By Christopher Shaban
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CLAREMONT — Playoffs begin next week and the Cardinals are looking for a few days off after finishing a grueling five games in five days.
Four seniors were recognized before Friday’s start as the year has been beyond their expectations with more to come. Dylan Chambers, Austin Jones, Cooper Moote, and Reeve Wilkinson welcomed their family and friends to the court as Doug Beaupre snapped away with his camera to capture all the memories, then it was game on with the biggest crowd of the season filling Carr gym.
The Cardinals had a busy week to say the least and gave Monadnock all they could handle but tired legs found the Stevens team late in the game as the Huiskies pulled away in the final quarter in a game that was very physical and much closer and than the final score.
A very quick Monadnock team came out with big energy that started on the bench with their coach Jim Hill to grab a lead early but the Cardinals never blinked. Hunter LaRocque’s drive to the hoop gave Stevens a short lived 7-6 lead then LaRocque would tie things once again before the half at 18-18 as the Huskies limped into the half with a 22-18 gap.
With Kevin Putnam dropping in 10 second-quarter points for the visitors, a balanced Stevens attack had five different Cardinals score while Stevens head coach Ray Curren tried his best to get fresh legs on the court.
“We were right there,” Curren said. “We had a bit of foul trouble and some bad timed turnovers but we were hanging with them.”
Jones made his presents felt with two loud blocks to open the second half but picked up his third and fourth fouls by the midway point of the quarter. Trailing 25-20, Moote made a great steal with a beautiful dish to Chambers for a bucket. Connor Branon’s 3-pointer from a tough angle gave the Huskies some breathing room.
But Stevens wasn’t done yet.
Lucas Belisle powered his way inside for a hoop plus a foul and when LaRocque hit nothing but net from beyond the arc, Stevens had tied things 28-28. Devin Genes would can a free throw to give Stevens their first lead since way back in the first quarter but Carson Shanks added two hoops inside as his game in the paint was the difference for Monadnock on Friday to close out the quarter 32-28.
Monadnock would open the final quarter with a 10-0 run as the Cardinals gas tank was running empty after a very long week of basketball.
“This was a tough week,” Chambers said. “It seemed like all we did was get up, go to school, go to a game, and get some sleep then do it all over again the next day.”
By the time Kyle LaClair found the bottom of the basket, the Monadnock lead was 11 points and the Huskies were content to stall things and head home with a 52-38 win.
“I didn’t expect us to be in this position compared to how the team did the last few seasons,” Chambers said, “but here we are and it’s time for playoffs.”
Belisle and LaClair paced Stevens with nine points each, LaRocque added seven points while Chambes and Moote dropped in five points of their own.
Shanks for Monadnock led everyone with 20 points and Putnam dropped in 16 points.
“It’s a new season starting on Tuesday,” said Curren as his team will hit the road for the first round of Division III playoffs.
Stevens closes out the regular season with a 9-7 record while Monadnock finishes with a 13-4 mark.
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