LYNN — Behind an impressive second half effort, the Lynn Classical girls basketball team broke a three-game skid Monday with a 45-29 home win over Greater Boston League foe Somerville.
Ava Thurman had another great game for the Rams, leading the way with 20 points and six rebounds. Thurman had eight of the Rams’ 10 total points in a lackluster first half.
“Ava has a tremendous desire to win,” Classical coach Tom Sawyer said. “And that’s contagious. Other players see what she’s able to do, battling for rebounds even if she’s undersized, and it brings everybody energy to go out there and compete.”
Sailor Brinkler hit three 3-pointers — all coming in the second half — and totaled 11 points and seven rebounds. Molly Mannion had six points and five rebounds while Reese Brinkler added four points and six rebounds.
“We started sharing the ball in the second half,” Sawyer said. “We were getting the ball out and running, which is what we want to do. We want to rebound and push the ball down court to put pressure on their defense.”
It wasn’t always smooth sailing for Classical in this one. In fact for much of the first half the Rams struggled to get anything to fall on the offensive side.
A trio of missed threes and some key offensive rebounds from Somerville allowed the Highlanders to jump out to an 8-0 lead to start. The Rams trailed 10-4 heading into the second quarter.
From there Thurman was the only Rams player who could get any kind of offensive momentum going. The Rams guard hit a 3-pointer to start the second quarter and later grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to cut the Somerville lead to 12-10.
But the comeback was short lived. The Highlanders ended the half on a 7-0 run and started the second half with a quick basket to go ahead 21-10.
Thankfully, the Rams looked like a whole new team in the third quarter. Thurman started things off with another basket and then Sailor Brinkler exploded on the offensive end. The senior hit back-to-back threes and grabbed an offensive rebound followed by a put back that cut the deficit to 21-20.
“I think we started to play with a little more energy in the second half,” Sawyer said. “And what really got us going was shots started to fall. Sailor hit a couple three’s and when that ball starts to go in everybody gets a bit of energy, starts playing defense harder, everything.”
Both teams went back-and-forth from there but a pair of baskets from Thurman and Mannion midway through the third finally gave the Rams their first lead of the night. Classical led 28-27 heading into the fourth.
The final eight minutes belonged almost entirely to Classical. The press defense that had helped the Rams claw back into things allowed just one more basket the rest of the way. Thurman stayed hot and a late three by Brinkler eventually gave Classical a comfortable 41-29 lead.
Classical emptied out the bench from there, with sophomore Delaney Dana playing some great late defense and Akiyah Brown ending the game with a basket and block to cap off the 45-29 win.
The Rams (3-3) will now enter the GBL playoffs where they will host Revere Wednesday (TBA).
“At this point it’s survive and advance,” Sawyer said. “You win, you play on and if you don’t you go home, your season is over.”
