MANCHESTER, N.H. – Derryfield came close to a victory, but ultimately fell short, losing 51-44 to Epping in boys’ basketball action on Tuesday night.
Epping junior Hunter Bullock singlehandedly outscored and outrebounded the Cougars in the first quarter, giving the visitors an early 17-8 lead.
That lead shrunk to five by halftime and the two teams traded leads throughout the third quarter until the Blue Devils finally pulled away in the final two minutes thanks to a pair of critical free throws from Bullock.
He had a shot of those free throws almost immediately after getting a rebound off another free throw he missed, despite the presence of four Derryfield players in the paint.
“The whole game counts, but you can’t give up a 4-on-0 rebound,” said Derryfield Head Coach Rob Bradley. “That can’t happen.”
Bullock led all scorers with 22 points, grabbing the double-double with 11 rebounds while also adding three steals and four assists.
Senior Max Karpowicz led Derryfield with 18 points along with 9 rebounds and a block.
Karpowicz went 9-for-11 from the field, a stark contrast to Derryfield’s 4-for-16 performance from downtown during the contest.
“I think we tried to use (Karpowicz) as much as we can,” said Bradley. “At one point they were doubling him a bit, but it’s hard. Usually it’s the outside game first and then the inside game comes late. Tonight, the inside game came early, and the outside guys never really hit from the outside like they can. I think that was the difference in the game.”
Epping Head Coach Nicholas Fiset hoped his squad could have equaled their first quarter effort throughout the entire night, but ultimately was glad to get the win.
“They’re a very good team, they’re a tough team and they’re well coached,” said Fiset. “And this is a tough place to play, we’re never disappointed when we win here, but we still have some stuff to work on.”
Derryfield is now 5-4, heading into a difficult stretch against Sunapee and Pittsfield this week. Epping climbs to 7-1, facing Hinsdale at home on Friday.
Disclosure: The author of this article holds a financial connection with individuals associated with the Derryfield boys’ basketball program in matters unrelated to basketball.
