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Monteiro, Nwosu lead Brockton boys basketball to Div. 1 Sweet 16 with win over Methuen

jason snow, the enterprise
·6 min read

BROCKTON – Cam Monteiro smiled when he saw a wave of score updates hit the Division 1 boys basketball state tournament bracket earlier this week.

Why?

Revenge.

Monday night, No. 19 Methuen defeated No. 46 Algonquin, 51-42, to set up a Round of 32 matchup with the 14th-seeded Boxers on Thursday night.

Flashback to the fall, the Monteiro-led Brockton High football team suffered a 37-34 season-ending loss to Methuen on the road in the first round of the playoffs, a heartbreaker that came down to Methuen snagging an interception at the goal-line on the final play to seal the win.

So Thursday night, Monteiro poured in 15 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block to guide the Boxers basketball team to a 66-49 win in the Division 1 Round of 32. The win sets Brockton up for a road matchup with No. 3 Franklin on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Sweet 16.

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“It’s one of the best feelings," Monteiro said. "I actually wanted to (match up) with Methuen in these playoffs. When I saw it on the schedule that they beat Algonquin, it was definitely about revenge. Not losing again.”

“His competitive drive might be up there with Michael Jordan and KD (Kevin Durant)," Brockton head coach Manny DeBarros said. "He hates to lose in practice, games, scrimmages. But he’s a fantastic young man who bleeds red and black.”

Brockton's Cam Monteiro, left, and Chidi Nwosu celebrate during a game against Methuen in the Round of 32 of the Div. 1 state tournament on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Brockton's Cam Monteiro, left, and Chidi Nwosu celebrate during a game against Methuen in the Round of 32 of the Div. 1 state tournament on Thursday, March 2, 2023.

KEY PLAYS

Monteiro drilled two of his game-high three 3-pointers early in the second half, both from the top of the key, as Brockton imposed its biggest lead of 8 after a 24-24 knot at halftime.

“I’m definitely getting a lot more comfortable (from long-range). Now, playoff time, teams have been scouting all year in regular season games. They know what my go-to is – I’m more of a driver," Monteiro said. "But now, they’re letting loose and giving me space to shoot it. I’ve got the green light to shoot it, so I’m going to take those shots.”

More:Thursday's South Shore high school MIAA tournament scores and highlights

Senior guard Jordan Fontes (9 points) then added to the long-ball barrage with a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the Boxers a 37-29 lead with 3:37 to go in the third quarter.

The next minute, Brockton built its first double-digit lead of the night on an and-one finish from senior substitute Leidson Mendes Fortes (4 points), who let out a celebratory roar and muscle flex to cap off the sequence. Brockton led 39-29 with 2:38 to play in the quarter.

“I’ve been trying to preach this all season long – we have the depth, it’s just the belief. A lot of these guys are first-time varsity players. I believe in them, and our coaching believes in them," DeBarros said. "We have the talent. Brockton just has so much talent in terms of basketball players, and athletes in general, that our bench is successful.”

Brockton's Chidi Nwosu dunks the ball as teammates John Francois (No. 21) and Cam Monteiro, far right, celebrate during a game against Methuen in the Round of 32 of the Div. 1 state tournament on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Brockton's Chidi Nwosu dunks the ball as teammates John Francois (No. 21) and Cam Monteiro, far right, celebrate during a game against Methuen in the Round of 32 of the Div. 1 state tournament on Thursday, March 2, 2023.

BY THE NUMBERS

17: It was the final margin of victory for Brockton, but also was the team's biggest cushion.

7: After ending the first half knotted at 24 apiece, the Brockton defense tightened to surrender just seven points in the third quarter. The team took a 43-31 lead into the fourth.

82.3 percent: The Boxers stepped to the free throw line a total of 17 times, converting a total of 14 attempts. Monteiro finished 6-for-6 from the line to lead the way, senior guard Jordan Fontes (9 points) went 4-for-4 and Nwosu shot at a 4-for-6 clip.

Brockton's Brandon Bennett shoots the ball during a game against Methuen in the Round of 32 of the Div. 1 state tournament on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Brockton's Brandon Bennett shoots the ball during a game against Methuen in the Round of 32 of the Div. 1 state tournament on Thursday, March 2, 2023.

GAME BALLS

Cam Monteiro: The junior swingman recorded 15 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in the win.

Chidi Nwosu: The 6-foot-8 freshman center scored 16 points, hauled in 9 rebounds and swatted 4 blocked shots: “Without Chidi, we’d be lost," Monteiro said. "I don’t know what we’d do without (him). A 6-9 big, no one really in the MIAA is as big as him, or plays as big as him. So, having Chidi is a relief.”

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The Brockton reserves: Both seniors, Brendan Bennett and John Francois each scored 8 points and added quality hustle plays as key spark plugs off the bench. “When our bench plays like that, we’re a hard team to stop," DeBarros said. "And sometimes that’s the hardest part, to figure out which player to put in there and how long to keep them in – certain guys were on fire today.”

Brockton's Dominick Hopkins drives to the basket during a game against Methuen in the Round of 32 of the Div. 1 state tournament on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Brockton's Dominick Hopkins drives to the basket during a game against Methuen in the Round of 32 of the Div. 1 state tournament on Thursday, March 2, 2023.

THEY SAID IT

Monteiro put the finishing touches on the win by wheeling down the lane and dishing off to 6-foot-8 freshman Chidi Nwosu for a two-handed slam as Brockton's lead ballooned in the final minutes. Nwosu scored 11 of his 17 in the fourth quarter.

“The crowd was chanting ‘Dunk, Chidi, dunk.’ And I’m like, focus on the game, my guy,” DeBarros said with a chuckle. “He plays with his heart. You just can’t coach that. I was glad he got the dunk at the end."

“The truth is, he’s our anchor on defense (too)," DeBarros added. "He does a great job, overall, erasing our mistakes. I think, after a while, Methuen was like, ‘I just can’t drive the ball with this big guy down here.’ Kudos to him because he keeps working on his game. Love the kid.”

DeBarros had similar praise for Monteiro, who is in the midst of another All-Scholastic caliber campaign on the basketball court while stacking multiple Division 1 college football offers.

“Sometimes this guy gets so many accolades that it goes without saying," DeBarros said. "But the truth is, he’s a fantastic player. I’ve been blessed to coach him for three years, since he was a freshman. The young man keeps getting better and better each year."

Brockton's Chidi Nwosu shoots a layup during a game against Methuen in the Round of 32 of the Div. 1 state tournament on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Brockton's Chidi Nwosu shoots a layup during a game against Methuen in the Round of 32 of the Div. 1 state tournament on Thursday, March 2, 2023.

WHAT COMES NEXT

No. 14 Brockton will visit No. 3 Franklin in the Division 1 Sweet 16 on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Franklin (18-1) has lost just one game all season, a 56-46 road loss to Mansfield on Jan. 24. In the Round of 32, the Panthers took down No. 30 Weymouth by a 62-49 final.

“The mindset is, we’ve got to continue to play defense and execute. Playoffs is about execution. Last year, we lost to Needham in the Sweet 16, so we’re trying to learn from that and move on to the next level," DeBarros said. "We’ll see. One game at a time. But happy with (Thursday's) win.”

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton High boys basketball team is headed to the Div. 1 Sweet 16