LYNN — The boys basketball landscape in Lynn remains unchanged.
St. Mary’s, for the fifth straight year, won the Walter J. Boverini Lynn Christmas Tournament Saturday with a hard-fought 61-53 win against Lynn Tech at the Spartans’ Tony Conigliaro Gym.
Nothing came easily, or cheaply. Calling it a defensive struggle was only half the story. It was a “black and blue” game. There were lots of bodies hitting the court, lots of ferocious physical combat under both baskets.
But when it was over, one player stood out: JJ Martinez of the Spartans, who was the tournament MVP. Martinez finished the game with 21 points, the only Spartan to finish with double figures. Seven of those points came in a fourth quarter in which St. Mary’s rebounded from a six-point deficit to the eight-point final score.
“They did what they had to do,” said Tech coach Corey Bingham. “But our guys gave it their all. I want them to be tired at the end of the game. I’m proud of them.”
St. Mary’s may be the dominant team in this tournament (the Spartans have won seven of eight), but Tech wasn’t intimidated in the least. The Tigers jumped out to an 8-1 lead as the Spartans had trouble getting untracked. In fact, St. Mary’s shot under 50 percent for the game. What saved the Spartans was a distinct height advantage, enabling them to stay in the game with rebounds and putbacks.
At 11-2, the Spartans got it going and scored the next 10 points to get back in the game – and stay in the game. From that point until the last minute, the margin was six points – a 48-42 Tech lead with five minutes to go in the game.
During that run, Martinez scored five points.
St. Mary’s was up by a point (15-14) after a quarter, but Tech had a strong second quarter, led by Travis Sanchez’s eight points to take a 30-25 lead into the lockerroom.
Tech went ice-cold in the third quarter, and St. Mary’s led by four (44-40) heading into the fourth.
The final quarter was played at a hectic pace, with Martinez taking over. St. Mary’s had a huge advantage with four fouls to give in the last minute and a half, and took them all, thereby bunting Tech’s ability to come back once the Spartans got the lead. St. Mary’s also hit 15 free throws in the quarter.
