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NORTH ATTLEBORO - The Red Rocketeers just wouldn't go away.

Up against non-league rival Attleboro High and in their home gym for their annual Christmas Tournament, North Attleboro was at least going to go down with a fight.

North did put up a fight, but in the end they did go down, falling to Attleboro 67-58 Saturday night.

The Blue Bombardiers used a couple of late steals which led to lay-ins at the other end for some breathing room and hung on to punch their ticket to the Tournament championship game, which will be against Franklin on Monday night, Franklin beating Taunton in the other first-round game.

"It was a typical Attleboro-North Attleboro game. Both teams worked hard and both teams made each other work for everything," said AHS coach Mark Houle, whose team is now 2-2. "It was pretty much a five-point game the whole way. The difference was our defense helped us get some layups and we did a good job protecting the ball." Attleboro turned the ball over just six times the entire game while generating 11 steals.

Two of those steals came in the final three minutes, after North had cut the Attleboro lead to 56-54. Conor Larkin converted his own thievery to make it 58-54, then another Larkin steal led to a basket by Andrew Anderson to stretch the lead to six points.

Larkin had 17 points and 10 rebounds while Anderson had a team-high 18 points, including four of his five 3-pointers in the first half.

For North Attleboro, sophomore Justin Perron had five 3-pointers as well, scoring 14 of his game-high 19 points in the second half. Ed Fitzpatrick had nine of his 11 points in the first half for the Rocketeers (2-1).

Mansfield 79, Cardinal Spellman 53

BROCKTON - After a disappointing 0-2 start to the season the Hornets scored early and often against Cardinal Spellman in the opening round of the Cardinal Spellman tournament, advancing to the championship game on Monday against Medfield.

J.J. Dingle led the way for the Hornets, hitting three 3-pointers en route to a game-high 17 points. Pat Pennie had eight points, all off offensive rebounds, and added seven rebounds, six assists and five steals to fill up the stat sheet.

"He gave us a great spark," Mansfield coach Mike Vaughan said. "We played with great enthusiasm and intensity tonight."

The Cardinals didn't help their cause by going a woeful 13-31 from the free throw line.

Dighton Rehoboth 56, Case 22 CASE - The victory was never in doubt, as the Dighton-Rehoboth boys team jumped out to a 31-9 lead and cruised to the South Coast Conference victory.

Every player got in for the Falcons and 12 players scored. Josh Koneski led the way for D-R, scoring 18 points, the only player in double figures.

The Falcons (2-1, 1-1 SCC) host Fairhaven Tuesday night.

Bishop Feehan 60, Mt. St. Charles 39

WOONSOCKET, R.I. - It was a balanced effort for the Shamrocks as they dispatched of Rhode Island foe Mount Saint Charles to improve to 4-1 on the year.

Junior Ryan Sheehan led the way for Feehan with 13 points, while junior Max Marchione scored his first career varsity points.

The Shamrocks play host to Cardinal Spellman on Wednesday.

Norton 65, Somerset 52

SOMERSET - The Lancers put a slow start in the rearview mirror by outscoring the Raiders 20-8 in the second quarter en route to the non-league win.

"We were seven right out of the gate but we were able to get the deficit down and then switched the defense up to a matchup zone which was really effective," said Norton coach Marc Liberatore, whose team moved to 2-1.

Norton's 'Big Three' of Darren Doucette, Pat Hannon and Doug Schlehuber came up big. Doucette had a game-high 17 points and 12 rebounds while Hannon had 14 points and eight boards. To go along with his 13 points, Schlehuber dished out seven assists. Ricky Travers chimed in with 11 points in the win.

Norton will take the boat to Nantucket on Tuesday afternoon.