The Bedford High School varsity basketball teams each have one regular-season home game to play. And based on current rankings, they also will have at least one home game in the post-season playoffs beginning the last week of February.
This week, the 14-2 girls, who earned the Dual County League small-schools championship last week, face two Commonwealth Conference opponents: at Greater Lowell Technical in Tyngsborough on Tuesday (weather permitting) and at home vs. Lowell Catholic High School on Wednesday. Both contests begin at 5:30 p.m. and Wednesday will be Senior Night.
The 13-3 boys entertain Concord-Carlisle at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The Bucs are undefeated this season in the BHS gymnasium. But just barely. They defeated Boston Latin at home on Friday, 48-44, but “survived” would be a more accurate verb.
Thanks to a 9-0 run at the end of the second quarter, the Bucs went into the locker room with a 24-19 lead. But rather than put the game away, Bedford was on the short end of an 11-2 run to begin the second half. They fought back to tie the score at 34 with eight minutes to go.
No team led by more than two points throughout the fourth quarter until Bedford senior Justin Liberman drained a long three-point shot from straightaway to give Bedford a 45-42 edge with 40 seconds to go. That turned out to be the winning point.
Latin scored off an offensive rebound and Justice Buchannan made one of two free throws, so the Wolfpack were down just two with seven seconds remaining. Then their freshman star, Will White, was called for steps as he drove the lane for the tying basket. Buchannan’s jam as time expired accounted for the final four-point margin.
It was not a good shooting night for Bedford with the exception of power forward Camdyn Shoesmith, who totaled 23 points on 9-for-12 from the field and five-for-six from the line. He also had 10 rebounds and three steals.
Defensively, the Bucs were at the top of their game holding the Wolfpack to just 34 shot attempts. Boston Latin turned the ball over 21 times. This was the eighth game out of 16 that the opposition has failed to score 50 points.
The girls had a much easier night, traveling to Boston Latin and returning with a 59-29 triumph. Mackenzie Tierney (15 points), Bridget Sheahan (14), and Ashley Cohen (12) led the balanced attack, and the defense was solid throughout. Bedford secured the Dual County League small-schools championship with the win.
On Sunday, the girls’ team will open the Varsity Spartan Classic co-ed tournament at St. Mary’s High School in Lynn against Fontbonne Academy of Milton at 10:15 a.m. The girls will play one more tournament game on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
The boys will conclude their regular-season schedule as one of eight teams in the co-ed Larry McIntire IAABO Board 130 Classic at Marblehead High School. The tournament is named for a former Big East referee and longtime assigner for several high school leagues.
The Bucs will face Gloucester High School at 4:15 p.m. on Sunday. The other two boys’ teams are Bishop Fenwick and Marblehead. The consolation (2:30 p.m.) and championship games (6 p.m.) will take place on Monday in Marblehead.
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