First-year coach, Spartans bow out of state tourney

BOSTON – Losing always hurts but for St. Mary?s boys basketball coach David Brown, Friday night?s 62-57 loss to St. Clement in the MIAA Division 4 North final stung a little more than usual.This is Brown?s first year as head coach of the Spartans and he was really looking to leave his mark on the program right off the bat. Brown isn?t just the coach, but he?s also a former St. Mary?s player who left the school as one of its leading all-time scorers.?It?s a little more emotional when you have that attachment to the school. I think it hurts a little more when you lose,” he said.?You have so much invested in the school. It?s a school that wins championships,” Brown said, adding that he hopes one day his children will be at the school.The Spartans led the entire first half, but it was a dogfight the rest of the way. St. Clement 6-8 junior center Eamonn Joyce was pretty much unstoppable in the paint. He finished with 23 points.St. Mary?s had big games from Dennis Bailer, who also had 23 points including five threes, and Anthony Silfa, with 16 points.?It?s a little disappointing not being able to put that stamp on the lobby wall at the school,” Brown said, referring to the wall that celebrates all the school?s various championships.Brown said coming back to coach at his alma mater has been great.?It?s exciting to be back home, coaching in the city of Lynn and especially at my alma mater. This team is as talented a team athletically as I?ve ever had,” Brown said.Brown said it?s great to have not just the people from the school at games, but also family and friends who have been there to cheer on the Spartans.The future looks promising for the team with 14 of 15 players returning. The only senior on the team is 6-2 forward Jean-Zachary Louissaint.Brown graduated from St. Mary?s in 1989 after a basketball career that saw him score 1,267 points under coach Frank Valeri. He?s the sixth all-time leading scorer at St. Mary?s.Brown?s college basketball career was equally impressive. He went to Westfield State College where he also eclipsed the 1,000-career point mark. He?s a member of the Westfield State Hall of Fame.Friday?s trip to the North final wasn?t Brown?s first rodeo. During his time as the Winthrop High head coach (2002-2012), he took the Vikings to three North finals and in 2011 his team won a state title.St. Clement coach Leo Boucher said he?s known Brown since he was coaching at Cathedral and Brown was playing for St. Mary?s.?He was a great player and he?s become a great coach. You know any time you go up against a Dave Brown team they?re going to be well coached,” he said.Lynn basketball fans still have a couple of horses left in the tournament. The St. Mary?s girls will play Winthrop this morning at 10:30 a.m. in the Division 3 North final at the Tsongas Center in Lowell and at 6 p.m., the Lynn English girls take on perennial powerhouse Central Catholic in the Division 1 North final.