachems sitting back in a zone defense, when Stapelfeld got the ball on the wing near his team's bench, he saw an opportunity, and with hesitation, drained a 3 to tie the game and force overtime.

Fourth-seeded HB controlled the extra session, outscoring No. 13 Laconia 10-4, to complete the comeback from a double-digit deficit to win 61-55\. The win puts the Cavs in the quarterfinals, where they will host No. 5 Hanover at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Stapelfeld scored all but two of his 19 points after halftime and Grant Snyder finished with 30 points for HB (16-3), which has won 14 games in a row.

"I think it will be great for us, knowing how to play when we’re losing," Stapelfeld said. "We know we can get back into games like this now. We know how to turn it up in the end."

The Cavs struggled for the first three-and-a-half quarters against the Sachems' defense, as they had a tough time penetrating the zone, and when they did, Laconia's DeMarco McKissic was there to alter or block a lot of attempts.

"(McKissic) is a really good player in there and he made the difference for them on the defensive end of the floor," HB coach Cole Etten said. "On offense, he has great hands and he’s great around the rim. (Ryan Chandler) is a really good player as well. I thought both of them played a good game (Tuesday)."

McKissic finished with 22 points before fouling out with 2:48 remaining in overtime, while Chandler was also in double figures with 12 points.

Laconia (8-11) was able to stay a step ahead of HB in the first half and the Sachems were in control to start the second, going up 35-25 with 2:43 left in the third quarter. But from there, the adjustments the Cavs made at halftime started to work.

"We worked on trying to make the extra pass at all times," Stapelfeld said. "We changed our offensive spacing a little bit at halftime. We just looked for making the extra pass and having longer possessions, trying to move the ball around more, get more ball reversals. Just more teamwork."

HB ended the third quarter on an 8-1 run, cutting Laconia's lead to 36-33 on a 3-pointer by Stapelfeld - the Cavs' only other 3 of the game - with 26 seconds remaining in the frame. HB continued the run into the fourth quarter, and outscored Laconia 14-3 overall, taking its first lead of the game, 39-38, on a pair of free throws by Snyder.

"We had to play some hard defense and optimize our possessions on offense," Snyder said of the turnaround. "I think that was a big part. We were kind of rushing a little bit and we had to play our style of the game."

The final five minutes of regulation saw eight lead changes and two ties, as the teams went back and forth. HB went up 48-46 on a free throw by Robert Haytayan with 44.8 seconds left, but his second attempt was off the mark and Chandler scored at the other end to tie the game.

The Laconia senior was fouled on the play, and although he couldn't finish the three-point play, the Sachems got the rebound and the ball ended up in the hands of Logan Paronto, who hit a 3 to give Laconia a 51-48 lead.

The Cavs got down the court quickly and tied it back up on Stapelfeld's 3-pointer.

"I knew we needed three points," he said. "I got the ball and saw they were sagging off me. I saw I was open and shot it."

Snyder had no doubt Stapelfeld was going to make it.

"I had all faith he was going to make it," he said. "He’s a good shooter."

Laconia had a chance to retake the lead, but turned the ball over with 2.5 seconds left, and Snyder's last-second heave was off the mark.

The Sachems went up 53-52 early in overtime, but McKissic was called for his fifth foul, and although Stapelfeld missed the ensuing free throws, Snyder grabbed the rebound and was fouled. He made both, and on HB's next trip down the floor, Stapelfeld went right to the basket for a layup and a 56-53 lead.

HB made enough free throws the rest of the way to keep it a two-possession game and held on to advance.

"The important thing is, I think the guys stuck together," Etten said. "They were down big and stuck together and battled back."