Lots of changes afoot at Tech, but Avery promises exciting winter

LYNN – The style may be unfamiliar, but Lynn Tech boys basketball coach Marvin Avery hopes the results are similar.Tech will have a bit of a different look this season. The Tigers will rely more on athleticism and quickness than height in their usual quest to play in the post-season, and hopefully for Tech, its third state championship.”It’s going to be a totally different team than what we’re used to,” said Avery, who is in his 12th season at the helm at Tech. “It’s a new cast of characters, but we think we’ll be surprisingly exciting this year.”The Tigers lost to graduation most of their front court from last season’s team that went 17-7 and made it to the Div. 3 North quarterfinals before losing to eventual state champion Watertown. Tech also won the state vocational tournament last season. Gone from that Tech team are Lorenzo Rivera, Victor Smith and Terrence Gallo, and Josh Cheever has transferred to Lynn Classical.In their stead, Tech will turn to a lineup that mostly consists of four guards, including point man Felix Rios and shooting guard Gerratt Fairweather, the team’s two senior co-captains.”We’re not as big as we’ve been in the past, but we’re 12 (players) deep and we’re going to be aggressive,” Avery said.The Tigers will look for increased contributions from Richie Warren and Trey Gallo, a pair of juniors who are both shooting guards. The sophomore class is stocked with a lot of good athletes who got some seasoning at the sub-varsity level last year. Mike Duarte is a swingman who gained a lot of experience playing AAU ball during the off-season, and B.J. Baptiste is a busy 6-footer with a lot of speed. Adam Lawn, another versatile player, can also play forward or guard and is “very aggressive on defense,” according to Avery.The Tigers aren’t entirely bereft of height. Cameron Womack will be the Tech’s starting center and a 6-3 will be counted on for rebounds. Ryan Murphy, one of the stars on the Tech football team that last month won the vocational bowl in the large division last week, is a 6-3 forward/center who will bang under the boards and play solid defense.”As everyone knows, (Murphy) is a very good athlete,” said Avery. “He was hurt for most of the (basketball) season last year, so getting him back this season is a big lift for us.”The Tigers are expected to again contend for the Commonwealth Conference title, though Avery acknowledges Chelsea as the justified pre-season favorite. Greater Lawrence will also be a good team and Minuteman Tech, which has had a great rivalry with Tech over the past few years, usually puts a decent squad on the floor.Avery has scheduled some rugged non-league games to prepare for what he hopes is an extended tournament run. The Tigers open their season with Cambridge Rindge & Latin, one of the most historically successful Div. 1 teams in the state, and then play Div. 4 North finalist Winthrop. There will be plenty at stake besides wins when the Tigers take on intra-city rival Lynn English – maybe the team to beat in Div. 1 this season – and then St. Mary’s in the first round of the Boverini Tournament on Dec. 28, and then either Classical or English the next day.”We’re young, we’re not big, but we think we’re going to be competitive,” Avery said.