A wide range of emotions were felt by the members of the Greenwich High School boys basketball team during their game against Brien McMahon on Friday night.

The Cardinals held the lead the majority of the first three quarters and at certain points, were ahead by double digits. Then the Senators stormed back, turning a double-digit deficit into an eight-point advantage with just 2:50 remaining in the fourth quarter. Yet the Cardinals finished the fourth quarter strong and wound up tying the score in the final seconds on a 3-pointer by junior guard Ryan Brennan, who was also fouled by taking the shot.

Brennan made the ensuing foul shot, giving Greenwich a one-point lead with only three seconds left to play in the final quarter. However, one more basket was scored in this back-and-forth battle and it was made by the Senators.

Junior guard Cameron Rice tipped in a missed shot just before the buzzer sounded, giving Brien McMahon a dramatic 61-60 win over Greenwich before a big, enthusiastic crowded at Greenwich High School.

The loss left the Cardinals stunned and wondering just what transpired in the final seconds of action. Greenwich inbounded the ball, trailing Brien McMahon 59-56 with 5.6 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Four passes were made around the perimeter against McMahon’s defense, with the ball winding up in Brennan’s hands in the left corner. Brennan took a 3-point shot from the corner while being fouled and it went through the hoop, tying the score at 59-59. There were 0.8 seconds left on the clock and Brennan had one foul shot to take.

However, the officials put three seconds back on the clock. Apparently, there was an issue with the clock and they felt more time should be added. Brennan converted the ensuing foul shot, giving Greenwich a 60-59 lead.

On the ensuing inbounds pass with three seconds remaining, a baseball pass to halfcourt was deflected by a pair of Greenwich players and the ball got tipped to a McMahon player, who took a deep 3-point shot from the right side, the ball missed the basket, but Rice, who was cutting toward the rim, caught the air ball and tipped it into the basket, just before the buzzer sounded, giving Brien McMahon a 61-60 victory.

“I don’t remember losing a game like that,” Greenwich coach Todd Trimmer said. “I think there were 5.6 seconds left and we made four passes and got the shot off. The fact that they put three seconds back on the clock is just not correct.”

Despite the tough ending, Trimmer believes the game shouldn’t have come down to a last-second shot. The Cardinals held a 28-22 halftime advantage and were ahead, 44-36 at the end of the third quarter. They led between eight and 10 points for most of the opening half.

“We just have gaps in our effort, gaps in our defensive effort, gaps in our mental toughness,” Trimmer said. “Even on offense, we get ahead of ourselves. We take shots early in the shot clock, which is not what our offense is designed to do. Our offense is designed to get shots by rotating the ball and moving and motion.”

Senior point guard/co-captain Connor Parkes continued his sensational start to the season, scoring a game-high 22 points for the Cardinals. Sophomore guard Sandro Scott turned in a fine offensive performance, adding 14 points, nine of which came in the second half and Ryan Brennan had 11 points. The tight loss put Greenwich’s record at 2-2 and then the Cardinals dropped a 70-58 decision at home to non-conference foe Newtown on Saturday, making them 2-3.

Greenwich started the season with victories over Fairfield Prep and Bassick and will look to get back on track Tuesday at Fairfield Ludlowe.

Parkes converted three 3-pointers for the game and scored 12 of his 22 points in the first half for GHS.

“Despite the loss, I think our perseverance at the end was way better than expected,” Parkes said. ‘We have a lot of young guys and that was their first FCIAC game and they really stepped up – especially at the end with Sandro and Ryan hitting two huge shots.”

Ryan Brennan scored 11 points, including two 3-pointers and senior forward Zach Zazula added five points for the Cardinals. Senior Kyle Close paced McMahon with 19 points, with five 3-pointers. A guard, Close totaled 13 second-half points.

Junior Jack Baez, all of which came during the fourth quarter for the Senators, who improved their record to 3-3 with the road triumph.

Trailing 44-38 early in the fourth quarter, the Senators tied the score at 44-44 behind 3-pointers from Baez and Close. Baez’s 3-point shot capped a 10-0 Senators run. Parkes swished a pair of free throws, giving GHS a 46-44 edge with 6:44 to go in the fourth quarter, but McMahon went on a 9-0 spurt to seize a 53-46 lead.

Baez’s 3-point shot from the left corner and Rice’s layup gave the visitors a 53-46 advantage at the 4:35 mark of the fourth quarter. Later in the quarter, Parkes nailed a 3-pointer, bringing Greenwich to within 56-54 with 1:21 left to play.

“The young guys were stepping up,” Parkes noted. “The experience in that last three-minute span down eight with 1:50 left was good for them. We can look at the first half of the game, we got a lot of layups, we were breaking the press well. That first half was the best part of the game.”

Leading 11-7 after the first quarter, Greenwich raised its edge to 19-10 on a layup by Zazula and was ahead, 25-15, on a strong drive to the basket by Parkes with 3:54 to go in the second quarter.

A deep 3-point shot from Parkes, gave the Cardinals a seemingly comfortable 40-26 lead at the 3:40 mark of the third quarter. The Senators proceeded to go on a pivotal run from there, turning a 14-point deficit into an eight-point lead by outscoring GHS, 28-6 during a span of nine-plus minutes.

“We have to play defense for 32 minutes,” Trimmer said. “We’re deep, but we have to play for 32 minutes. We will be in every game we play, but we won’t win them if we don’t play for 32 minutes.”

Junior guard Blake Martin scored four points, while junior guard Guy Germain and sophomore forward Michael Golden added two points apiece for the Cards.

Greenwich is playing without senior co-captain Jonathan Brennan who is sidelined with a foot injury. Jonathan Brennan is one of the Cardinals’ leading scorers.

Senior Jordan Pereira and sophomore Tavaris Tweedie posted six points apiece for the Senators.

Following their game against Ludlowe on Tuesday, the Cardinals visit FCIAC foe St. Joseph on Friday.

“The loss stung, but we are only going to come back stronger,” Parkes noted.