PHOTO: KATIE MORRISON
Classical’s Erick Solis looks for a pass while Saugus’ Kyle Autilio defends.
By Katie Morrison
SAUGUS — Behind big fourth-quarter performances from sophomore Edwin Solis and freshman Dyrrell Rucker, the Classical boys’ basketball team held on to beat Saugus, 66-60, at Saugus High School on Tuesday night.
From the opening tip-off, it felt like this game would be a tight one. Classical’s Erick Solis opened the scoring two minutes into the game, driving through traffic for a layup.
The Sachems went on a run late in the quarter, scoring nine unanswered points, with Evan DeCristoforo scoring six of them while Kyle Autilio added four and Christopher McGrane and David Rowinsky three apiece.
Saugus held a 16-10 lead nearing the end of the quarter after Rowinsky hit a three. Classical’s Jakeel Brown got the Rams within three with a three-pointer to wrap up the first-quarter scoring.
The second quarter started the same way the first ended: with Brown sinking a three, this time to tie the score at 16. The two squads traded the lead throughout the second quarter, but it was the Rams who took a 31-28 lead into the half.
The Rams held a six-point lead with seconds left in the third, but Rowinsky hit a shot at the buzzer to bring Saugus within four, setting the stage for a dramatic final quarter.
With three minutes left to play, Rowinsky grabbed a rebound and sent a pass to DeCristoforo, who drove to the hoop through a ton of traffic and tied the game at 53. Saugus captain Dan Bertrand came through with a big three, giving the Sachems a late lead.
Edwin Solis, who scored all eight of his points in the fourth quarter, grabbed a rebound, his fourth of the night, and sent it back up. He made the basket, drew a foul, and after sinking the free throw, gave the Rams a two-point advantage. McGrane tied it up again with a layup.
During a fast and furious possession, Brown went sprinting out of bound to keep the ball in play. He limped back onto the court, but was still asking for the ball. He got it, and hit a huge three to put Classical out front for good.
“That was a big shot for him,” said Classical assistant coach Jasper Grassa. “He’s been putting in a lot of time shooting, not just this season, but over the summer as well, and it’s starting to show. I’m happy for him.”
Brown made a big steal during Saugus’ possession and whipped a pass to Rucker, who was waiting under the hoop. Rucker scored seven of his 12 points in the fourth quarter. Edwin Solis put the game out of reach with a layup and a free throw.
Grassa credited his defense with shutting down Saugus in the end and forcing them to make mistakes.
“We struggled against the zone, but we forced some turnovers in transition and I think that really did it for us,” he said.
Erick Solis may not have scored any points in the fourth quarter, but he was Classical’s leading scorer with 17. Brown finished with 12 points and three rebounds. DeCristoforo finished with a game-high 20 points for the Sachems.
