Carter Scores 45 Points, but Boys Basketball Falls to Shepherd Hill 65-63 in Championship
By Dominic Cava ’22
The East Longmeadow boys varsity basketball team lost a tough game against the Shepherd Hill High school in round one of the Boys Division III state playoffs on March 5th, 2022 by a score of 65-63. The star player for East Longmeadow and the reason they were able to stay in the game throughout was Guard Ray Carter’s dazzling performance of 45 points.
Carter’s shooting was exceptional throughout the game, and he didn’t seem faced one bit by the large Shepherd Hill student section. He spoke about how he was able to faze out the large student section heckling him, and about how little they affected him.
“They didn’t have any effect on how I shot or how I was able to play, I was able to faze them out easily,” Carter remarked.
Carter’s 45 point game was a career high for him and marked his last game of his high school career.
Down about 10 late in the second half, the Spartans needed a pick me up. The strong defense from Erik Donaldson, Paul Gosselin, and Ray Carter, they were able to pull the lead down to 2.
East Longmeadow’s fan section going wild as each basket fell in the net.
With less than a minute left, junior Connor Robidoux got fouled hard by an opposing player while both were going for the loose ball. Robidoux, unable to shoot the two penalty free throws due to his injury, had an unlikely player take his place to shoot the free throws.
Coach Brendan Abad, turned to underclassmen, Will Devoie.
Devoie, who hadn’t seen much playing time, sank the free throw to bring it within two. He intentionally missed his second shot for the chance at a rebound. Erik Donaldson and Patrick Crenshaw scrambled for the ball, but unfortunately couldn’t get a shot off before the buzzer.
The Spartans lost what was one of the most entertaining games of the year.
“Nothing to hang our heads about, we came back, and win or lose, we gave a good fight,” Erik Donaldson said.
The Spartans will lose a good part of their team with a handful of seniors leaving the team for graduation and eventually college. But high hopes follow the team, as young players like Robidoux, Devoie, and Abdullah Ahmad look to carry the team next season.
