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JERREY ROBERTS

Liam Galloway of Granby, center, drives to the basket after getting past Hampshire Regional defenders Keith Cotnoir, left, and Adam Laroche, second from left, Tuesday in Westhampton. Tyler Ellard of Granby, right, watches the play. Granby won 59-52.

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JERREY ROBERTS

Keith Cotnoir of Hampshire Regional, top, eyes the basket as he comes down with a rebound beside Matt Menard of Granby Tuesday in Westhampton. Granby won 59-52.

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JERREY ROBERTS

Shane Andrews of Hampshire Regional, top, passes to Conor Cronin, front, while defended by Jesse Molin, center, and Corey Baker of Granby Tuesday in Westhampton. Granby won 59-52.

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JERREY ROBERTS

Tyler Ellard of Granby, center, rebounds between Hampshire Regional defenders Keith Cotnoir, left, and Emmett Taylor Tuesday in Westhampton. Granby won 59-52.

WESTHAMPTON - With the game on the line, the Granby boys basketball team did not panic.

The Rams made all the plays down the stretch to pull out a 59-52 victory over Hampshire Regional Tuesday.

"We're pretty poised," Granby coach Tim Sheehan said. "Our first game against Renaissance this year we kind of lost our composure, but I told them it was a lesson learned. We have to battle through adversity and we did. Tonight, they stepped up to the challenge so good job on their end."

The game between Bi-County North rivals was tight. There were 11 lead changes and six ties. Hampshire's largest lead was four points, Granby's was six.

It was the fifth time this season the Rams (5-2, 1-1) were involved in a game that was decided by single digits. Granby is 4-1 in those situations.

"Almost all of our games are close," Granby senior Aaron Gaj said. "We're used to pressure situations for the most part. Tonight was no different."

Tyler Ellard gave Granby a 48-42 lead with 3 minutes, 43 seconds left in the fourth when he scored inside. Hampshire, though, came right back behind a 3-pointer by Ben Fischer, a steal and layup by Emmett Taylor and a putback by Keith Cotnoir that pulled the Raiders (3-5, 1-2) within 50-49 with 1:45 remaining.

"When we're firing on all cylinders we're a good team," Cotnoir said. "We just have to put it all together."

Trailing by one, Hampshire appeared to have made a defensive stop but Gaj rebounded a missed 3 by Corey Baker in traffic. Gaj attempted to go back up but was hit. As he was falling he threw the ball at the rim and it rolled in.

"I was trying to up-fake and get (the defender) up in the air," Gaj said. "I ended up getting hit and falling down. I didn't know it went in until I saw the guys cheering on the bench. It was a lucky shot."

Gaj missed the ensuing free throw, but Liam Galloway pulled down the offensive rebound. Baker was eventually fouled and he made one free throw for a 53-49 lead with 40 seconds left.

"We've had a tough time team rebounding in general but tonight we were able to box out and get offensive rebounds," said Gaj, whose team outrebounded Hampshire 38-32. "We got some big plays down the end."

Hampshire came right back and Adam Laroche drilled a 3 to pull the Raiders within one, but the Rams shot 6-for-8 from the line in the final 27 seconds to pull away.

For the game, Granby shot 17-for-32 from the line while Hampshire went 7-for-8.

"In a close game like that the best team makes the plays in the end," Hampshire coach Claud Salomao said. "We're still trying to find ourselves a little bit. I thought we did a good job, we're definitely progressing down the right road. I love the strides my kids have made. We didn't win tonight but not for lack of effort."

Cotnoir finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds, while Shane Andrews had 11 points. Andrews banked in a shot at the buzzer from half court to end the second quarter. He also banked in a 3 from in front of Hampshire's bench as the shot clock expired in the fourth.

"They're a scrappy group," Cotnoir said. "They are all really athletic and scrappy and they fight the boards good."

Gaj finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds, Ellard added 11 points and 13 rebounds and Baker chipped in with 12 points and eight rebounds.

"Coming in here, this is a tough place to play for us. I don't know when the last time we won here," Sheehan said. "But I thought we did an excellent job defensively, especially in the first half not shooting so well, but really defending and keeping them kind of at bay and making them earn everything they got."

Mike Moran can be reached at mmoran@gazettenet.com.