The Saugus boys basketball team got past the Lynnfield Pioneers 48-41 on Thursday at Saugus High. The Sachems were led by Ben Tapia-Gately with 17 points, while Gavin Deluties led Lynnfield with 17.
The first quarter was a feeling out process for both teams. Lynnfield got out to an early 7-4 lead, but Saugus ended the quarter on a 5-2 run courtesy of a halfcourt buzzer-beater from Max Anajjar (nine points) to end the quarter tied 9-9.
Both teams struggled shooting the ball in the first quarter, but Saugus sophomore Cam Soroko (six points) was determined to ignite his team. Soroko opened the scoring in the second quarter with an and-one after a strong take to the rim. Later, he hit a corner three to extend the Sachems’ lead to 17-12 midway through the second quarter.
The Sachems seemed to find their groove as Anajjar hit a long midrange jumper, followed by Tapia-Garcia’s running floater to make it 21-14 in favor of the Sachems.
Saugus went into halftime leading 24-18.
In the third quarter, Lynnfield’s Cam Marengi (eight points) scored two quick baskets to give the Pioneers momentum and the visiting crowd energy. However, that energy did not last long as Tapia-Garcia lit up the home crowd, drilling a three-point shot.
Lynnfield did not go away and slowly began to chip away the lead. Deluties hit back-to-back threes to cut the lead to seven. The threes started what became an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to five going into the fourth quarter.
On a night where one of the Pioneers’ leading scorer’s, Alex Gentile, struggled to get going, coach John Bakopolus looked to his “energizer” in Iain Mccarthy (eight points).
“He’s [Mccarthy] our energizer. He gives us everything he has [and] always plays hard. He really was the spark that got us back into the game,” Bakopolus said.
Mccarthy continued the Pioneers’ run with a hard drive to the hoop and found a cutting Alex Flemming (six points) for an easy basket to cut the lead to a one possession game. Mccarthy went from playmaker to scorer as he made a midrange jumper to give the Pioneers their first lead since the first quarter.
“Credit to them [Lynnfield], they kept grinding and grinding. They made some great plays,” Saugus head coach Joe Bertrand said.
Saugus responded with a 5-0 run of its own with a three made by Isaiah Rodriguez (seven points), and the Sachems finished the game on an 8-0 run to earn a hard fought 48-41 win.
“It was a scrappy game. We did not make a lot of shots, but we found a way to win,” Bertrand.
The Sachems play Wednesday at Winthrop with tip-off set for 2 p.m., while the Pioneers play Tuesday at Stoneham with tip-off at 5 p.m.
Mark Aboyoun can be reached at mark@itemlive.com
