BROCKTON, Mass. ---- The Massasoit men's basketball team gave Dean College all it could handle on Thursday night, but the Bulldogs eventually escaped with a 72-63 victory in overtime at the Asiaf Field House.
Dean, which had lost just two times entering Thursday's rivalry game, improved to 19-2 overall on season and will take on CCRI in the Region XXI Championship.
Massasoit (11-13) took a 59-56 lead with 14.2 seconds left when Trey Jones (Mattapan) buried a 3-pointer from the wing. But the Bulldogs raced the ball down the court and Devin Stallings answered with a trey from the corner as the game went to overtime.
In the extra period it was all Bulldogs, as the visitors outscored Massasoit 13-4. The Warriors were held without a field goal over the five-minute overtime frame, with Jones accounting for the team's lone four points from the charity stripe.
Jones finished with a game-high 21 points, featuring three 3-pointers to go along with four rebounds and three assists.
Leland Jackson (Brockton), who made a clutch 3-pointer late in the second half, ended the night with 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Jahleel Moise (Brockton) added 12 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks, while Dashawn Brathwaite (Somerville) chipped in with seven points and six boards.
Dean led 33-29 at the break. The Bulldogs held the advantage the entire second half, until Massasoit took a 55-54 lead with 1:31 left in the contest.
Joe Clarke hit a jumper with 1:03 remaining as Dean swung the scoring pendulum back in its favor, 56-55. Brathwaite sank the front end of two free throws to even the score at 56-all with 50.5 seconds left, setting the stage for the last second 3s by both teams.
Clarke paced Dean with 18 points. Aziz Gilliam and Stallings added 13 a piece.