LYNN — Lynn Tech’s boys basketball team punched its ticket to Saturday’s Walter J. Boverini title game after a 62-55 win against Lynn Classical on Friday.
The Tigers picked up their first win of the season, but not without hard work to overcome a 28-19 halftime deficit on St. Mary’s hardwood. Classical held Tech to just two points across the final five minutes of the second quarter, building a nine-point halftime advantage.
But the message from Tech coach Corey Bingham was simple: Play Tigers’ basketball.
“Just play our brand of basketball. I wanted them to move, cut, and set hard screens,” he said. “They clogged up the middle, so we tried to get the big guys to come out and chase Gio (Jean) and Andy (Bautista).”
His Tigers listened, coming out on fire in the second half and going on a 15-4 run to take a 34-32 lead.
“We just didn’t play our game. We missed a lot of foul shots and layups. They did a nice job with their press. We got a little rattled and we didn’t do what we do best,” said Classical coach Marvin Avery. “Give Tech credit. I coached there for years and a lot of the guys on that staff were my former players. I give credit where credit is due. They did a good job.”
Tech rode its momentum into the fourth quarter with a 45-42 lead. From there, the Tigers relied on guards Travis Sanchez, Jean, and Bautista, who all hit critical shots to stay in front.
Classical didn’t go down without a fight, however, as junior Rolky Brea Arias (14 rebounds) posted another double-double.
“He did a nice job today. He executed well tonight. He got in a bit of foul trouble, so we had to squat him a little,” Avery said. “He’s one of the best players in the state. Unfortunately, we came out on the short end of the stick, but we’re all right.”
Unfortunately, those missed layups cost the Rams as Jean and Bautista hit their free throws and layups down the stretch.
“Gio is a special kid. He’s a great kid all-around, and on the basketball court, sometimes, being a great kid, he defers a lot. I need him to be how he was today: aggressive and assertive,” Bingham said. “He was getting people shots, but he was getting his shots. It’s hard being second or third fiddle and now being the man. Today was the day I think he learned he needs to be the man continuously.”
On Bautista, Bingham was glad to see him look for his shot.
“Andy, for the first two years, was the floor general, so he was never looking to score. This year, I told him this is the year he has to let it loose,” Bingham said. “You can see what he can do. He’s a special talent with the ball in his hands.”
The Rams were the bigger side and won the rebounding game. To look for a solution, Bingham turned to junior center Johan Plaza, who compiled big rebounds down the stretch.
“Johan is a big guy. He came to me and said he wanted a chance and I gave him one,” Bingham said. “I’m just so proud of him because he’s worked hard to get himself in basketball shape and he made an impact.”
Despite the loss, Avery isn’t too concerned with his team’s performance and knows it’s a long season.
“It’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon, so we’ll be fine,” he said.
Bingham hopes his team left the gym with a newfound identity.
“Today, we played four quarters of Lynn Tech basketball. We were aggressive, we were trapping, we were all over the place. Hats off to Classical – they are a big team and they outrebounded us, but the guys fought,” he said. “It’s Tiger pride and we made them work tonight. The defense is all about effort and I felt like the first three games, it wasn’t all there, but today, they turned it around and gave it their all.”
Tech will take on host St. Mary’s in Saturday’s championship game at 4 p.m. while Classical plays KIPP in the consolation game at 12:30 p.m.
