Hollis/Brookline holds off Nashua North

NASHUA - The Hollis/Brookline High School boys basketball team played well for three-plus quarters against Nashua North Wednesday, just like it did Tuesday in its first-round game of the Chick-fil-A Holiday Tournament at North.

But instead of spreading that good play over the first three quarters, the Cavaliers did so over the last three, including down the stretch as H/B held on to defeat the Titans 52-47.

The Cavs held a nine-point lead going into the fourth quarter, but saw that advantage shrink to just one over the first three minutes of the fourth. Although North was in striking distance until the final seconds, H/B never let the lead get lower than three over the final 4:12 of the game.

"Sometimes we’re a better team playing from behind," H/B coach Mike Soucy said. "Even starting the fourth quarter, we’re up by nine heading into it, and we give eight straight points. So even though we’re still leading in the game, we’re playing from behind because we’re playing catchup to build that lead back up."

Brian Liamos led H/B in scoring for the second straight game, dropping in 19 points, of which 15 came in the second half. Miles Tobin added 15 points while Connor Walsh had nine, including 7-for-8 from the free throw line.

Javon Williams led North with 13 points while  Anthony Farmer and Ryan Gauthier had 10 points apiece.

The Titans controlled the game early, jumping out to a 14-4 lead in the first quarter thanks to a couple of H/B turnovers and some strong inside play.

But the Cavs came back before halftime. Down 16-6 early in the quarter, H/B went on an 11-4 run to pull within three points and the Cavs trailed 24-21 at the break.

"I was a little nervous during the first quarter," Soucy said. "We really came out sluggish and kind of confused. It was nice to see the boys settle down and start playing the way their capable of playing. We played three solid quarters and thankfully it was the last three quarters."

After North scored the first four points of the third quarter to take a 28-21 lead, H/B closed the quarter with an 18-2 run to go up 39-30 heading into the final eight minutes. But this time it was the Titans' turn to rally, as North got within in one, 39-38, on a putback by Mike O'Connor.

A free throw from Matt Haight and a putback by Liamos put H/B back up four and the Cavs found a way to hold on down the stretch. A 3-pointer by Gauthier made it 50-47 with 10 seconds left, but Walsh hit two free throws to put the game away.

H/B will take on Alvirne, which defeated Campbell on Wednesday, at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday in the tournament's fifth-place game. North will face Campbell at 3 p.m. for seventh place.