LAKEVILLE — Despite a late-game comeback attempt in front of a home crowd, the Apponequet Regional High School Lakers lost to the Wareham High School Vikings 74-62 in a boys’ basketball game on Jan. 7.

The Vikings built a large first-half lead through aggressive defense and efficient shooting, but the Lakers roared back late in the game when they matched Wareham’s physicality.

Wareham junior center Antoine Crosson led both teams with 18 points. Most of his points came from near the basket where he used his 6’5 frame to corral offensive rebounds and put the ball in the basket over swarming defenders.

Ajay Lopes, Wareham’s junior guard and co-captain, scored the second-most points for his team with 17. 

Apponequet’s leading scorer, senior Joshua Keller, also scored 17 points.

The Lakers struggled to break Wareham’s full-court press defense early in the game, and it showed on the scoreboard.

“I thought the defensive pressure and intensity was really good,” said Wareham Head Coach Steve Faniel. “That’s what leads to offensive possessions and easy baskets.”

Seven first-half points from Keller, seven from junior Caiden Cyr, and five from senior Jackson Gagnier kept Apponequet in the game as Wareham entered halftime with a 36-23 lead.

“In the first half, I thought Wareham was more physical than us and they earned the lead they had,” said Apponequet Head Coach Jim Cabucio. “I thought we picked it up with the physicality to try to get back into the game.”

Keller scored another seven points in the third quarter to spark Apponequet’s offense. Six different Lakers scored in the game’s final quarter, including five points from Will Levrault and four from Caiden Cyr.

Wareham held a 21-point lead with less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter, led by Crosson’s eight points in the period.

Apponequet cut the Vikings’ lead to seven points during the fourth quarter. 

Encouragement from a loud students’ section and two late three-pointers from senior Marcus Kuriscak helped the Lakers’ comeback attempt, but Apponequet could not fight all the way back. 

“Wareham made shots when they were supposed to make them,” Cabucio said. “I have to give them a lot of credit. I don’t feel we played real bad, but they played so much better.”

Wareham freshman Aaron Cote scored five of his eight points in the fourth quarter, and Lopes scored four points in the last two minutes of the game to seal the win for the visitors.

“With this group, it’s about energy, intensity, and playing like a team,” Faniel said. “When they do that, they’re tough to stop.”