By Jim Stout
MaxPreps.com
Tournament time is near and preparation for the march to March is hitting full stride. No team did a better job last week of declaring its preparedness than the defending Division 3 boys' state champions, the Sabis International Charter School of Springfield.
The Bulldogs won their 11th game in a row Friday night and proved just how far they have come during their winning streak as they whipped Hampshire Regional, 84-66, in a Bi-County West game.
Hampshire Regional (17-2, 14-1) is the last team to have beaten Sabis, scoring a 76-54 victory against the Bulldogs Jan. 4.
Six weeks and an 11-0 surge by Sabis (16-2, 14-1) say the Bulldogs are ready for another postseason run. Their only other loss this season came against defending Connecticut Division I champion Hillhouse of New Haven.
Sabis coach Dan Sullivan said the evolution of his team's defense is what sparked its latest win and helped turned the tables against Hampshire, particularly the defensive play of Quinton McMillian against Hampshire's leading scorer, Joe Grimes.
"We really put the defensive pressure on them and went back to Sabis basketball," Sullivan told the Springfield Republican. "I told the guys Quinton did an excellent job, a wonderful job on (Grimes), but it was a team effort."
"I thought (Sabis') defensive pressure was more of a factor in the game than our defensive pressure," said Hampshire coach Claude Salomao. "We had way too many turnovers and didn't take care of the basketball like we needed to, and a lot of (Sabis') points came off their defensive pressure."
Sabis was up by 22-9 just six minutes into the game, thanks to an 11-0 run. McMillian (17 points) assisted on Isaiah Wallace's lay-up that gave Sabis the 13-point lead in the first half.
A basket by Kyle Bean (20 points) and two by Grimes (15 points) made it an eight-point game, but Sabis produced a 10-0 run with Wallace on the bench. McMillian and Wallace's replacement, Julio Madera, scored four points each in the run.
A Bean jumper at the buzzer made it 41-33 at halftime, but every time Hampshire threatened to pull within a couple of possessions of the lead, the Bulldogs answered.
"The answer is Isaiah Wallace," Sullivan said. "He has a knack for turning it up, he steps up the defense and he finishes."
Salem Grabs Fourth-Straight NEC Crown
It hasn't always been easy for Salem High this season, but when the Northeastern Conference title was on the line Friday night, there was no question as to which Witches were which.
The Witches went on the road to gain a share of their fourth-consecutive NEC title as they helped spoil Senior Night at Beverly with an 81-72 win against their North Shore rivals.
Salem, which has been up and down at times this season, improved to 14-5, 10-4.
"The boys came out ready to play; there was a lot at stake for us with Classical beating English last night. It created a chance for us to get a piece of the NEC North title for the fourth year in a row," Salem coach Tom Doyle told the Salem News.
"The other three (previous Salem) teams are well deserving, but it's just very special to be a part of it for four straight years with these kids."
Salem will share the co-championship with Lynn English and Lynn Classical. Swampscott had a chance to earn a piece of the crown, but fell out of contention with a 61-52 loss to Marblehead.
Beverly, which is enjoying an excellent season at 11-7, 10-5, stayed close for the entire first half and was still down by only five points midway through the second half, but could not draw any closer.
"We had been struggling for two weeks now (since losing senior point guard Furcy Ferraras) so I was more concerned with our effort tonight; I think we took giant steps forward," said Beverly coach Scott Lewis.
"I'm so proud of our guys for stepping up, having some heart and showing some effort against a very good Salem team. I think we picked up our defensive intensity a lot; they have a lot of tough guys to stop."
Salem deployed a balanced attack in securing the title. Chris Hanson and senior guard Luis Martinez scored a team-high 20 points while Nick Linear registered 16 points, six rebounds, five steals and four blocks. Sophomore center Chris Dunston came off the bench to score 14 points and pull down eight rebounds, while junior guard Chris Maxson scored seven points and had seven assists.
"Dunston and Maxson really gave us a nice lift tonight and the usual guys obviously played well," said Doyle. "Hanson got us off to a nice little start and Linear does what he does, a little bit of everything. Different guys are stepping up and doing different things for us and we're playing really well together as a team right now."
Nate Knudson finished with 18 points and four assists for Beverly and senior guard Seth Stantial notched 16 points (including four 3-pointers) to help keep it close. Matt Tobin scored a game-high 28 points and had 10 rebounds.
Final Game At Home For Brockton's Ortiz
Veteran Brockton coach Victor Ortiz worked his final game at Staff Gymnasium last Thursday as his No. 6 Boxers blew out No. 17 Catholic Memorial, 85-62, on Senior Night. After 31 years in the Brockton boys' basketball program - 24 years as varsity coach and seven years with the JVs - Ortiz is retiring after this season.
Ortiz has compiled a 378-158 record overall, including 43-19 in postseason play. He won a state Division 1 title for Brockton in 1985 and has qualified for the state tournament 22 times. Only Arthur Staff, for whom the Brockton gym is named, has a better record.
"It was senior night, that's what I told (the players)," Ortiz told the Boston Globe. "It really isn't about me, that's how I've always felt. We've always focused on senior night as being a night for the kids who survived the program.
"I stayed downstairs the whole time during the JV game," Ortiz added. "I didn't want to be around the whole scene. It has to end for everybody. I'm just happy the kids came to play."
Bob Boen will take over at Brockton in 2007-08.
Jarrad DeVaughn, a 6-foot-0 sophomore forward, led the way for Brockton (13-3, 4-0 Big Three) with a game-high 18 points, including four 3-pointers. Louis Montes, also a sophomore, scored 15 and had six rebounds. Kyle Gerry (12 points), Kendall Gillians (10) and Quintin Peddy Jr. (10) rounded out the Boxers' attack.
Share of Hockomock League Goes to Oliver Ames
Oliver Ames clinched a share of the Hockomock League title (with Franklin) with a 66-55 win over Stoughton in Easton. The victory was a lot easier for Ames (16-2, 13-3) than its last win over Stoughton, when Alex Kershaw had to win the game at the buzzer to help keep his team undefeated.
This time, senior Matt Lindberg, the Hockomock MVP, scored a game-high 24 points and Kershaw added 21 in wrapping up the title.
"I was happy with a co-championship, but the kids were apparently not happy with that," Ames coach Craig Muscato told the Brockton Enterprise. "So they went out and won it."
On senior night at Oliver Ames, Kershaw led the Tigers in the first half as he scored 13 of his points in the opening six minutes. Lindberg took over in the second half as 15 of his 24 points came after intermission.
"Kershaw put on a show in the first half; it was a little out of the framework of what we do as a team, but he was hitting everything," Muscato said. "Lindberg also played real well tonight."
Childhood Friends Hit Milestone Mark On Same Night
There was no question about it. Nick Motta of Fairhaven was going to score his 1,000th career point last Friday night against Dighton-Rehoboth. He only needed one point to do it. No Sweat.
What wasn't so certain, however, was whether his childhood friend, Greater New Bedford Tech's Ryan Machado, would also hit the 1,000-mark on the same night. Machado needed 19 points against Seekonk.
As it turned out, Machado had nothing to sweat, either. The Fairhaven resident scored a game-high 37 points and easily became the school's first 1,000-point man since the new school opened in 1976 in the Bears' 85-84 overtime loss to Seekonk. Motta surpassed 1,000 points three minutes into Fairhaven's 72-54 win over D-R and finished with 27 points.
"I was relieved," said Machado, who sank the milestone basket with under two minutes to play in the first half. "I felt a lot of pressure to get 1,000 tonight because I knew a lot of people were coming to watch me. So I just wanted to get it over and done with."
"It was just nice to get it out of the way so I could concentrate on the game and on getting the win," said Motta, who finished with a game-high 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting.
Despite the different circumstances, it was fitting that Motta and Machado, one-time Hastings' Middle School teammates, eclipsed the milestone on the same night.
"I definitely think it's fitting," Machado told the New Bedford Standard-Times. "We're really good friends. We've been playing together since sixth grade and we've both been starting on our high school teams since our sophomore year, so we were bound to reach 1,000 on the same night."
The two made contact with each other after leaving their respective games to let the other know what was happening.
"Whether we got it on the same night or not, it's a great accomplishment for both of us," Motta said.
"We've been friends for a long time, playing in gym class together in middle school and in the summer together. I know that each game (against New Bedford) Voc was made that much more special because we were playing against each other."
Teams Head Into Pre-State Tournament Stretch
With most conferences in Massachusetts having wrapped up their regular-season schedules, the final week before the state tournament begins will focus on regionally-based invitational tournaments and non-conference contests.
Most of the invitationals are four-team events that will help test the pre-sectional mettle of those fortunate enough to be moving on.
"I think (the invitational tournaments) prepares players,'' Boston College High coach Bill Loughnane told the Quincy Patriot-Ledger. ``There's usually a good atmosphere and good crowds, and the teams have been very good. It does prepare you well for the (South Sectional) tournament."
Featuring New Bedford, Lynn English and two-time defending Division 1 state champion Newton North, BC High's Comcast Tournament is among the most prestigious of this week's events.
Stoughton needs a strong showing in the Walpole Tournament to reach the Division 2 South Sectionals. Randolph will also represent Ledgerland in the event.
South Shore Christian must win one of its two games at Hull's Jason Mazzeo Tournament to reach the Division 4 sectionals. The Warriors open against Hull at 7 p.m. Monday, following Scituate-New Mission at 5:30 p.m.
Sharon's Davenport Hoop Classic runs Sunday-Monday and includes Braintree, Moses Brown and Oliver Ames. Massasoit Community College's Hall of Fame Classic follows the same schedule and features Norwell, Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop Williams and Rockland.
Pembroke, Sandwich and Middleboro will play in the Whitman-Hanson Winter Classic on Monday and Tuesday, the same dates as Quincy's Vin Moscardelli Tournament (North Quincy, Milton, Southeastern).
Abington's Green Wave Invitational (Hanover, Bishop Stang, Apponequet) will be held on Monday and Wednesday.
Hingham will play in the Mansfield Tournament. Duxbury will play in Taunton's MATT Tournament.
Jim Stout is the MaxPreps.com Master Photographer for the Massachusetts/Rhode Island area and a Northeast Region columnist. He may be reached at 203-563-2297 or at j.stout@jmstout.org.
