Woburn knows secret to winning

Cory Stockmal eludes Bishop Fenwick's Nolan DiPanfilo during Watertown's win in Division 3. (jay connor/for the Globe)

LOWELL - The third time proved to be a charm for Woburn, which broke through against Belmont when it mattered most last night to win the Division 2 North championship, 48-45, at Tsongas Arena.

The Tanners, who lost twice in the regular season to their Middlesex League rival, traded fourth-quarter haymakers with the Marauders as the teams combined for 37 points in the final eight minutes.

"Both teams know each other very well," said Woburn coach Tom Sullivan. "There are no secrets [between us]. We just made the plays."

Woburn will face Milton tomorrow for the Eastern Mass crown tomorrow night at TD Banknorth Garden.

With just over three seconds left, Belmont fouled guard Randy Parker, who missed two free throws, giving Vincent Cortina a chance to send the game into overtime. Cortina, who had hit a pair of big 3-pointers in the fourth, heaved a prayer from just beyond half court that bounced off the front rim as the buzzer sounded.

The squads followed three stagnant quarters that were played at Belmont's pace - and provided the Marauders with a 29-27 lead - with an explosive final quarter, highlighted by 11 points from Woburn's Mark Roffi.

Roffi scored a game-high 20, including 8 straight points in a 90-second span in the fourth.

Parker (12 points) hit a deep 3-pointer with six minutes left, with an assist going to senior forward Hanell Velez (14 points, 8 rebounds) to give Woburn a 32-31 lead it would never relinquish.

Watertown 62, Bishop Fenwick 48 - After seeing its season end in the Division 3 EMass final last season against Scituate, Watertown hungered for another shot.

The second-seeded Raiders secured that opportunity by defeating top-seeded Bishop Fenwick in the North final.

The Raiders (20-4), who will meet Abington at TD Banknorth Garden tomorrow, will play for the EMass title for the third straight season. Watertown won the state title in 2007.

The Raiders used full-court pressure to counteract Bishop Fenwick's Mike Clifford. The senior center finished with 25 points and 19 rebounds, but 16 of those points came in the final period.

Twins Kyle and Cory Stockmal (13 and 12 points, respectively) helped keep the Raiders comfortably ahead for most of the second half. Clifford and senior guard Nolan DiPanfilo (11 points) kept Fenwick (20-3) in shouting distance, but the Crusaders never got closer than 7.

North Cambridge Catholic 65, Winthrop 62 - It was March Madness, high school style.

Winthrop's Gavin Mahoney forced overtime with a 3-pointer at the buzzer, the game tied at 55, and teammate Dino Mallios picked up from there as the Vikings led by 7 points with just over two minutes to play - only to have North Cambridge Catholic score the game's final 10 points for the win and the Division 4 North title.

NCC will play Cathedral for the state title tomorrow at TD Banknorth Garden.

Robinson Vilmont rallied NCC, the defending state champion, by hitting one 3-pointer and then a second, on which he was fouled. His free throw tied the game at 62 and set the stage for center Mario Monroe, who scored inside, was fouled, and completed a 3-point play.

Mallios, who scored his 1,000th point in the game, finished with 34.

Brandon Bowman and Monroe sparked the Panthers in the second quarter, but Winthrop led, 33-24, at the half. Aggressive rebounding, solid defense, and strong drives to the hoop helped the Panthers close within 39-34 after three quarters.

With six minutes left, the Panthers were on top, 42-41. With a minute remaining, Vilmont (17 points) drained a 3-pointer. Monroe followed with a layup to give NCC a 53-52 lead with 11 seconds left.

After the inbounds, Mallios was called for traveling with seven seconds left. A pair of free throws by Vilmont gave NCC a 3-point lead, setting up Mahoney's buzzer-beater.

Globe correspondents Evan MacDonald and Lorenzo Recupero contributed to this report.