SHREWSBURY — Junior guard Marty Silvera and sophomore forward Alex Momo have been the headline grabbers on Doherty's second-ranked basketball team all season — and deservedly so.

But in Thursday's night's game with Shrewsbury, however, it could be argued that freshman guard Noah Callery and junior forward John Forson took center stage.

Callery scored 14 points, drained two 3-pointers and delivered a slew of crisp passes to shooters like Silvera and senior Patson Pierre. Meanwhile, Forson funneled home eight points and provided a huge dose of energy on the defensive end and under the boards.

The duo, with Silvera and Momo chipping in their usual collection of points and rebounds, helped visiting Doherty build a 20-point lead in the second quarter en route to a 77-61 victory that propelled the Highlanders to the postseason.

Silvera finished with a game-high 19 points, despite spending much of the second half on the bench. Momo contributed 14 points and his customary bushel of boards.

"Our team's depth is just amazing — everybody on our team can play," Momo said. "You can maybe stop one person, but another guy will step up. We have unlimited energy, everyone plays hard."

"We're at the halfway point and I feel great about this team," Momo added. "But we have to keep working, there's a long way to go."

Shrewsbury got a standout game from senior forward Dan Wilhelmly, who scored 11 points, and sophomore center John West, who pumped in 10.

Though Doherty (10-2) built a 15-point lead late in the first quarter, it needed a defensively-induced second-period burst to put the game away.

The Colonials (4-6) closed to 24-19 early in the quarter thanks to a 7-0 run, keyed by West's three-point play and driving layup.

The Highlanders answered with a 13-0 blitz, expanding the lead to 37-19. Momo got things started with two free throws. Doherty then converted three straight driving layups coming on the heels of Shrewsbury turnovers.

Silvera sank two hoops and Forson one. Callery added a 3-pointer and Silvera made good on a putback. The Highlanders continued to click the rest of the quarter and led, 48-29, at the half.

"Noah hit some big shots — he's getting better and better," Doherty coach Jermaine Chavis said. "Noah continually works on his game. He also asks questions and is very into the game. That's impressive."

"And John Forson is irreplaceable," Chavis said. "He brings energy to the game and is all over the court, talking, hitting jumpers, playing defense. All the guys played well, and they kind of feed off Forson."

Sparked by a host of standouts, Doherty maintained a commanding lead in the second half, and both coaches were able to empty their benches.

"That's a just a very good Doherty basketball team," Shrewsbury coach Adrian Machado said. "They have two super players in Marty Silvera and Alex Momo, and I can't say enough about Noah Callery. I think he was the key that got them going today. I've known Noah for many years, I've coached him. He's competitive. I can't speak enough about him."

"Our guys played hard — we're always going to compete," Machado added. "But sometimes when we don't execute and we're playing a team as talented as Doherty, that's when things fall apart. That's also a credit to Doherty. They're a great team and they're well-coached."

—Contact Craig Holt at sports@telegram.com.