By Bruce Lerch / Boys Basketball | Thursday, February 25, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com |
Fans might have been excused if they thought the open seats next to the two junior varsity players wearing blue South Boston t-shirts on the visiting bench were available to the public.
Due to a couple of kids becoming ineligible during the regular season, Southie was able to dress only five varsity players for their opening round tournament game against defending state champion Watertown.
As it turned out, five players was enough.
Anderson Santana led the way with 29 points and seven rebounds as No. 12 South Boston stunned No. 5 Watertown, 57-52, in a Division 3 North first round matchup last night at Watertown High. Southie will face No. 4 Lynn Tech Sunday.
“We’ve been dealing with adversity all year long, losing a couple of guys with eligibility issues,” said Knights coach Hakim Johnson. “This is a great group of guys and they played very hard. I’m so excited for the kids and I’m a bit overwhelmed right now.”
Southie (11-10) opened its biggest lead of the game after a 3-pointer by Johan Vizcaino and a pair of free throws gave the Knights a 12-point cushion (49-37) with 4:36 remaining. Then, Marco Coppola singlehandedly got Watertown (13-8) back into the game.
Coppola scored 13 of his game-high 31 points over the final four minutes of the game, answering a Santana bucket to close the deficit to 53-50 with 48 seconds left.
Despite Coppola’s late heroics, this night belonged to Santana, who calmly drained a pair of free throws while the home crowd did everything in its power to distract him. Timothy Barba kept it a 3-point game with a layup, but Southie made three of its last four free throws and Watertown missed a pair of 3-point tries to end it.
Euclides Semedo contributed 10 points and 13 clutch rebounds for Southie. Tyrell Pugh helped Semedo control the glass, grabbing 12 boards of his own.
In Div. 1 South first round, Alfred Johansson led all scorers with 18 points to fuel No. 8 seed North Attleboro (15-6) to a 65-50 win over Attleboro. . . . Barrett Murphy had 26 points as No. 5 Marshfield (18-3) took a 69-55 win over Braintree.
No. 2 seed Newton North (20-3) had a 68-52 win over Weymouth, as Yale-bound Greg Kelley scored 27 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. . . . No. 6 Franklin (18-5) trounced Taunton, 93-62, behind Matt Dean’s 27 points.
Top-seeded Madison Park (20-1) pushed past Durfee, 83-71. Center David Campbell had 29 points and 15 rebounds, while Spencer Braithwaite added 25 points and 11 assists. . . . Leonardo Medina’s 15 points led No. 4 Brockton (18-3) over Needham, 78-50.
In Div. 2 North play, Adam Bramanti scored 17 points and Colin Burke recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds as Masconomet (18-3) defeated Arlington, 55-48.
Defending Div. 2 state champion Milton (17-4) edged Stoughton, 58-54, as senior forward Emanuel Hutcherson poured in 19 points. Teammate D.J. Santos added 15 for the Wildcats, who will host Boston English in the quarters.
No. 3 Scituate (16-4) defeated Sandwich, 71-68, as All-Scholastic guard Rodney Beldo scored 23 points and Sean McQuaid added 19 points and seven rebounds. . . . Hopkinton (15-6) pulled out a close 69-66 win over Plymouth North, with help from Max Masucci (19 points, 6 assists) and Timmy Dougolecki (14 points, 10 rebounds).
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1235350
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Milton rallies past Boston English
By Dan Ventura / Boys Basketball | Saturday, February 27, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com |
Boston English had Milton on the ropes late in the first half, but the inability to apply the knockout punch proved lethal.
The defending Division 2 state champions rallied from a 15-point deficit to defeat the visiting Bulldogs, 73-67, in a South sectional quarterfinal last night. D.J. Santos led the way for the Wildcats (18-4) with 26 points and 10 assists, while Emanuel Hutcherson added 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Boston English (14-9) controlled play for most of the first half, building a 36-21 lead on the strength of 11 points by Antonio Jones and nine points from Alex DoSouto. But when DoSouto went to the bench with two fouls, Milton scored the final nine points of the half to cut the deficit to 36-30 at the break.
“I felt like if we didn’t get back in the game at the end of the half, we were never going to get back in,” said Santos. “Getting that run gave us a lot of momentum going into the second half.”
Milton was able to slow down English in the second half, using a zone which curtailed the Bulldogs’ 3-point shooting. The Wildcats evened the score at 48 by the end of the third quarter, then took the lead for good when Mike Grant opened the final stanza by knocking down a trey.
“We don’t usually play a zone, but give credit to my assistant coach (Bill Donovan) for that,” said Milton coach Sean LoPresti. “He suggested we switch from a man to zone and it worked for us.”
Milton stretched the lead to 11, but three trifectas from DoSouto (21 points) made things interesting in the final minute. But the Wildcats survived by making 9-of-11 free throws at the end.
In Div. 1 South quarterfinal action, Brockton guard Kyle Houston scored 15 points to lead the fourth-seeded Boxers by No. 5 Marshfield, 54-50. . . . Tyler Pettus scored 18 points and dished out eight assists as No. 1 Madison Park (19-1) defeated North Attleboro, 80-61.
In Div. 2 North, guard Rakeem Shepherd piled up 26 points to help No. 6 Dracut (17-5) upset third-seeded Belmont, 89-84.
In a Div. 2 South quarterfinal, Rodney Beldo scored 29 points as No. 3 Scituate (17-4) defeated Wellesley, 71-54. . . . T.J. Champignie has 19 points to lead No. 1 Whitman-Hanson (20-2) to an 85-82 win over No. 8 Hopkinton.
Senior guard Adam Lewin scored 20 points as No. 2 Wayland (16-5) advanced to the Div. 3 North semifinals with a 62-45 win over North Reading.
Junior Joe Mussachia scored 19 points and grabbed 18 rebounds as No. 3 Manchester-Essex (16-5) defeated Georgetown, 66-53.
School notes
The Massachusetts Independent Football Officials Association is announcing its spring class for new candidates beginning April 7 and running six consecutive on Wednesdays through May 12. Classes will be held from 7:15-9 p.m. at the Mansfield Elks, which is located on 140 North Main Street, Mansfield.
For additional information, please e-mail mifoa@aol.com or visit www.mifoa.org.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1235849
Boston English had Milton on the ropes late in the first half, but the inability to apply the knockout punch proved lethal.
The defending Division 2 state champions rallied from a 15-point deficit to defeat the visiting Bulldogs, 73-67, in a South sectional quarterfinal last night. D.J. Santos led the way for the Wildcats (18-4) with 26 points and 10 assists, while Emanuel Hutcherson added 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Boston English (14-9) controlled play for most of the first half, building a 36-21 lead on the strength of 11 points by Antonio Jones and nine points from Alex DoSouto. But when DoSouto went to the bench with two fouls, Milton scored the final nine points of the half to cut the deficit to 36-30 at the break.
“I felt like if we didn’t get back in the game at the end of the half, we were never going to get back in,” said Santos. “Getting that run gave us a lot of momentum going into the second half.”
Milton was able to slow down English in the second half, using a zone which curtailed the Bulldogs’ 3-point shooting. The Wildcats evened the score at 48 by the end of the third quarter, then took the lead for good when Mike Grant opened the final stanza by knocking down a trey.
“We don’t usually play a zone, but give credit to my assistant coach (Bill Donovan) for that,” said Milton coach Sean LoPresti. “He suggested we switch from a man to zone and it worked for us.”
Milton stretched the lead to 11, but three trifectas from DoSouto (21 points) made things interesting in the final minute. But the Wildcats survived by making 9-of-11 free throws at the end.
In Div. 1 South quarterfinal action, Brockton guard Kyle Houston scored 15 points to lead the fourth-seeded Boxers by No. 5 Marshfield, 54-50. . . . Tyler Pettus scored 18 points and dished out eight assists as No. 1 Madison Park (19-1) defeated North Attleboro, 80-61.
In Div. 2 North, guard Rakeem Shepherd piled up 26 points to help No. 6 Dracut (17-5) upset third-seeded Belmont, 89-84.
In a Div. 2 South quarterfinal, Rodney Beldo scored 29 points as No. 3 Scituate (17-4) defeated Wellesley, 71-54. . . . T.J. Champignie has 19 points to lead No. 1 Whitman-Hanson (20-2) to an 85-82 win over No. 8 Hopkinton.
Senior guard Adam Lewin scored 20 points as No. 2 Wayland (16-5) advanced to the Div. 3 North semifinals with a 62-45 win over North Reading.
Junior Joe Mussachia scored 19 points and grabbed 18 rebounds as No. 3 Manchester-Essex (16-5) defeated Georgetown, 66-53.
School notes
The Massachusetts Independent Football Officials Association is announcing its spring class for new candidates beginning April 7 and running six consecutive on Wednesdays through May 12. Classes will be held from 7:15-9 p.m. at the Mansfield Elks, which is located on 140 North Main Street, Mansfield.
For additional information, please e-mail mifoa@aol.com or visit www.mifoa.org.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1235849
Bank on Lynn
Classic-al finish wins it
By Bruce Lerch / Boys Basketball | Monday, March 1, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com |
With a game on the line late, it’s all about getting the ball into the hands of your best player.
Lynn Classical did just that yesterday, finding Bentley-bound senior Jasper Grassa, who rewarded his teammates like he’s done throughout his stellar career.
After initially being denied the ball off an inbounds play, Grassa collected a pass from Carlo Buono just past half court and kissed a deep 3-pointer off the backboard at the buzzer to lift No. 8 Lynn Classical to a thrilling 58-55 victory against top-seeded North Andover in the Div. 2 North quarterfinals in North Andover.
“When I caught the ball there were 2.6 seconds left,” said Grassa, who ended up with a game-high 31 points. “I knew I had to do something quick with it. At first I thought it was long but then I thought, maybe backboard. It felt amazing when it dropped through.”
The Scarlet Knights (19-3) stormed back from a 43-28 deficit entering the fourth quarter thanks to center Alex Blane, who scored 13 of his 15 points in the final frame.
In the Div. 1 North quarterfinals, No. 1 Central Catholic picked apart the zone defense of No. 8 Andover in a 78-56 victory against its Merrimack Valley League rival in Lawrence.
The Golden Warriors (16-6) opened in a zone designed to take touches away from big men Carson Desrosiers and Jimmy Zenevitch, according to coach David Fazio. However, the Raiders (22-1) went 7-of-8 from 3-point range (9-of-14 overall) to open a 27-11 lead after one.
Michael Alvarez (16 points) led the way with 11 of Central’s first 17 points, knocking down 3-of-4 trey attempts. Luis Puello added two more 3’s, and back-to-back steals led to Desrosiers and Andrew Ouellette hoops, which capped a 16-2 run late in the quarter.
“Every game we played them there were two guys in double figures, same guys: Carson and Zenevitch,” Fazio said. “We said, you know what, no touches (for them). If the other three guys make shots, fine, we’ll make adjustments.”
Andover (16-6) went away from the zone in the second quarter, and Desrosiers (19 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks) went to work with the open lanes. He factored in all but one of Central’s seven field goals.
“Teams usually pack it in on us because word is on the street that we can’t shoot,” Desrosiers said. “Obviously we couldn’t have picked a better time to come out of the gates firing and making some shots.”
In a Div. 3 South quarterfinal, Michael Adams banked home a runner in the lane with 4.5 seconds left, locking up a thrilling 66-65 victory for No. 7 Bishop Feehan (17-5) against No. 2 Medway.
In the Div. 3 North quarterfinals, Antonio Reyes recorded 37 points (including the 1,000th of his career), 10 rebounds and five assists as No. 7 Salem rallied past No. 2 Masconomet, 74-71. . . . Richie Warren Jr.’s 23 points, eight assists and five steals led No. 4 Lynn Tech (14-6) past No. 12 South Boston, 67-63. . . . Chris Hamilton had 19 points as No. 1 Hamilton-Wenham (16-3) edged No. 9 Saugus, 62-61.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1236265
By Bruce Lerch / Boys Basketball | Monday, March 1, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com |
With a game on the line late, it’s all about getting the ball into the hands of your best player.
Lynn Classical did just that yesterday, finding Bentley-bound senior Jasper Grassa, who rewarded his teammates like he’s done throughout his stellar career.
After initially being denied the ball off an inbounds play, Grassa collected a pass from Carlo Buono just past half court and kissed a deep 3-pointer off the backboard at the buzzer to lift No. 8 Lynn Classical to a thrilling 58-55 victory against top-seeded North Andover in the Div. 2 North quarterfinals in North Andover.
“When I caught the ball there were 2.6 seconds left,” said Grassa, who ended up with a game-high 31 points. “I knew I had to do something quick with it. At first I thought it was long but then I thought, maybe backboard. It felt amazing when it dropped through.”
The Scarlet Knights (19-3) stormed back from a 43-28 deficit entering the fourth quarter thanks to center Alex Blane, who scored 13 of his 15 points in the final frame.
In the Div. 1 North quarterfinals, No. 1 Central Catholic picked apart the zone defense of No. 8 Andover in a 78-56 victory against its Merrimack Valley League rival in Lawrence.
The Golden Warriors (16-6) opened in a zone designed to take touches away from big men Carson Desrosiers and Jimmy Zenevitch, according to coach David Fazio. However, the Raiders (22-1) went 7-of-8 from 3-point range (9-of-14 overall) to open a 27-11 lead after one.
Michael Alvarez (16 points) led the way with 11 of Central’s first 17 points, knocking down 3-of-4 trey attempts. Luis Puello added two more 3’s, and back-to-back steals led to Desrosiers and Andrew Ouellette hoops, which capped a 16-2 run late in the quarter.
“Every game we played them there were two guys in double figures, same guys: Carson and Zenevitch,” Fazio said. “We said, you know what, no touches (for them). If the other three guys make shots, fine, we’ll make adjustments.”
Andover (16-6) went away from the zone in the second quarter, and Desrosiers (19 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks) went to work with the open lanes. He factored in all but one of Central’s seven field goals.
“Teams usually pack it in on us because word is on the street that we can’t shoot,” Desrosiers said. “Obviously we couldn’t have picked a better time to come out of the gates firing and making some shots.”
In a Div. 3 South quarterfinal, Michael Adams banked home a runner in the lane with 4.5 seconds left, locking up a thrilling 66-65 victory for No. 7 Bishop Feehan (17-5) against No. 2 Medway.
In the Div. 3 North quarterfinals, Antonio Reyes recorded 37 points (including the 1,000th of his career), 10 rebounds and five assists as No. 7 Salem rallied past No. 2 Masconomet, 74-71. . . . Richie Warren Jr.’s 23 points, eight assists and five steals led No. 4 Lynn Tech (14-6) past No. 12 South Boston, 67-63. . . . Chris Hamilton had 19 points as No. 1 Hamilton-Wenham (16-3) edged No. 9 Saugus, 62-61.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1236265
Lynn English star suspended
By Dan Ventura | Tuesday, March 2, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com |
Lynn English survived the opening two rounds of the Division 1 North basketball tournament without suspended head coach Buzzy Barton.
Now the Bulldogs must beat St. John’s Prep tonight in a sectional semifinal contest minus star guard Ryan Woumn.
The MIAA ruled Woumn must sit out the game after picking up two technical fouls in a quarterfinal win against Lexington on Friday night, even though he was not ejected from the contest.
The controversy began in the first quarter when Woumn was assessed a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. Later in the quarter, he was whistled for hitting the ball out of the hands of a Lexington player attempting to make an inbounds pass.
Lynn English athletic director Gary Molea said the second technical was described to him as an “administrative technical,” meaning it didn’t count toward Woumn’s technical total. The MIAA, however, adheres to National High School Federation rules which clearly state that any two technical fouls assessed to a player equals a disqualification.
As fate would have it, Woumn stayed in the game and keyed a huge fourth-quarter run by knocking down a pair of 3-pointers. That certainly didn’t make Lexington coach Bob Farias a happy camper.
“First of all, (Woumn) is a great player and (interim coach) Mike Carr is a good friend and I wish him well,” Farias said. “What bothers me is that the referee (should have) realized that this would have been Woumn’s second technical and (instead) comes up with some cockamamie thing. That’s what really goes unappreciated to me, that the referees did not do the right thing.
“Then we get it down to five and (Woumn) makes two 3s in a row. I don’t blame the kid. I blame the referees because this was a blatant mistake.”
Also, Lynn English superintendent Cathy Latham said the school would appeal Barton’s suspension. Barton was suspended by the MIAA for the remainder of this season and the first 10 games of next season as a result of recruiting allegations levied against his program.
The school’s argument is that Barton’s punishment was excessive given the fact that his name never surfaced in connection with recruiting.
“I support this decision (to appeal),” Molea said. “We’re working to try and put this behind us, and I think the fact that (Latham) has taken action on other things should help.”
One of those items was the suspension of principal Andy Fila for a week without pay after it was determined he played a part in recruiting former East Boston player Cory McMillan.
“I’m not happy about it,” Fila said yesterday. “But they made a decision and it’s time to move forward.”
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1236560
Lynn English survived the opening two rounds of the Division 1 North basketball tournament without suspended head coach Buzzy Barton.
Now the Bulldogs must beat St. John’s Prep tonight in a sectional semifinal contest minus star guard Ryan Woumn.
The MIAA ruled Woumn must sit out the game after picking up two technical fouls in a quarterfinal win against Lexington on Friday night, even though he was not ejected from the contest.
The controversy began in the first quarter when Woumn was assessed a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. Later in the quarter, he was whistled for hitting the ball out of the hands of a Lexington player attempting to make an inbounds pass.
Lynn English athletic director Gary Molea said the second technical was described to him as an “administrative technical,” meaning it didn’t count toward Woumn’s technical total. The MIAA, however, adheres to National High School Federation rules which clearly state that any two technical fouls assessed to a player equals a disqualification.
As fate would have it, Woumn stayed in the game and keyed a huge fourth-quarter run by knocking down a pair of 3-pointers. That certainly didn’t make Lexington coach Bob Farias a happy camper.
“First of all, (Woumn) is a great player and (interim coach) Mike Carr is a good friend and I wish him well,” Farias said. “What bothers me is that the referee (should have) realized that this would have been Woumn’s second technical and (instead) comes up with some cockamamie thing. That’s what really goes unappreciated to me, that the referees did not do the right thing.
“Then we get it down to five and (Woumn) makes two 3s in a row. I don’t blame the kid. I blame the referees because this was a blatant mistake.”
Also, Lynn English superintendent Cathy Latham said the school would appeal Barton’s suspension. Barton was suspended by the MIAA for the remainder of this season and the first 10 games of next season as a result of recruiting allegations levied against his program.
The school’s argument is that Barton’s punishment was excessive given the fact that his name never surfaced in connection with recruiting.
“I support this decision (to appeal),” Molea said. “We’re working to try and put this behind us, and I think the fact that (Latham) has taken action on other things should help.”
One of those items was the suspension of principal Andy Fila for a week without pay after it was determined he played a part in recruiting former East Boston player Cory McMillan.
“I’m not happy about it,” Fila said yesterday. “But they made a decision and it’s time to move forward.”
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/general/view.bg?articleid=1236560
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Newest Celtics To Make Debut Tonight
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
TD Garden, 7:30 p.m.
TV: CSN New England
RADIO: WEEI 850 AM
By Marc D'Amico
February 23, 2010
Celtics.com
The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks are set to meet on the court at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the TD Garden, just five days after they exchanged five players in a trade that Boston hopes will jumpstart its bench for the remainder of the season.
Nate Robinson, the headline player involved in that deal, will make his Celtics debut tonight at home against his former team. He did not join Boston on the West Coast after the trade was completed Thursday evening because he was battling the flu.
The 5-foot-9 guard appeared in 30 games for the Knicks this season, scoring 13.2 PPG to go along with his 2.4 RPG and 3.7 APG. He'll now be looked upon as the primary offensive sparkplug off the Celtics' bench, a title Eddie House used to hold.
House, who was sent to New York along with J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker, has had mixed results in his two games as a Knickerbocker. He scored 24 points in his debut with the team, which also served as his reunion with run-and-gun coach Mike D'Antoni, but then shot only 4-of-16 from the floor for 10 points against the Bucks Monday night.
House will surely be aiming to light up the nets tonight in the building he built so many fond memories in during the past two-plus seasons. The C's, however, will be hoping that Robinson is the fresh face who contributes largely to tonight's scoring.
Boston might need that scoring more than ever tonight, as it sounds like Paul Pierce may not be available. He has played through a thumb injury since Thursday night in Los Angeles and at an appearance last night, stated that "getting it a few days off to rest" is something he'll need to consider.
Doc Rivers had actually already hinted at that possibility over the weekend. When a coach and player are on the same page regarding time off due to an injury, it's almost certain that it will happen.
If Pierce is out of the lineup, the start will go to either Tony Allen or Marquis Daniels. Allen has received seven starts in place of Pierce at the small forward position this season and averaged 9.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 3.1 APG in those contests. But all of those starts came before Daniels, who is more of a prototypical small forward, returned from injury.
Rivers usually likes to stick with what works -- a la starting Allen, who has performed successfully as a starter -- but he will need to think long and hard about putting Daniels out there with the first group tonight. With the recent acquisition of Tracy McGrady, New York is now one of the tallest and longest perimeter teams in the league. McGrady and Wilson Chandler, who are both 6-foot-8, hold down the shooting guard and small forward positions, and Daniels would match up better with both of them in terms of length.
Speaking of McGrady, he is the new face of the franchise in New York -- at least temporarily. The end-goal of acquiring McGrady was for the Knicks to reach out to two maximum contract free agents this summer, but in the meantime he'll be leaned on to be the team's go-to scorer.
His first game was a home run, as he poured in 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting. But just as House's did, McGrady's production fell off in his second game, as he scored only 15 points on 5-of-14 shooting.
McGrady and House weren't the only Knicks to struggle from the field last night, though. The team managed to score only 67 points against Milwaukee on 33.8 percent shooting from the floor. Much of that is due to the fact that D'Antoni has to new faces in his starting lineup, McGrady and Sergio Rodriguez, who was also acquired last week.
With the Knicks playing in the second night of a back-to-back and having issues with a new rotation, the C's should be able to capitalize at both ends of the court. Boston's defense has been stout of late, once again regaining the intimidation factor that most opponents have felt against them in the past. Tonight should be no different at that end of the court. Offensively, the Celts will be taking on a Knicks defense that gives up the sixth-most points in the league, so they should be able to break the century mark for only the second time in their past eight games.
Contain David Lee
Some say it's D'Antoni's system that made David Lee a first-time All-Star this season, but no matter how you look at it, this kid is putting up monster numbers, to the tune of 20.1 PPG, 11.5 RPG and 3.5 APG. He ranks fourth in the league in total rebounds (630), fourth in double-doubles (35) and seventh in field goals made (467).
Up until last night's dud performance by the Knicks, Lee had notched at least 20 points and eight rebounds in seven straight games, six of which were double-doubles. He is relentless on the glass, has added the mid-range jumper to his repertoire and has become an elite free throw shooter for his position.
Shutting Lee down, especially in this system, is nearly impossible, so Kendrick Perkins' job will be to simply contain Lee. Perk will need to limit Lee's hustle rebounds and also take away passing lanes. Lee's improved passing has helped him become somewhat of a point-forward in the Knicks' offense at times, so if Perk can take away his passing abilities it will pay big dividends for Boston's defense overall.
Lastly, Perk will have a clear size advantage offensively, so the C's are sure to get him the ball in the post. He leads the league in field goal percentage, and that's mostly due to his ability to get shots off within five feet of the bucket. He will need to bang with Lee on the block tonight and do his best to get off more shots like that, all while wearing the Knicks' center out physically.
Attack the Knicks' defense
New York has great length from point guard to power forward, but that's about all those players offer defensively. Wilson Chandler is by far the best defender of the Knicks' starters, and even he is not considered great at that end of the floor.
As a result, Boston will have the opportunity to attack the Knicks in many ways. Asserting players like Perkins, Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace on the block will certainly be a priority considering Boston's size advantage on the frontline. But while success around the paint will be expected, attacking off the dribble and excellent movement away from the ball should be, too.
If the C's work hard at the offensive end, they should get plenty of easy looks from all over the floor. Expect a big night from the C's offensively, because the Knicks just don't match up very well with them at that end of the court.
How will Robinson adjust?
As stated, this will be Robinson's first game in Celtics green, against the only team for which he's ever played an NBA game. He has never had to adjust to being traded, and he couldn't be coming into a system that's any farther from that of which he came.
D'Antoni's offense is free-flowing, has barely any constraints and allows its guards and perimeter players to dominate the game and play at a pace that's higher than nearly every other team's in the league.
Here in Boston, it's almost the exact opposite. Doc Rivers' offense is structured, with well-crafted plays that are based on discipline and execution. Boston's offense is also one of the slowest in the league, as the C's take the fewest field goal attempts per game of any team in the NBA.
So Robinson will not only have to adjust to a new city, lifestyle and teammates, he'll have to change the way he thinks and reacts on the floor. This will be his first game with the C's, so expect him to be a bit rusty in the new situation, but he's an intelligent player, so he should be able to handle it well.
TD Garden, 7:30 p.m.
TV: CSN New England
RADIO: WEEI 850 AM
By Marc D'Amico
February 23, 2010
Celtics.com
The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks are set to meet on the court at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the TD Garden, just five days after they exchanged five players in a trade that Boston hopes will jumpstart its bench for the remainder of the season.
Nate Robinson, the headline player involved in that deal, will make his Celtics debut tonight at home against his former team. He did not join Boston on the West Coast after the trade was completed Thursday evening because he was battling the flu.
The 5-foot-9 guard appeared in 30 games for the Knicks this season, scoring 13.2 PPG to go along with his 2.4 RPG and 3.7 APG. He'll now be looked upon as the primary offensive sparkplug off the Celtics' bench, a title Eddie House used to hold.
House, who was sent to New York along with J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker, has had mixed results in his two games as a Knickerbocker. He scored 24 points in his debut with the team, which also served as his reunion with run-and-gun coach Mike D'Antoni, but then shot only 4-of-16 from the floor for 10 points against the Bucks Monday night.
House will surely be aiming to light up the nets tonight in the building he built so many fond memories in during the past two-plus seasons. The C's, however, will be hoping that Robinson is the fresh face who contributes largely to tonight's scoring.
Boston might need that scoring more than ever tonight, as it sounds like Paul Pierce may not be available. He has played through a thumb injury since Thursday night in Los Angeles and at an appearance last night, stated that "getting it a few days off to rest" is something he'll need to consider.
Doc Rivers had actually already hinted at that possibility over the weekend. When a coach and player are on the same page regarding time off due to an injury, it's almost certain that it will happen.
If Pierce is out of the lineup, the start will go to either Tony Allen or Marquis Daniels. Allen has received seven starts in place of Pierce at the small forward position this season and averaged 9.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 3.1 APG in those contests. But all of those starts came before Daniels, who is more of a prototypical small forward, returned from injury.
Rivers usually likes to stick with what works -- a la starting Allen, who has performed successfully as a starter -- but he will need to think long and hard about putting Daniels out there with the first group tonight. With the recent acquisition of Tracy McGrady, New York is now one of the tallest and longest perimeter teams in the league. McGrady and Wilson Chandler, who are both 6-foot-8, hold down the shooting guard and small forward positions, and Daniels would match up better with both of them in terms of length.
Speaking of McGrady, he is the new face of the franchise in New York -- at least temporarily. The end-goal of acquiring McGrady was for the Knicks to reach out to two maximum contract free agents this summer, but in the meantime he'll be leaned on to be the team's go-to scorer.
His first game was a home run, as he poured in 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting. But just as House's did, McGrady's production fell off in his second game, as he scored only 15 points on 5-of-14 shooting.
McGrady and House weren't the only Knicks to struggle from the field last night, though. The team managed to score only 67 points against Milwaukee on 33.8 percent shooting from the floor. Much of that is due to the fact that D'Antoni has to new faces in his starting lineup, McGrady and Sergio Rodriguez, who was also acquired last week.
With the Knicks playing in the second night of a back-to-back and having issues with a new rotation, the C's should be able to capitalize at both ends of the court. Boston's defense has been stout of late, once again regaining the intimidation factor that most opponents have felt against them in the past. Tonight should be no different at that end of the court. Offensively, the Celts will be taking on a Knicks defense that gives up the sixth-most points in the league, so they should be able to break the century mark for only the second time in their past eight games.
Contain David Lee
Some say it's D'Antoni's system that made David Lee a first-time All-Star this season, but no matter how you look at it, this kid is putting up monster numbers, to the tune of 20.1 PPG, 11.5 RPG and 3.5 APG. He ranks fourth in the league in total rebounds (630), fourth in double-doubles (35) and seventh in field goals made (467).
Up until last night's dud performance by the Knicks, Lee had notched at least 20 points and eight rebounds in seven straight games, six of which were double-doubles. He is relentless on the glass, has added the mid-range jumper to his repertoire and has become an elite free throw shooter for his position.
Shutting Lee down, especially in this system, is nearly impossible, so Kendrick Perkins' job will be to simply contain Lee. Perk will need to limit Lee's hustle rebounds and also take away passing lanes. Lee's improved passing has helped him become somewhat of a point-forward in the Knicks' offense at times, so if Perk can take away his passing abilities it will pay big dividends for Boston's defense overall.
Lastly, Perk will have a clear size advantage offensively, so the C's are sure to get him the ball in the post. He leads the league in field goal percentage, and that's mostly due to his ability to get shots off within five feet of the bucket. He will need to bang with Lee on the block tonight and do his best to get off more shots like that, all while wearing the Knicks' center out physically.
Attack the Knicks' defense
New York has great length from point guard to power forward, but that's about all those players offer defensively. Wilson Chandler is by far the best defender of the Knicks' starters, and even he is not considered great at that end of the floor.
As a result, Boston will have the opportunity to attack the Knicks in many ways. Asserting players like Perkins, Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace on the block will certainly be a priority considering Boston's size advantage on the frontline. But while success around the paint will be expected, attacking off the dribble and excellent movement away from the ball should be, too.
If the C's work hard at the offensive end, they should get plenty of easy looks from all over the floor. Expect a big night from the C's offensively, because the Knicks just don't match up very well with them at that end of the court.
How will Robinson adjust?
As stated, this will be Robinson's first game in Celtics green, against the only team for which he's ever played an NBA game. He has never had to adjust to being traded, and he couldn't be coming into a system that's any farther from that of which he came.
D'Antoni's offense is free-flowing, has barely any constraints and allows its guards and perimeter players to dominate the game and play at a pace that's higher than nearly every other team's in the league.
Here in Boston, it's almost the exact opposite. Doc Rivers' offense is structured, with well-crafted plays that are based on discipline and execution. Boston's offense is also one of the slowest in the league, as the C's take the fewest field goal attempts per game of any team in the NBA.
So Robinson will not only have to adjust to a new city, lifestyle and teammates, he'll have to change the way he thinks and reacts on the floor. This will be his first game with the C's, so expect him to be a bit rusty in the new situation, but he's an intelligent player, so he should be able to handle it well.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Latin Academy wins third straight City championship
By Peter Martin, Globe Correspondent | February 19, 2010
Latin Academy won its third consecutive Boston City Championship yesterday 5-0 over East Boston at Matthews Arena at Northeastern University.
The Dragons overcame a lackluster first period effort by turning on the style in the final two frames and taking advantage of a series of Eastie penalties.
''We came out flat,'' Latin Academy coach Rob McCormick said. ''We had a good talk in the locker room after the first and really got the troops going.''
Those troops were led by sophomore Brendon Kerrigan who had two goals and two assists in the game. His efforts were rewarded with the game's Most Valuable Player award.
His linemate and fellow sophomore Kevin Moran chipped in two goals and an assist as well.
''Those guys are leaders for us,'' McCormick said. ''They are really coming into their own this year, we kept that line together to try to get them to build some chemistry and it really worked.''
The Dragons finally got their offense clicking late in the first despite peppering Logan Coughlin for the entire period. Kerrigan drew first blood with a wrist shot thanks to a feed from Moran at the 12:41 mark on the team's ninth shot of the period.
Latin Academy added another goal in the second period, this time from Moran. The sophomore was able to bury the puck in an open net after a pretty series of passes in the offensive zone from Kerrigan and linemate, Michael Clough.
''The guys on the team really wanted to do this for themselves,'' said McCormick. ''They knew that the winner here gets to the state tournament and they were really motivated.''
That motivation showed and the flood gates opened in the final frame when Latin Academy scored three more times. First, Kerrigan scored his second unassisted after a pretty individual move and then Moran grabbed his second, with a helper from Kerrigan.
Latin's final tally came from a freshman, Paul O'Keefe. His goal was icing on the cake coming with less than a minute to play.
The Dragons now return the the Division 3 North sectional tournament for the fourth straight year where they will look improve over last year's one-and-done performance against Tyngsboro.
Latin Academy won its third consecutive Boston City Championship yesterday 5-0 over East Boston at Matthews Arena at Northeastern University.
The Dragons overcame a lackluster first period effort by turning on the style in the final two frames and taking advantage of a series of Eastie penalties.
''We came out flat,'' Latin Academy coach Rob McCormick said. ''We had a good talk in the locker room after the first and really got the troops going.''
Those troops were led by sophomore Brendon Kerrigan who had two goals and two assists in the game. His efforts were rewarded with the game's Most Valuable Player award.
His linemate and fellow sophomore Kevin Moran chipped in two goals and an assist as well.
''Those guys are leaders for us,'' McCormick said. ''They are really coming into their own this year, we kept that line together to try to get them to build some chemistry and it really worked.''
The Dragons finally got their offense clicking late in the first despite peppering Logan Coughlin for the entire period. Kerrigan drew first blood with a wrist shot thanks to a feed from Moran at the 12:41 mark on the team's ninth shot of the period.
Latin Academy added another goal in the second period, this time from Moran. The sophomore was able to bury the puck in an open net after a pretty series of passes in the offensive zone from Kerrigan and linemate, Michael Clough.
''The guys on the team really wanted to do this for themselves,'' said McCormick. ''They knew that the winner here gets to the state tournament and they were really motivated.''
That motivation showed and the flood gates opened in the final frame when Latin Academy scored three more times. First, Kerrigan scored his second unassisted after a pretty individual move and then Moran grabbed his second, with a helper from Kerrigan.
Latin's final tally came from a freshman, Paul O'Keefe. His goal was icing on the cake coming with less than a minute to play.
The Dragons now return the the Division 3 North sectional tournament for the fourth straight year where they will look improve over last year's one-and-done performance against Tyngsboro.
Off the streets at last, on a fast break for hope
Mentors and new programs provide support for athletes that had been sorely lacking
By Bob Hohler, Globe Staff | February 21, 2010
As dusk fell one evening last May, Alex DoSouto was walking alone down a grim Dorchester street, headed toward home, which meant headed toward trouble.
Then he heard a sound he knew only too well.
From a passing car, two assailants with semiautomatic weapons opened fire. One round ripped into DoSouto’s leg, marking him as the fourth brother in his family wounded by gunshots - one died of a bullet to the heart - in the ongoing street war among Boston’s most violent Cape Verdean factions.
At 18, DoSouto was a jail veteran and high school dropout running with the so-called Cape Verdean Outlaws. When the bullet struck just above his court-ordered ankle monitor, he slumped to the pavement, steps from where his brother was fatally wounded three years earlier.
“It changed my life,’’ DoSouto said. “I could have been killed. I said, ‘I can’t keep living like this.’ ’’
In crisis, he turned back to the Boston Public Schools. Back to something he loved, interscholastic basketball. Back to the dream he’d abandoned, of college.
As city leaders confront gang violence, a high school dropout rate twice the state average, and the high cost of incarcerating youths rather than educating them, DoSouto embodies the spirit of a collaboration among the schools, youth-oriented nonprofits, and the new Boston Scholar Athlete program aimed at providing student-athletes, even last-chance students like DoSouto, the resources to succeed.
Five months removed from a jail cell, DoSouto enrolled last fall for his senior year at English High School, the bullet scar on his leg still fresh. School officials say he is on pace to graduate in June, with a chance to land a college basketball scholarship.
“Whatever happened in his life, Alex is filled with buoyancy,’’ English headmaster Sito Narcisse said. “We’re very excited about his prospects.’’
Community leaders hope DoSouto serves as an example of how education and sports can help divert at-risk youths from the streets. He is one of many student-athletes in Boston schools who have been perpetrators or victims of violent crimes.
“Not too long ago, Alex couldn’t picture any of this,’’ said Anthony Robinson, a street worker who helped DoSouto return to school and stick with it. “He was hanging in the streets, causing trouble, and trying to protect himself from the elements. Now he can see prosperity happening in his life.’’
DoSouto’s greatest supporters include two ex-convicts - older brothers Milton DoSouto and Mike Fernandes - who bear scars from a 15-year feud among Cape Verdean crews in Roxbury and Dorchester. Milton DoSouto, 28, who walks with a cane after suffering 11 gunshot wounds in two separate ambushes, and Fernandes, 26, who took a bullet to his leg, said Alex has a chance to reshape their family’s legacy.
The older brothers first landed behind bars as adolescents - Fernandes as a seventh-grader - and neither finished high school. Their criminal histories, including convictions for assaulting police officers, date to the 1990s.
“We don’t want Alex to follow in our footsteps,’’ said Fernandes, who was identified by the Boston Police in 2003 as one of the “impact players’’ in the Cape Verdean gang culture.
“Milton and I didn’t have an older brother to give us good advice,’’ Fernandes said. “We’re trying to teach him the opposite of the way we grew up.’’
Swept up in a deadly cycle of violence, the older brothers said they have buried at least one young relative or friend every year since the ’90s. Fernandes took issue, however, with law enforcement’s characterization of the family-affiliated Outlaws as a gang. He is one of 10 children raised by Alfredo DoSouto and Luisa Fernandes on Hamilton Street in Dorchester.
“One thing people fail to realize is that we are all blood family, blood brothers, and cousins,’’ Fernandes said. “You will never find someone in our group who is outside the family. If they want to blame us for protecting each other and fighting for each other, I don’t know what to call it.’’
Fernandes, who runs a memorabilia business, and his brother, Milton, a barber, indicated they are transitioning out of the street life, a difficult challenge given their deep-rooted conflicts with rival factions.
The two older brothers have attended nearly all of DoSouto’s basketball games since he gave up the streets for school. So has another brother, Steve DoSouto, 25, who is waging a personal campaign against the mayhem in their neighborhood near Bowdoin Street and Geneva Avenue.
Last November, Steve and Alex DoSouto arrived for a night basketball game at the Marshall Elementary School just as a gunman opened fire in the gym and shot one of their friends. The 22-year-old victim, whom police have not identified, fled to his nearby home, where the DoSoutos found him lying on the floor, bleeding from both hands.
Alex, who recently testified before a grand jury about the incident, said he used his shirt to bandage the victim, then rushed upstairs to inform the victim’s mother.
For Steve DoSouto, the attack became a tipping point, one senseless casualty too many.
“I decided to see what I could do to stop the violence,’’ he said.
He launched the Boston Peace Basketball League at the Marshall School. With grants from the Boston Foundation’s StreetSafe program and Robinson’s nonprofit Youth in Crisis Inc., the league provides a free alternative to the streets for dozens of at-risk youths. The Boston Police support the program by staffing the games with two officers to provide security.
“I was afraid kids would stop coming to the gym because they were scared,’’ Steve said. “I didn’t want them to think everyone who comes here is carrying a knife or a gun.’’
Alex plays in the league, coached by Milton, who recently made his own attempt to save children from the dangers of the streets. Meeting with students from the Curley K-8 School in Jamaica Plain, where a 13-year-old boy was charged in December with stabbing two other 13-year-olds in the school gym, Milton spoke about the toll of youth violence. “If you want to be out running the streets,’’ he recalled telling the students, “you’re going to end up burying your best friends, your cousins, your brothers.’’
By nearly all accounts, Alex avoided criminal activity until his brother, Luis DoSouto, was shot to death at the age of 25 in front of their home in 2006. Alex, then 16, saw his brother dying in the street.
“My brother’s life came down to a single moment and in that moment I felt a part of me slip away like the smoke that quickly rises and disappears after the flame on a candle has been put out,’’ Alex wrote last fall in his college admissions essay.
Alex, when asked during an interview at the Marshall School to reflect on how his brother’s death affected him, rushed home and returned with his essay, saying it expressed his genuine feelings about his personal history.
He wrote that he became “fearless’’ after his brother’s death, “not caring if I was shot or killed.’’
“He didn’t want to listen to anyone,’’ Steve said. “He went downhill pretty fast and kept getting locked up.’’
In February 2008, Alex was a junior at Dorchester High School and a star on the basketball team when his street life cost him his freedom. Still on probation for a 2007 marijuana offense, he was charged with driving a getaway car while accomplices robbed three individuals at gunpoint in separate assaults in Quincy.
Jailed for violating probation, Alex began a yearlong cycle in which he repeatedly was released from custody, only to land back behind bars on additional charges. In the most serious case, Alex allegedly punched a 46-year-old man in the Back Bay, knocking him to the ground before a gun-wielding accomplice robbed the victim and a companion of their wallets and a shoulder bag.
Alex, who pleaded not guilty to the armed robbery charges in Quincy and Boston, could face prison time or probation if he is convicted. With the cases pending, he declined to discuss his alleged criminal activities, other than to acknowledge, “I got caught up in the street life and went around starting trouble.’’
He wrote in his college essay that he recognized “the poor choices I had made, how far they had taken me from my childhood dream, and how I was responsible for being so far away from all that I was capable of.’’
In all, Alex spent nine months in jail for probation violations and pretrial detention. Then, two weeks after his last jail stint, came the ambush in front of his house that inspired him to step out of the firing line.
“I didn’t want to become another hole in my mother’s heart,’’ he wrote in his college essay.
At Alex’s request, a judge assigned Robinson to help him turn his life around. Robinson, 49, who grew up in the Bromley-Heath projects in Jamaica Plain and played basketball at English, had several counts in his own criminal history and had spent years working with youths across the city. He is known on the streets as “Big Time.’’
“I’ll always have love for him because of what he has done for my little brother,’’ Milton said.
(Robinson also embodies the risks of backsliding into trouble. He was arrested in November on charges of assaulting a police officer after a domestic altercation with his wife, and is awaiting trial.)
At English High, Alex has received intensive individual support, particularly from Rene Patten, the basketball team’s academic coach. Under the Boston Scholar Athlete program, every boys’ and girls’ basketball team has been assigned an academic coach and must participate in mandatory study halls, many staffed by volunteer tutors from area colleges. Mayor Thomas M. Menino launched the program last year after a Globe series detailed pervasive inadequacies in the city’s high school athletic system.
Patten said the extra attention has proven especially helpful for students like Alex.
“We have a lot of at-risk youths who are dealing with similar things,’’ she said. “It’s important they find somebody in the school to work with them because it gets overwhelming dealing with court dates and absences and trying to make up the work.’’
Narcisse, the English headmaster, raised expectations for the school’s student-athletes this year by increasing the minimum grade-point average to play interscholastic sports to 2.0 from the citywide standard of 1.67. Alex has posted a 2.16 GPA, Patten said, and is on track to improve that mark while carrying a full course load, including honors biology. He also is studying for the SATs.
“He’s a really bright student who picks things up quickly,’’ Patten said. “That works in his favor as he closes the gaps in his education.’’
Worried about Alex’s safety, Patten drives him to school every morning. She said he could be in danger riding a school bus, a concern Fernandes shared as he waited to drive Alex home from a basketball game.
“We could walk out the door right now and something could happen,’’ Fernandes said. “And if trouble comes, it won’t be a fistfight because they don’t come to fistfight.’’
Longtime English basketball coach Barry Robinson said Alex shares a characteristic with many street-hardened youths who have passed through his program.
“Does he still have a rough edge?’’ Robinson said. “Yes, he does. But he may need that rough edge to survive.’’
Alex has proven vital to Robinson’s team, emerging as one of the city’s top point guards. Beyond his exceptional court vision, passing ability, and leadership as a team captain, the 6-footer has given the undersize English roster a boost in scoring, logging 30 points against New Bedford, and 20 or more in several other games.
English is 13-7 (10-4 in the Boston City League) and bound for the state tournament. “Thank God for that young man,’’ Robinson said. “I don’t think we would have won too many games without him.’’
Alex has drawn interest from several colleges, including North Carolina A&T, a Division 1 program. His next challenge - while dealing with the court case - may be winning over admissions officers.
“My experiences in life . . . have all come together and taught me how to face adversity,’’ he wrote in his college essay. “This has not only made me a better person but has prepared me to face the challenges of my future as a man and college student.’’
A community is counting on him.
“I know he’s going to college,’’ Fernandes said. “He’s going to let a lot of people down if he doesn’t.’’
Bob Hohler can be reached at hohler@globe.com.
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