LYNN — The St. Mary’s boys basketball team will face off against Norton Tuesday night in the semifinals of the state tournament at Woburn Memorial High School.
After falling short a couple of years ago at the TD Garden, the No. 1-ranked Spartans look to punch their ticket back and this time, take home the championship.
“This team has a lot of motivation to take it one game at a time and try to play the best we can possibly be playing,” said head coach Dave Brown. “I think right now, we’re doing a good job of that, and that’s what put us in this position today.”
Behind a phenomenal quarterfinals performance by the CCL co-MVP duo of junior David Brown Jr. and senior Ali Barry, the Spartans move onto the semifinals and are a force to be reckoned with. Outside of great offensive ability, the Spartans also have an ironclad defense.
For the Spartans though, the old saying, “the best offense is a good defense,” rings especially true.
“We need to defend the way we’re capable of defending, and rebounding the basketball, that alone should keep us in the game,” said Brown. “If you play well on the defensive end, even if you’re having a bad shooting night, your defense can keep you in the game.”
One of the biggest things that marks the team is its sense of brotherhood. This team’s chemistry on and off the court is a significant factor when it comes to winning games.
“These kids get along so well,” said Brown. “There’s no looking at someone thinking they take too many shots, or he’s not passing him the ball, or he’s getting his name in the paper. This was one of the most enjoyable seasons I’ve had coaching in a long time.”
The support doesn’t stop there, though. The whole St. Mary’s community supports one another, and whether it’s girls or boys basketball or hockey teams, all the teams are always there to cheer on and support one another.
In the case of the basketball teams though, both the girls and boys will be competing in the semifinals, trying to advance to the championship. The boys will be at the stadium early to cheer on their female counterparts, while it’s likely the girls will also be there late to cheer on the boys.
The Spartans have put together a very impressive season, but they have yet to achieve their goal. While finishing as the No. 1 overall team is an amazing accomplishment in and of itself, this Spartans’ team will not be satisfied until they’re hoisting the championship trophy.
Tip-off between No. 1 St. Mary’s and No. 4 Norton is Tuesday night (7:15) at Woburn Memorial High School.
