McCoy, Scott Continue Red Hot Tournament Run as Mansfield Lands First Sectional Title Since 2013

By: Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

Taunton, Mass. -- On the game’s first possession, Damani Scott picked off a cross-court pass and fed Johnny McCoy for a three-point play. Mansfield’s sectional final party ensued.

McCoy scored 23 points to go with 10 rebounds while Scott finished with 21 points and seven rebounds as top-seeded Mansfield defeated No. 3 Brockton, 79-65, to claim the Division 1 South Sectional title on Friday night at Taunton High School.

The sectional championship is Mansfield’s first since 2013 when they reached the state final. They will take on the winner of the Division 1 North Final between Lawrence and Everett on Monday night at the TD Garden.

“We’re excited to be able to close the loop on the South and get our names back on top,” said Mansfield coach Mike Vaughan. “It’s been awhile, so we’re excited to be back here and now we have more work to do starting tomorrow morning.”

The Hornets (24-2) ran through the South sectional winning all four of their games by double figures and scoring at least 70 points in each contest.

Mansfield held a slim 19-15 lead after one, but broke the contest open to begin the second quarter.

Justin Vine came off the bench and scored five points as part of a 17-2 Hornets run that put them in front, 36-19.

Scott capped off the spurt with six straight points.

In the Boxers’ Sectional Semi-Final win over Needham, they dominated the glass outrebounding the Rockets by a stunning 47-21 margin.

Despite holding a similar size advantage over the Hornets, Brockton did not find nearly as much success on the glass.

The Hornets held a 20-10 rebounding advantage at the half.

“They’re athletic so over the last couple of days in practice we’ve just emphasized getting rebounds and boxing out,” said McCoy.

Mansfield held a 41-26 lead to begin the second half and immediately ended hopes of a Brockton comeback.

Ryan Otto cut back door and finished through contact for a conventional three-point play and moments later Tyler Boulter splashed a three-pointer to give Mansfield a 51-31 lead.

The Boxers turned to their diamond pressure to try and get back in the game. Brockton pulled to within 16 as Taisaun Glenn-Doherty tipped in a put back, and Marcus Azor sunk two at the charity stripe.

Mansfield, however, closed the third quarter strong as Otto splashed a transition three-pointer and Scott went coast-to-coast for two to up the Hornets lead back to 17, 62-45.

McCoy and Scott put the exclamation point on early in the fourth quarter. Scott splashed two wing three-pointers and McCoy, the Hockomock League's Most Valuable Player, drove baseline for a pair of hoops.

Scott put on the finishing touches with a break away, two handed slam.

 “We had three goals at the beginning of the season – to win the Hockomock, to win the South, and to win the state tournament,” said McCoy.  “We’ve done two of those three.”