GROTON – Groton built a double-digit advantage in the second quarter and then maintained a working margin for a win over Aberdeen Roncalli Thursday night.

The Tigers held off the Cavaliers at every turn en route to a 61-50 Northeast Conference boys’ basketball victory.

“Their pressure just got to us a little too much. I thought our guys responded well,” said Roncalli coach Dan Gallagher. “We could have easily let it punch us in the mouth and fall back, but playing from behind, it seemed like when we hit a big shot, they came back with one of their own to keep the lead what it was for the most part.”

Groton scored nine unanswered points to take a 20-10 lead early in the second period. Keegan Tracy had four points, Lane Tietz three, and Jacob Zak two during that stretch. From there, the margin only got down to six one time a few minutes later, but for the most part remained between 8 and 12 points the rest of the way.

While the Cavaliers took better care of the ball as the game wore on, a rash of first-half turnovers played into the deficit from which they were unable to recover.

“We stressed early this week how important it was going to be to take care of the basketball,” Gallagher said. “We knew this was just the name of their game.”

It was Zak that delivered the final blows with three straight drives into the lane in the middle of the fourth quarter to help ice Groton’s victory.

“In that fourth quarter, he came in big for them,” Gallagher said. “We kind of fought back to get in that eight (point)-range and then all of a sudden he goes off for three straight possessions and all of a sudden it’s now a 14-point game.”

Tietz had 22 points to lead the Tigers, who improved to 3-1 on the season. Zak finished with 16, and Tracy contributed 14.

Maddox Miller’s 25 points topped all scorers for Roncalli. Parker Grieben contributed 10. However, no other played managed more than five for the Cavaliers.

“Balance, once we can figure that out, get all of these guys involved, we can be a really solid team,” Gallagher said.

Roncalli, 1-3, is off until hosting Webster on Dec. 28. While the Cavaliers were disappointed with the outcome Thursday night, the squad felt it got better during the contest.

“Groton is probably a top-five team in the state with some incredible ball handlers and shooters. Credit to them,” Gallagher said, “but I think our guys … got better and now it’s just seeing how we’re going to respond to the challenge ahead now.”

ABERDEEN RONCALLI (1-3): Maddox Miller 7 6-7 25, Caden Shelton 1 0-0 2, Keegan Stewart 2 0-0 5, Aiden Fisher 1 2-2 4, Parker Grieben 5 0-5 10, Bryson Olson 2 0-0 4. Totals 18 8-16 50.

GROTON (3-1): Jacob Zak 7 1-4 16, Lane Tietz 9 2-2 22, Ryder Johnson 2 2-4 6, Keegan Tracy 6 0-0 15, Colby Dunker 1 0-0 2. Totals 26-55 5-10 61.

Aberdeen Roncalli 10 20 39 50

Groton 13 29 49 61

3-point field goals – Miller (5), Stewart; Zak, Tietz (2), Tracy. Fouled out – Shelton. Total fouls – Aberdeen Roncalli 16; Groton 16. Rebounds – Groton 29 (Johnson 7). Turnovers – Groton 4. Assists – Groton 12 (Zak 5). Steals – Groton 12 (Tietz 3).