Even after his team reached the EMass Division 3 boys' basketball final for the third straight year, the prospect of playing at TD Banknorth Garden gave Watertown senior guard Kyle Stockmal jitters.
"Last night I couldn't really sleep," he said. "I was just thinking about the game, shaking and wired. I just had to calm down and relax. But I got about seven hours."
The jitters stuck with him in the first half yesterday against Abington when Stockmal, the all-time leading scorer at Watertown, had only 4 points.
Luckily for the Raiders, halftime gave their sharpshooter a chance to settle down.
Kyle Stockmal finished with 24 points and twin brother Cory Stockmal had 14 to lead Watertown over Abington, 67-51.
Watertown (21-4) advances to play Sabis in the state final Saturday at the DCU Center in Worcester. Watertown beat Sabis in the state title game in 2007.
"We were so jacked up to play this game, full of energy," Kyle Stockmal said. "I knew coming out I had to calm down a little bit, start focusing, playing my game. Halftime really gave me a chance to sit down for about 10 minutes and calm down."
Watertown began the second half with a 29-24 lead and traded baskets with the Green Wave (23-2) throughout the third quarter. But the Stockmals combined for 12 points in the period after teaming up for just 8 in the first half.
"I know I just had to keep shooting and some would eventually fall," Kyle Stockmal said. "It was a big confidence booster hitting my first one, and it just kind of rolled from there."
Abington senior center Chris Tighe made a layup to cut the lead to 47-43 beginning the fourth, but the Stockmals scored the next 9 points to give Watertown a 56-43 lead with five minutes left.
Senior forward Brian Kurowski (14 points) and Tighe (13) scored all 10 points for Abington in the final period, but the Green Wave never got closer than 9 the rest of the way.
Watertown used only six players the majority of the game, but the Raiders still outscored the Green Wave, 20-10, in the final period. Watertown coach Steve Harrington said his team's work ethic in practice helps it stay fresh during games.
"We play in practice like we play in the game, and I just think the conditioning kind of takes care of itself," Harrington said. "These guys push themselves in practice, and I think their conditioning at this point in the year is outstanding."
Abington coach Don Byron said he was proud of what his team accomplished despite the loss.
"We've done so many things this year that have never been done in this town," he said. "[The EMass final] is someplace nobody in the town of Abington has ever been, so give them a lot of credit."
The first half was physical, with the officials calling only six fouls. Ricky Morrisey scored 13 of his 15 points to lead the Raiders to their 5-point lead at the break.
Abington's zone defense limited the Raiders to 3-for-12 shooting from long distance in the first two quarters, but Watertown recovered in the final half with six treys.
"I think playing [at the Garden] three times in a row and getting a win here before really put us in a comfort zone," Kyle Stockmal said. "It showed in the second half how comfortable we were."
