Hagopian, Hoban lead Watertown boys to first victory of season

It hadn’t been the smoothest of starts for the Watertown High boys’ basketball team, but, with some dramatic late-game heroics, the Raiders managed to snatch their first win.

Mike Hagopian’s last-second jumper earned the Raiders a 65-63 overtime win in Winchester on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

After dropping their first two games of the season to Belmont and Arlington, the defending Middlesex League champs looked to bounce back against the Sachems. Junior guard Brendan Hoban did his part, leading the way with a 30-point performance.

Derek DiPietrantonio’s efforts were just as important to the Raider cause, as the junior center finished with 10 points and grabbing 14 rebounds for Watertown.

Hoban had multiple key baskets during the game, the first coming in the final minute of regulation, knocking down a jumper to tie the game at 59 and force overtime.

Hoban was instrumental again in overtime, nailing a huge 3-pointer to put the Raiders up, 63-61, with under 30 seconds to go. Winchester’s Mike Grassey sank a pair of free throws to tie things up at 63, setting the stage for Hagopian (13 points) to step up and knock down the game-winning jumper with just two seconds remaining, to earn Watertown its first win of the season.

The victory put the Raiders at 1-2, as they prepare to play in the Commonwealth Motors Christmas Classic at Merrimack College this weekend, first taking on Salem, N.H., on Saturday, Dec. 27, at 3:45 p.m. in the first round of the four-team tournament. The consolation round is set for Sunday night with the championship game to be played Monday night.

    –Dec. 26, 2014–