MANSFIELD — Guard Connor Houle finished with 15 points, and sealed things late with a game-winning hustle play as Attleboro (6-0) made a statement with a thrilling 57-52 overtime victory against longtime Hockomock League rival Mansfield.

“That was the toughest team that we’ve played this year,” Houle said. “We were just trying to come in here, show them why we think we are the best team in the league, and show them what we came here to do.”

The bitter foes engaged in a defensive barn-burner from start to finish, with Mansfield maintaining a slim 23-19 lead into intermission. Once the second half tipped off, the script simply continued to follow with both schools trading buckets. It would come down to the very final possession when the Hornets had a shot for an epic victory, tied 47-all in a showdown. With 2.3 seconds to play, Riley Sigman fired a pass into the paint to Andrew DiGiroamo, who dished out to Nate Creedon for a potential game-ending three. The attempt skipped off the iron, forcing a dramatic extra session.

“We just needed to stay together as a team,” said Houle. “We needed to move the ball well, and we just needed to do what we practice everyday.”

In OT, the Blue Bombardiers used ferocious defense to seal things. With less than a minute remaining, LaDanian Rodrigues stepped to the free throw stripe for Attleboro, his school leading 55-52. After missing the first attempt, the second skipped off the rim as well, only to a diving Houle. The junior corralled the loose ball, and was immediately fouled.

He then stepped to the line, where a crowd of Hornets fans roared. The junior sank both attempts.

“It didn’t faze me much,” laughed Houle. “I’ve been here many times in my life. I just stayed calm, and hit the shots.”

Attleboro was also powered by senior forward Raheim Orleans, who tallied 16 points off the bench.

Mansfield was led by Creedon with 19 points. His fellow senior captain Riley Sigman turned in 11 points.

“We put a lot of pressure on Connor,” said Connor’s father and Attleboro coach Mark Houle. “To do the right thing, make the right decisions all the time. But down at the end of the game, he’s an outstanding free throw shooter. He works at it. The ball’s in his hands there, we feel confident that he’s going to make the shots.”