Monument Mountain Rolls Past Gardner in State Tourney Opener

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. – Griffin McElroy scored 18 points, and Dom Calautti had a double-double Friday as the Monument Mountain boys basketball team beat Gardner, 87-47, in the Division 4 State Tournament First Round.

 

Calautti scored 10 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for his 17th double-double. He also blocked six shots.

 

McElroy recorded a triple-double, the program's first since 2019, after pulling down 10 rebounds and passing out 10 assists.

 

McElroy scored 10 points in the first quarter, when Gardner was able to keep pace with the Spartans, ending the period tied, 20-20.

 

But Monument Mountain took control from there.

 

Manny Brown hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 10 points in the second quarter as the Spartans took a 46-28 half-time lead.

 

After giving up 20 points in the first eight minutes, Monument Mountain allowed just 27 points the rest of the way.

 

“I was really proud of how we locked in defensively over the last three quarters and got some easy offense from some great defense,” Monument Mountain coach Randy Koldys said. “We gave up four 3's to their best player, Cam Gamache, in the first quarter and he never scored again. Our guys stepped it up hugely.”

 

Brown finished with 17 points. Isaiah Keefner scored 14.

 

The fifth-seeded Spartans (20-2) advance to the Sweet 16 and will host No. 21 Cathedral, an upset winner over No. 12 Hamilton-Wenham, on a date to be announced.