The final score will not quite show it, but this third round MIAA South Sectional tournament game between host Wareham and visiting Martha's Vineyard was a mighty contest between two teams that believed victory could be theirs if they fought hard enough.  The Wareham Vikings proved the stronger 4th quarter team in the final 6 minute stretch, and won going away 92-75.  It was closer than that.

The Vineyarders won the tip and ran off two straight baskets.  Wareham fought back to tie, and it was a back and forth game from there on.  Vineyarder senior guard Randall Jette scored 9 of his 23 points in the first, and was able to break down Wareham's man-to-man defense in the process.  Jette was matched by Wareham point guard Darren Gray, who split the top of the Vineyard zone for 8 of his 18 points.  Martha's Vineyard got the better of the quarter, and led at the first break 23-20.

Wareham coach Kevin Brogioli ordered a change in the defense in the 2nd quarter, opting to abandon  his man-to-man defense for a zone, and it paid immediate dividends.  No longer able to get to the basket so easily, the Martha's Vineyard players started missing their outside shots, and the Vikings moved out to a 4-point lead at 30-26, and then burst to a 37-26 bulge on strong play by Jordan Rezendes and Jules Tavares.  Martha's Vineyard countered, converting two Wareham turnovers into baskets,  and the quarter ended with Wareham leading 38-34.

The second half was more of the same.  At 4:45 in the third quarter the score was knotted at 47-47.  Vineyarder senior center Steve Handy put his team on his back and scored 13 of game-high 28 points in the quarter, and challenged Viking shooters on the defensive end.  His play was matched by Ryan Pina and Jules Tavares, with Pina dominating inside and Tavares hitting two big 3-pointers.  The gymnasium erupted several times during the period at close calls that went against both teams.  Wareham scraped out a 7-point lead at the close of the quarter, 63-56.

Wareham's strength prevailed in the 4th quarter, and Martha's Vineyard never got closer than 3 the rest of the way.  At the 3:00 mark, and with the Vikings leading 82-70, the packed house could finally anticipate a winner.  The final 3:00 was was a mix of Wareham patiently probing the Vineyarder's tiring defense for open shots and camping out at the free throw line, where Wareham completed its final 17-point win.

The Vikings will next face Bishop Feehan in the semi-finals of the MIAA South Sectional tournament on Wednesday, March 3 at 7:00 PM in Taunton.  Bishop Feehan defeated #2 seeded Medway Sunday afternoon 66-65 to advance.