ROCKLAND – Locked in a heated contest Friday night, Norwell’s boys basketball team relied on Keegan O’Hare when it mattered most.

The senior captain finished with a game-high 20 points, as the Clippers rallied from an early eight-point deficit to top South Shore League nemesis Rockland, 56-45.

“It’s huge,” O’Hare said. “I’m sure everybody saw the power rankings today. We’re not where we wanted to be. They were not far behind us, so that (win) is going to help us for sure.”

Entering the game, Norwell (6-1) was slotted 14th in the MIAA’s first edition of Div. 3 power rankings, while Rockland (5-2) was listed at No. 19.

The Bulldogs got off to a roaring start, with Tyler Comman and Rophil Ngnintoundem pacing the charge with six points apiece in the opening quarter. With the home crowd roaring, Rockland jumped out to an early 21-13 advantage.

“We have started slow in games,” said Norwell coach John Willis. “To their credit, they came out fired up. They played really, really well. That’s a good team. They made some outside shots, they converted inside. We just kind of had to weather the storm a little bit, and just settle down, relax. Then we started to hit some shots, and we went to a zone. I think that helped us a little bit to get back into the game.”

However, led by a complete team effort in the second stanza, the Clippers began to chip away. Matt Adams fueled the rally with a six-point quarter, as Norwell cut things back to 28-27 by intermission.

Once the second half began, O’Hare took things over from there. The senior dropped seven points in the third quarter, helping Norwell embark on a late run in the frame to build a 44-38 advantage.

With just under three minutes remaining in regulation and the shot clock dwindling, O’Hare dribbled around the perimeter. The captain heard his teammates counting down, and spun around on a dime before lobbing a three-point prayer up. The attempt found nothing but net, serving as the proverbial dagger as Norwell pushed its lead to 53-43.

“It was relieving,” O’Hare said of his triple. “I couldn’t buy one all day. It was good to see one go through the net. I saw my teammates, and I was like, ‘Of course, that one is going to go in.’ ”

Nick Fein finished with 11 points for the Clippers, with Adams scoring nine points. After dealing with injuries earlier in the season, fellow senior captain Jack Luccarelli also came through in the clutch for Norwell with an eight-point performance.

Comman drained 12 points to lead Rockland, while Ngnintoundem added 10 points for the Bulldogs.

“Just take it game by game,” Willis said. “Get prepared for our next one. These guys know that. A lot of them are multi-sport athletes, so they know the deal. Can’t look ahead. Hopefully, we can keep some momentum going.”