HADLEY — Amy Cyr paced the back hallway leading to Hopkins Academy’s locker room checking her phone. She couldn’t bear to watch her son Teddy Cyr attempt late free throws in a tight MIAA Division 5 state tournament basketball game Friday.

The No. 7 Golden Hawks trailed No. 26 Saint Bernard’s of Fitchburg by two points with 1 minute, 6 seconds left when Teddy Cyr drew the foul.

He missed the first foul shot.

“I was just as nervous as she was,” Teddy Cyr said. “But I couldn’t leave the court.”

He never showed it, swishing the second to bring Hopkins Academy within 1.

Saint Bernard’s traveled the next time up the floor, and Hopkins put the ball back in Cyr’s hands. He sized up his defender at the gold ‘H’ logo at center court, initially feinting to his dominant left hand before driving with his right. Cyr crossed back over to his left as he entered the paint and two defenders converged. Stopping short of the trees, he elevated for a short jumper above the two much taller defenders and dropped in the go-ahead basket.

“I jumped as high as I could, and he couldn’t get to it,” Cyr said.

Cyr added two more free throws that iced the game in a 75-71 Round of 32 victory. He scored 28 points, his third game in a row surpassing that plateau.

Hopkins Academy (18-4) will host No. 10 Roxbury Prep Charter (13-4) in the Sweet 16 at a time and date to be determined.

“They don't have too many big guys but they have guys that can get up and down the floor. So it'll be interested to see how we match up our style and their style,” Hopkins Academy coach Jim Hart said. “We're just hoping we come in and play the way we play and just see what happens.”

The Golden Hawks played their style to perfection over the first 5 minutes, 32 seconds, ripping off a 20-2 run that carved up the Saint Bernard’s zone. The Bernardians didn’t make a second field goal until Noah Fournier hit a 3 with 2:29 remaining in the first quarter.

“We were wanting to push the ball, push the ball, push the ball, run and tire them out and get good shots on the fast break,” Hopkins Academy senior Cody West said. “Because we know if we could get stops and just play like we have all year, push the ball up getting good shots, it would tire them out later in the game.”

Fournier’s 3 sparked an 11-0 Saint Bernard’s run. The Bernardians cut the deficit to just 22-18 with 5:52 to halftime.

“We got too comfortable,” Cyr said.

St. Bernard’s made it even more uncomfortable in the second half. The Bernardians erased multiple double-digit deficits in the second half, and Manny Vega sank a layup through contact with 4:48 left that put them up 65-64. He added a free throw to get to 66-64.

“They switched to man, and we struggled, which is supposed to be our strong part. They got into passing lanes. They were overplaying Teddy, overplaying Cody. We were slow getting into our sets,” Hart said.

Cyr euro-stepped through the entire defense to put the Golden Hawks ahead 68-66, but Damien Jones splashed a 3 to retrieve the St. Bernard’s lead 69-68.

West (15 points) made 1-of-2 free throws with 2:45 to knot the game at 69.

“We knew free throws and layups win games. We work on free throws, probably almost a quarter of a practice because if you don't hit your free throws in the game when it's close, it's gonna kill you,” West said.

Saint Bernard’s Patrick Ginny made two foul shots with 1:29 on the clock to give the Bernardians their last lead 71-69.

West countered with one more to shave the deficit down to 1 and set up Cyr’s late heroics. Hopkins Academy ended on a 6-0 run.

“We always say it's the six inches between each ear that's gonna get you through the tough times,” Hart said. “We got fighters. Those are the things that win games, little things.”

Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.]]>