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high school basketball

Monty Tech Bulldogs cruise to win over Sizer White Tigers

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AYER — The Monty Tech boys basketball team jumped out in front early on Tuesday afternoon and never looked back.

The Bulldogs brought home third place, winning the consolation game of the General Holman Memorial Tournament with an 89-17 thumping of the White Tigers of the Sizer School inside Ayer-Shirley Regional’s Paul K. McGuane Memorial Gym.

Monty Tech improves to 2-3 on the season following the win while Sizer falls to 0-5.

“I’ve said it from the beginning, we have 14 ballers on this team. This is a great group, they’re a fun group,” said Monty Tech head coach Chris Foley. “Everybody saw minutes and everybody played well. We had some starters that only played eight minutes. Sizer is young and they are going to get better as the season progresses. This wasn’t really a get right game for us because we weren’t doing anything wrong. We’re playing well.”

The Bulldogs dropped a 62-56 decision to Lunenburg in the semifinals of the Holman Tournament, while Sizer fell 93-15 to host Ayer-Shirley to set up Tuesday’s matchups.

“Our boys played hard. They still have to learn some of the fundamentals of the game. We are still struggling with knowing our responsibilities and jobs on the court and that will come with time,” said Sizer head coach Derek Patno. “We are young with a lot of underclassmen on the roster. We must get these kids to keep playing hard and to buy in to what we are trying to teach. We’ll get there.”

Monty Tech finished the game with three players in double figures as every Bulldog found their way into the scorebook. Monty Tech was led offensively by Michael Cannon and Aiden Walter, both pouring in a game-high 12 points.

Teammate Joe Cruz added 10 points while John Lee, Lucas Blais and Ben Gosselin each contributed eight points for the Purple and Gold.

Sizer’s Isaiah Adamu paced the White Tigers with five points followed by Kaiden Schultz and Nate Mekonen, who each scored three points.

The Purple and Gold used a strong first quarter to jump out to the lead. Monty Tech scored the game’s first 15 points before the White Tigers got on the scoreboard three minutes in. The Bulldogs used full court pressure to stifle Sizer early on and enjoyed a 30-3 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Bulldogs expanded their lead.

Monty Tech was stellar on both ends of the floor, limiting Sizer to just two field goals — a pair of 3-pointers — in the frame. Offensively, the Bulldogs continued to run the floor and produce several buckets in transition. Monty Tech enjoyed a 41-6 upper hand midway through the second stanza.

Sizer’s Nate Mekonen showed off his long range in the final seconds of the second quarter when he knocked down a long distance 3-pointer just inside half court at the buzzer to send Sizer into the locker room on a high note despite trailing 50-9.

In the third quarter, the White Tiger’s fortunes didn’t improve as Monty Tech outscored the opposition 21-2 and led 71-11 entering the final eight minutes of action.

Both teams are off from action until after the new calendar year. The Bulldogs have a chance to climb back to the .500 mark when it visits Worcester Tech on Jan. 6. As for the White Tigers, they will once again try for their first victory on Jan. 3 when they host Bethany Christian Academy of Mendon.

“Now we have a week off before we play again against Worcester Tech and we jump into the league portion of our schedule,” said Foley. “We play some athletic teams, more athletic than us. We have go run our stuff, both offensively and defensively and share the basketball.”

Area hoops legends to be recognized

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Founded in 2001, the New England Basketball Hall Of Fame has long championed the region’s talent and legends on the hardwood through ceremonies and dinners.

Come Jan. 13, the organization will shine a spotlight directly on northern Worcester County, paying tribute to “North County’s major contribution to the New England basketball culture,” according to a release from the Hall of Fame.

While Fitchburg High visits rival Leominster High that night for a boys basketball clash, the New England Basketball Hall of Fame will recognize 19 individuals crucial to the advancement of the sport in the local scene. Those being honored — many of whom are already enshrined at their respective high school Halls of Fame — will receive a gold medal prior to tipoff.

Former Fitchburg High star Zach McCall will be honored by the New England Basketball Hall of Fame on Jan. 13. (Courtesy Fitchburg High Athletic Hall of Fame)
Former Fitchburg High star Zach McCall will be honored by the New England Basketball Hall of Fame on Jan. 13. (Courtesy Fitchburg High Athletic Hall of Fame)

The following individuals will be recognized: contributors Tom Mammone and the late Al Remington; outstanding coaches Kate Dellechiaie, Beth McNamara, John Cordio, Mark Daigneault, Dick Lamothe and the late Ted Damko; outstanding players Marty Caron, Zach McCall, Dick Armstrong, John Hulecki and Kathleen Johnson Sardo; legends Bob Johnson, the late Doug Grutchfield and the late Joe Spagnola; and Michael McEvily, Leominster Mayor Dean J. Mazzarella and David Palazzi for outstanding community contributions.

The New England Basketball Hall of Fame has also announced plans to recognize six communities in the region for “marked contribution to the New England basketball culture.” Among them will be North County, with the 1926 Fitchburg High national championship team stepping into the spotlight at a dinner slated for Spring 2024, according to a release from the Hall of Fame.

“Jan. 13 will be an outstanding night for area fans to remember the contributors, coaches, and players who have given most of their lives to the game of basketball,” John Cordio said. “They will also enjoy a night of rivalry basketball between Leominster and Fitchburg High. It is also good to know that other North County basketball legends will be recognized at the major NEBHOF dinner/reunion in spring 2024.”

Blue Knights fend off Lancers to reach Final Four

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LUNENBURG — Survive and advance.

The Lunenburg High girls basketball team watched a big lead with under four minutes left in Friday night’s Div. 4 quarterfinal against Malden Catholic get whittled down to next to nothing with a barrage of shots from behind the 3-point line.

But when the final buzzer sounded, the comeback bid by the sixth-seeded Lancers came up just short, as the third-seeded Blue Knights advanced to the state’s Final Four with a 54-47 victory in front

Lunenburg (21-3) moves onto the semifinals, where it will face the winner of Saturday’s game between No. 10 Millbury and No. 15 Mashpee, with a date, time and location to be determined.

Up 50-33 with 3:44 left, the Blue Knights saw their guests close on a 14-4 run, cutting into the lead quickly as  Kylia Reynoso got the burst started with back-to-back 3-pointers. An old-fashioned three-point play by Kayla Jackson (six points) before a deep 3 by Jillian Perry (five points) cut the advantage to 50-44 with 1:25 left.

“They’re a good team. We knew (Reynoso) was a shooter and tried everything we could, ran everyone we could at her,” Lunenburg head coach Frank Greene said. “She was making shots. We were playing great defense, but it was better offense.”

And though a hoop and free throw from Luna Murray cut the lead to 52-47 with 59.1 left, the rally proved to be too little, too late.

Reynoso had a game-high 19 points for the Lancers, who end the season 21-3.

“I knew they were a tough, tough team. I was happy with our defense and knew our shooting would take a little time,” said Greene, whose team is the highest remaining seed in the Div. 4 tournament. “The second half has been our half all year.”

Tight throughout the opening half, the Blue Knights opened up a 14-point edge after three, closing the quarter on an 11-0 run sparked by five straight points from junior Elizabeth Boone on a 3 and short jumper.

“There were some good passes when the ball got kicked out and I was open,” said Boone, who had 10 points in the win. “I think we were able to settle down.”

By the time Bella Patricca (team-high 14 points) hit one of two free throws with 23.6 seconds left in the third, the cushion had ballooned to 41-27.

Boone’s 3 with 4:06 left gave Lunenburg its largest lead of the game at 50-33 before the guests began to storm back.

Neither team played well to start. The first quarter saw a a dozen turnovers between the programs and just six made field goals as the hosts got out to a 10-6 advantage.

The Blue Knights and Lancers went to halftime knotted at 19.

Miranda Boulay and Autumn Tibbetts each had eight points in the victory.

Sailors start hot, finish strong in win over Leominster

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LEOMINSTER — The warmups were nothing spectacular. There was no indication of what was to come.
But once the whistle blew to start Tuesday night’s Div. 2 second-round boys basketball game, the hoop must have looked like it was 10-feet wide for Scituate High.

The 13th-seeded Sailors were red-hot from distance early and held on late to upset No. 4 Leominster, 61-57.

The Sailors (17-5) will host No. 28 Wakefield on Friday in a quarterfinal, while Leominster’s season ends at 15-5.

“We’ve got 10 seniors on this team and we didn’t want it to be our last game,” said Scituate senior guard Keegan Sullivan. “(Leominster is) a good team and this is a hostile place to play, but we came out ready to go.”

Michael Porter led Scituate’s effort with 14 points, while Sullivan had 12 and Samuel Benning chipped in with 11.

Leominster was paced by Warren Acceus, who had a game-high 15 points. Alex Moison added 12, Justin Dadah had 10 and Kevin Viola scored nine.

Scituate led nearly from start to finish, hitting eight 3-pointers in the opening half to establish a 35-26 lead after 16 minutes of play.

“You have to give credit to Scituate; they had a two-hour bus ride and came out and shot like that,” Leominster head coach Kevin Grutchfield said. “The came out and hit some big shots and really set the tone.”

Brady Burns gave the Sailors the largest lead of the game late in the second quarter, draining a deep 3 to give the guests a 35-20 advantage before Leominster closed on a 6-0 run, with four points coming from Acceus.

“We knew we had to come out of the gates hot against a team like Leominster,” Scituate head coach Matthew Poirier said. “They’re a tough team and they’re well-coached, so we had to have a strong start.”

Leominster made things interesting in the second half, cutting the lead to 48-43 after three and pulling even closer in the final eight minutes. Down 56-48, Acceus drained a 3 and then drove to the basket, getting the hosts to within three with 2:11 left.

But Scituate had an answer, as John Kinsley hit a 3 of his own with 1:44 left on the clock.

“Tonight was one of those nights where we’d make a run and get close, but then we’d miss a big shot or they’d hit one,” Grutchfield said. “I’m proud of the effort. We just got beat by a team that was better tonight.”

Acceus again cut the lead to three, 60-57, with 10.6 seconds left, but it was too little too late as the Sailors knocked down one of four free throws in the final 10 seconds to close the game out.