Defense helps Tech boys hoop advance

LYNN – Lynn Tech boys basketball coach Marvin Avery has a sweatshirt with the saying “Defense wins games” on the back.Though his team scored 86 points (with 12 players netting at least two apiece) in last night’s first-round 86-46 win over Northeast in the Division 3 North sectionals at the Tech Field House, it was the team’s defensive play that set the tone in the contest. The Knights (who entered the tourney as the 13th and final seed) not only missed shots and failed at following them up on the boards, but had numerous shots blocked, tipped, and deflected along the way.Tech’s reward will be playing the winner of tonight’s Watertown-Monuments affair, sometime this weekend.The fourth-seeded Tigers (15-8) rolled out to a 16-0 edge late in the opening quarter, converting numerous steals into fast-break possessions, which translated into hoops. Perhaps the niftiest basket came after a steal by guard Trey Gallo near midcourt. He dribbled along the far side of the court, and found teammate Rich Warren underneath to the left of the basket. Gallo scooped the ball to Warren for the layup.The Knights (7-14) didn’t score their first points until there was 1:46 remaining in the stanza on a short jumper by forward Corey Thurell (the game’s leading scorer with 26).”Our defense creates a lot of havoc for the other team,” Avery said. “Defensive pressure leads to fast-break possessions. We’re like greyhounds out there (on the court), and we’re a very unselfish team, with everyone knowing his role.”Thurell opened up the second quarter with a three (one of five he had on the night), but the Tigers went on an 18-0 run to widen their lead to 36-6 midway through. Tech utilized its speed and quickness to the ball, forcing numerous turnovers throughout. As a result, the Tigers took a 51-13 halftime edge.”They outhustled and outworked us, and are very good athletes,” Northeast coach Bryan Sweeney said about the Tigers. “We couldn’t break their press at all.”Warren had 18 points to lead Tech, while teammate B-Jay Baptiste chipped in with 17. Guard Felix Rios had 14, and forward Adam Lawn came off the bench to score 12.