Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
Brien McMahon High School's Michael Fuller works around Staples High School's Max Sussman in a game played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Brien McMahon High School's Michael Fuller works around Staples High School's Max Sussman in a game played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
Staples High School's Ben Pearl gets the rebound in a game against Brien McMahon High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Staples High School's Ben Pearl gets the rebound in a game against Brien McMahon High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
Brien McMahon High School’s Saikwon Williams goes up to the basket in a game against Staples High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Brien McMahon High School’s Saikwon Williams goes up to the basket in a game against Staples High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
Brien McMahon High School's Xavier Rojas-McCrea brings the ball up the court in a game against Staples High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Brien McMahon High School's Xavier Rojas-McCrea brings the ball up the court in a game against Staples High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
Brien McMahon High School's Paul Louis tries to get around Staples High School's Luke Murphy in a game played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Brien McMahon High School's Paul Louis tries to get around Staples High School's Luke Murphy in a game played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
Staples High School's Evan Vishno heads to the basket in a game against Brien McMahon High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Staples High School's Evan Vishno heads to the basket in a game against Brien McMahon High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
Staples High School's Luke Murphy takes a shot in a game against Brien McMahon High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Staples High School's Luke Murphy takes a shot in a game against Brien McMahon High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
Brien McMahon High School's Justin Forde goes up to the basket in a game against Staples High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Brien McMahon High School's Justin Forde goes up to the basket in a game against Staples High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
Brien McMahon High School boys basketball in a game against Staples High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Brien McMahon High School boys basketball in a game against Staples High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
Brien McMahon High School boys basketball in a game against Staples High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Brien McMahon High School boys basketball in a game against Staples High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
Brien McMahon High School boys basketball in a game against Staples High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Brien McMahon High School boys basketball in a game against Staples High School, played at McMahon. Friday, Jan. 26, 2018
Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
Staples’ Jake Thaw picks up the loose ball in Friday’s game against Brien McMahon.
Staples’ Jake Thaw picks up the loose ball in Friday’s game against Brien McMahon.
Photo: Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media
McMahon fends off Staples
NORWALK — Saikwon Williams would not let his team fall in defeat again.
The junior big man scored 24 points and pulled down 18 rebounds to lift the Brien McMahon boys basketball team to a 55-49 FCIAC victory over Staples on Friday night at the Kehoe-King Gymnasium.
“I was tired of losing,” said Williams. “That five-game losing streak didn’t feel good to me. My teammates had to believe in me and I had to step up.”
The Senators (5-7 overall, 3-5 FCIAC) survived a late rally by the Wreckers (2-10, 1-8), who came back to tie the score at 44-44 with 3:28 remaining in the contest before McMahon went on a 7-0 run to grab a 51-44 lead and ultimately ice the game.
“It’s big,” said assistant coach Terrance Fuller, who assumed head coaching duties from Darrick Eason, who missed the game for personal reasons but should be back for the team’s next game. “We needed this win to keep our hopes alive of making states and FCIACs.”
McMahon held a 40-34 lead going into the fourth quarter but Staples chipped away at the lead, with Luke Murphy (18 points) scoring five points during a run that saw the Wreckers tie the score twice in the final frame.
“I thought we competed for 16 minutes in the second half but we dug ourselves too big a hole in the first half,” Staples head coach Colin Devine said.
The Wreckers, who drained 10 3-pointers in the game, pulled to within 51-47 with 43.4 seconds yet couldn’t get over the hump.
After trailing 14-13 after the first quarter, the Senators came alive with an 18-point second quarter, led by Williams, who poured in 9 of his 14 first-half points to give McMahon a 31-24 lead.
If it weren’t for three 3-pointers apiece from Max Sussman (16 points) and Murphy in the first half, the Wreckers would’ve been further behind.
McMahon’s Paul Louis added 12 points in the victory.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Saikwon Williams, McMahon. Netted 24 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to carry McMahon over Staples.
KEY PLAY
Williams saved the ball from going out of bounds and found Paul Louis for the layup in transition to put the Senators ahead 49-44 with 1:30 left in the contest.
QUOTABLE
“Awesome,” Fuller said of Williams’ performance. “I told him that’s what he’s supposed to do. He has the ability to dominate in the paint against any team in the FCIAC.”
“I still believe, and the kids still believe, we’re a playoff basketball team,” Devine said. “That’s our goal and we’re going to reach it.”
UP NEXT
McMahon plays at Trinity Catholic on Tuesday and Staples is at Westhill, also on Tuesday.
McMAHON 55, STAPLES 49
STAPLES (2-10, 1-8)
Luke Murphy 5 3-4 18; Ben Pearl 0 1-2 1; A.J. Konstanty 3 3-4 9; Max Sussman 5 2-2 16; Stedman van Arsdale 0 0-2 0; Jake Thaw 1 0-0 2; Evan Vishno 1 0-0 3. Totals: 15 9-14 49.
McMAHON (5-7, 3-5)
Justin Forde 2 0-0 4; Xavier Rojas-McCrea 1 2-5 4; Saikwon Williams 9 6-10 24; Paul Louis 6 0-0 12; Mikey Fuller 1 0-0 2; Kelete Sherrold 0 3-3 3; Jahmir Lee 2 1-2 6; Sharrod Blackwell 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 12-20 55.
STAPLES 14 10 10 15—49
McMAHON 13 18 9 15 —55
3-pointers: S-Murphy 5, Sussman 4, Vishno; M-Lee. Fouled out: S-Thaw.
