LYNNFIELD — In what was a back-and-forth game through three quarters, the Lynnfield boys basketball team was able to pull away late and cruise to a 66-53 win over Cape Ann League foe Ipswich at home Friday evening. The Pioneers caught fire in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, extending a three-point lead to a 12-point lead in a matter of minutes.
“This win was a total team effort,” said Lynnfield coach John Bakopolus. “We really moved the ball well and got great shots, especially in the second half. The guys really committed to not allowing second-chance points and they did a great job of limiting Ipswich.”
Luke Martinho led the way for Lynnfield with 22 points, including five 3-pointers. Jack Ford added 14 points in the win, while Alex Gentile scored 11 points.
Despite Lynnfield getting out to a 7-2 lead in the opening minutes of the game, Ipswich rallied back quickly and the game was a track meet from there. After three ties and four lead changes, the score stood knotted at 15-15 after the first quarter.
The second quarter was much of the same, with the two teams battling through four ties and seven lead changes throughout the frame. After Martinho knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer, Lynnfield took a 36-34 lead into the halftime break.
The third quarter was still a fight, but the Pioneers started to pull away a bit. Lynnfield managed to stretch its lead to as many as six points in the quarter, eventually taking a 49-43 lead into the fourth.
That’s when the Pioneers turned it on. Behind some timely shooting and solid defensive play, Lynnfield got itself on a run and never looked back. In the blink of an eye, the Pioneers opened up a 15-point lead midway through the quarter and took complete control. Lynnfield was able to cruise to victory from there, holding its double-digit lead until the final buzzer sounded.
“The guys responded well to the challenge,” said Bakopolus. “Ipswich made a run and got to within two, but then our guys really flipped the switch and went on a run of their own. We’ve been playing well lately and it was nice to see us turn it on like that when we needed it.”
Lynnfield (3-5) will play its penultimate game of the season Tuesday evening (6) on the road against Hamilton-Wenham.
“Hamilton-Wenham is one of the best teams in our league, but the guys are excited for the challenge,” said Bakopolus. “We have two games left in the season and we’re happy with how we’re playing, so we’re ready to take on whatever is put in front of us.”
