DOVER — Civilworks New England was 0-3 against Bolton Construction this season, losing just two weeks earlier by 30 points. On Wednesday they rode the hot hand of Jeff Barbour to a well-fought 63-55 playoff win setting up a one-game final for the league title.
When Civilworks’ Gary Mulkigian hit a three-pointer it gave Civilworks back the lead with 7:10 to go in the game. It was a halftime lead they relinquished in the first thirteen minutes of the second half. And when Shane Hutchings hit his only bucket of the 2nd half it gave Civilworks a 54-49 lead and forced a Bolton Construction to call timeout. Coming out of that break Dave Hersey missed a three-pointer for Bolton while Barbour (16 pts. in the 2nd half, a game-high29 ) followed a deep jumper and the lead was seven with just over five minutes to play.
Both teams would miss multiple free throws over the next few minutes. Gary Lytle made one of his two Bolton Construction. But by then there was less than a minute remaining and Civilworks would hold on for the win.
Civilworks jumped out to a quick 17-11 lead as Gary Mulkigian (15 points) hit his 2nd shot from deep eight minutes into the game. But Bolton was able to battle back and take a 20 – 17 lead when first Dave Simoneau and then Tom Vitko (team-high 13 pts.) hit back-to-back shots. But Barbour would score 8 points in the last five minutes of the half to help stake Civilworks to a 43-27 lead. When Steve McCusker drained a shot from deep the lead became 34-30 at the half. McCusker would finish with 12 points in the losing cause.
The two teams will meet again on Wednesday, 3/22 to determine the 2023 champion.
