Sports: Belmont Boys’ Basketball Quietly Enters Playoffs After Cathedral Roadrace

February 26, 2017 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont’s Daniel Yardemian (center) being fouled by Cathedral’s Manny Green.

Can a 16-6 team quietly enter the playoffs?

Belmont High School Boys’ Basketball is doing just that, going about its business mostly under the radar as it enters the Division 2 North sectional tourney play on Wednesday, March 1 against Chelsea High School.

And that might be a good thing for the Marauders as opponents may overlook a team that played undefeated Division 1 powerhouse Arlington High close away to the SpyPonders, defeated City school Boston English, and took apart archrival and Division 3 North top-seed Watertown in the season while finishing second to the aforementioned SpyPonders in the Middlesex Liberty division.

“I really like this team,” said Belmont’s long-serving head coach Adam Pritchard a week ago. “We have an undersized center (senior captain Paul Ramsey) who I think is at least league co-MVP and just a lot of players who work well together. It’s a real scrappy team.”

That gritty style of play – regulars Cal Christofori and Ben Jones starred on the gridiron for the Marauders this season – was highlighted on Thursday when Belmont traveled to the bandbox gymnasium of Cathedral High in Boston’s South End to end the post-league season against the 14-4 Panthers who are the second seed in the Division 3 South sectionals and are expected to win not just the South but the Eastern Mass title.

Why put such an arduous task before his team as the playoffs loom, having ended the season on an impressive 6-1 run with wins over dreaded Watertown and a big tough team from Billerica on Seniors Night.

“How are you going to get better if you don’t play the best,” said Pritchard before the game as the court rocked with the stands filled with happy parents and classmates on the Panthers’ senior night.

“It’s loud like a playoff game. I want [the Marauders] to experience this atmosphere against a talented team,” said Pritchard.

It was a game that did not disappoint in competitiveness and for just plain ol’ hoops FUN. The first half was played at breakneck speed as both teams resembled Usain Bolt as they sprinted up and down the floor with the ball being heaved the length and breadth of the court and threes raining from downtown. All that was missing was Dick Vitale yelling “Oh baby! It’s prime time in Boston!”

That wide open play favored Belmont as sophomore point guard Daniel Yardemian used his quickness to open space to make the assist or drilling the J tallying scoring 14 points in the first, joining Ramsey’s 13 to allow Belmont to sprint out to a 29-18 first quarter lead.

The Belmont trapping defense where two and even three Marauders surrounded the Panthers’ guards bothered the hosts into committing a slew of turnovers and hurried shots which gave the Marauders’ the edge. Yardemian hit two of three foul shots for a foul on a 3-attempt followed by senior Daron Hamparian; the Marauders were cruising by 15, 46-31 with 4:20 remaining in the second.

“He’s really important for us. It’s something special when you have someone who was the freshman [team] point guard playing that position as a sophomore and doing it at this level,” said Pritchard of Yardemian.

But Cathedral wasn’t laying down for the visitors, going on an 11-0 run culminating in a 3 from NBA distance by the Panthers all-star senior guard Calvin Cheek, cutting the lead to 4 at 46-42 with 1:11 left in the half. In the final minute, Christofori scored all five of his second quarter points including a buzzer beating 3 to allow Belmont to hit the half with a seven-point lead, 51-44.

The third quarter saw it rain 3s for both sides as the Panthers’ kept running. Belmont was equal with the spurt as a Ramsey basket, and foul shot pushed up the lead to eight, 59-51, four minutes in the quarter. Cathedral then upped their game and behind Cheek took a 67-66 lead only for Hamparian to throw up his third of four 3s for the night to give Belmont its last advantage at 69-67 with less than a minute to go.

Cathedral High’s Calvin Cheek scored 31 points vs. Belmont.

But from that point it became the Cheek’s Show as the senior displayed a shooters eye, a command of the floor and a leader’s approach in coaching on and off the court, positioning teammates and yelling encouragement. He dished, drove and drained the key shots, in the first minute of the final stanza draining two from the charity strip and a 3 after stripping the ball to start the transition.

Before you knew it, the Panthers went on a 14-3 run as the hosts slowed the play and allowed its bump and grab zone defense to stifle Belmont to lead 83-72 with two to go.

Give Belmont credit for marshaling a spirited comeback. As Cathedral missed free throws to extend its lead, Ramsey and Yardemian hit driving hoops while Hamparian swished his final 3.

With Cheeks on the line and the Panthers up by 3, the game’s star faulted on both shots giving Belmont a final attempt to tie it up with a 3. But Yardemian’s contested fling was short with less than 10 seconds, and the Marauders fate was sealed, taking the fall, 86-81.

For Pritchard, the trip to the parking-challenged South End (hint: next year bring the Panthers to Belmont) was well-worth the effort and disappointment.

“For us, it was a really good preparation for tournament-wise and being in this atmosphere where you have to play through adversity. I thought our effort was there, so I’m not unhappy.

“We have things to work on, and we’ll have time to do those,” said Pritchard.

Sports: Girl Hoopsters Top Seed In Sectionals, Boys’ In At 6th

February 24, 2017 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Game against Melrose two months ago.

The Belmont High Girls’ Basketball team has secured the coveted number one seed in the coming Division 2 North sectional playoffs that begin next week.

The Boys’ squad has garnered the sixth seed and a first-round home game on Wednesday, March 1 at 7 p.m. against the Chelsea High School Red Devils.

Belmont Girls finished the season at 16-4, the same record as Wakefield High. The Marauders took to top spot via a coin toss.

With its .800 winning percentage, Belmont has earned a bye in the first round and will play its quarterfinal game at home on Friday, March 3 at 7 p.m. against the winner of the Triton Regional Vikings and the Marauders’ Middlesex League rival Melrose. Belmont defeated Melrose 42-31 in the first game of the season in mid-December.

If successful next Friday, Belmont’s semi-final match will take place early in the week of March 6. They would play one of four teams in the lower part of the bracket: #4 Pentucket, #5 Arlington Catholic, #12 Danvers and #13 Newburyport.

Belmont’s final loss of the season was a “heartbreaking” 37-35 defeat to Pentucket – the only Division 2 tream they lost to this season – on Feb. 19, according to Head Coach Melissa Hart.

The “one seed” is the highest playoff position Belmont has held in the past decade. The previous record were a pair of five seeds in 2015 and 2008. Last year, Belmont as the 10th seed made a heroic run to the sectional finals, defeating the 7th, 2nd and 3rd ranked teams before falling to Watertown (this season’s 3rd seed) in the finals.

Belmont Boys come into the playoffs with a 16-6 record (with a 15-5 counting towards the tourney) playing tough pressing defense and speedy offense. A win over the 13-7 Devils will see Belmont take on the winner of the third ranked Lynn Classical (18-3) and 12th seed Salem (10-8) later in the week.

Sports: Belmont Boys’ Hoops Left Out In The Rain By SpyPonders

January 4, 2017 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Sophomore guard Daniel Yardemian vs. Arlington.

Why when the Belmont High School Boys’ Basketball team crosses Route 2 to visit its neighbors Arlington High, it’s always raining? Tuesday’s game, Jan. 3, marked the fourth time in five years that the Marauders have been met with a downpour entering the Arlington High gym.

And for the third time in four years, the outcome of the match was a dreary as the weather.

Playing catch-up throughout the game that saw Arlington make the last shot in the first three-quarters – including a 3-point prayer by junior Adrian Black at the end of the critical third quarter – the Marauders could not put together a consistent offense against the SpyPonders, falling 64-57.

It was not the game Belmont (4-3, 2-2 in the Middlesex League) was expecting to play after defeating a top-ranked Division 1 New Bedford team during the holiday break. Arlington remains undefeated at 5-0.

Belmont’s only lead came with the game’s opening basket from game-high scorer senior captain Paul Ramsey (25 points) before two consecutive three-point bombs from Nick Karalis (8 points) and all-star senior Colin McNamara (with an all-around great game with 22 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds) had Belmont Head Coach Adam Pritchard calling a timeout just a minute into the match.

While Ramsay kept Belmont in the game, the team just wasn’t clicking on any of their shots, ending the first quarter with an anemic 5 points and down by 10.

The second eight minutes saw a more familiar Marauder team – up tempo sparked by senior forward Cal Christofori (8 points, all in the second quarter) who used his athleticism to start the comeback.

Sophomore guard Daniel Yardemian (2 points) was quite effective driving to the basket then dishing the ball to Ramsey and Christofori. A Christofori putback of a Yardemian miss ended a 12-2 run to tie the score at 17 with 4:30 to play.

But the Marauder momentum was short-circuited by consecutive traveling calls, one not called on the SpyPonders and the other a phantom infraction on Belmont. The subsequent 3 by Karalis and a jumper by Dominic Black upped the lead to seven at 26-19.

For the second time in the quarter, Belmont race back behind a 360 spinning layup by Christofori, Yardemain’s drive in the lane and a Ben Jones 3 pointer to tie it up at 27 with Belmont in possession with 20 seconds left in the quarter. But an unforced error on the inbounds gave the ball right back to the hosts which McNamara scored as the buzzer went off.

After tying the game for the third (and final time) at 29, it was Arlington which forced the issue. While Belmont missed several chances in close, the SpyPonder went inside to sophomore big man James Gascoigne (8 of his 14 points in the third) and outside to the Black brothers (juniors Dominic and Adrian) who scored a couple of long range 3s as Arlington raced to a double-digit advantage at 42-31 with 3:10 left.

Despite senior Bryan Goodwin (11 points with three 3s) hitting a three in transition and a hoop on the drive inside, Belmont could not mount a run they had in the second quarter. Down 9 with a second left, Dominic Black’s buzzer beater sent Arlington into the fourth up by a dozen.

Arlington kept up the pressure and extended the lead to 16 after two minutes and cruised to the victory.

Belmont will be on the road in Woburn on Friday.

Appreciation: Belmont Girls’, Boys’ Basketball Did Themselves Proud.

March 21, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker 1 Comment

Photo: Girls’ Basketball after semifinal win over Arlington Catholic.

Dear Belmontonian:

I write to congratulate the members and coaches of Belmont High’s Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball teams for their fine seasons and appearances in the MIAA basketball tournament.

The boys’ finished a triumphant regular season as Middlesex League’s Liberty Division champions earning a first-round tournament bye before dropping a hard-fought game to Brighton High before a raucous home crowd.

The girls’, seeded 10^th, advanced deep into the tournament, besting tough #7 Marblehead, #2 Newburyport and #3 Arlington Catholic teams along the way.

Last Saturday evening, a huge Belmont crowd attended the Girls Division 2 North finals against archrival Watertown. Belmontians from all walks of life, young, old, “townies,” “newbies,” liberal and conservative alike were there in unison supporting and cheering for our Belmont team. Events like this can galvanize a community, bringing everyone together in a common spirit regardless of cultural, ethnic or political differences, if only for a few hours. Disappointingly, Belmont’s girls’ lost the game decided in the final seconds but it was not from lack of effort.

Although our Marauder teams did not win the tournament, Belmont’s young men and women played hard to the end, played to the best of their ability and displayed good sportsmanship throughout.

While academics are high school’s primary purpose, the lessons displayed by our young men and women student-athletes are just as important. I witnessed discipline, selfless team play, perseverance, sacrifice, pride, integrity and sportsmanship played out on the courts. I watched them revel in victory and be humble and gracious in defeat. These valuable life lessons cannot be taught from a textbook, but must be experienced to be learned. From my perspective, they learned their lessons well.

Congratulations again to Belmont’s Varsity Basketball teams. They did their town, their school, their families, their friends and, most of all, themselves proud.

Stephen B. Rosales

Farnham Street

Sports: Belmont Boys’ Hoops Exit Playoffs Early by Youthful Brighton Squad

March 2, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker 1 Comment

Photo: Charge, Brighton.

Belmont High Boys’ Basketball Head Coach Adam Pritchard looked like the world had just settled on his shoulders after his Marauders was knocked out of the MIAA Division 2 North Sectional playoffs Tuesday night, March 1.

Pritchard’s senior-laden team had just fallen victim in the first round match-up to a young, physical squad from Brighton High, 72-67, before a ruckus home fan base, and now the long-time coach was about to enter the locker room where “there are a lot of very sad young men, I know that.”

“It was two very good teams tonight,” said Pritchard. “[Brighton is] an excellent team, I saw them play earlier in the year, and I know what they can do, and I know what we were capable of so I knew the game would come down to the final minute,” he said.

“We, unfortunately, just did not hold onto possession in vital moments down the stretch,” Pritchard said, as he took that long walk into the lockers.

While Belmont came into the game the fifth-seed, Brighton was no 12-seed, a young team that lost some games during the regular season due to lack of concentration not of talent.

In a tight game with just a pair of long scoring runs for each team, it was a critical two-minute stretch midway in the final quarter when, tied at 61, Brighton stripped and stole the possession from Belmont three consecutive times down court, converting two easy layups to take a four-point lead, 65-61, an advantage the Bengals would not concede.

“They are a very aggressive team, they anticipated well and made us turn over the ball,” said Pritchard.

With its Middlesex League All-Star guard combo of Cole Bartels and league MVP Matt Kerans, the Marauders continually found open threes early in the contest as Brighton doubled team the ball on nearly every trip to the basket. Bartels was particularly effective from beyond the arc with three 3’s in the first half for 11 points (yet he would be shut out for the second half by Brighton’s tight marking.)

Belm0nt’s scoring balance – seven players scored in the first half – and its “let them shot” defensive approached began working as junior forward Paul Ramsey found his range with a three and a two to join fellow juniors Bryan Goodwin (a bucket and a pair from the chairty strip) and Daron Hamparian (the same as Goodwin) on the scoring chart.

While Belmont’s defense and hot three-point shooting gave Belmont a four-point lead at the half, 34-30, a 7-0 run – a Kerans layup in traffic, a bucket in close from Joe Shaughnessy and a fall-away three from Kerans who ended the game with a match-high 24 points – early in the third saw the Marauders leap out in front by nine, 41-32, at the 5:30 mark of the third.

But a quick timeout by Brighton’s young and talented head coach Hugh Coleman calmed his charges which then proceeded to outscore the Marauders’ 20-11 in the third, pushed by sophomore phenom Jerrod Clark (12 points) who dropped four twos during the stretch.

Despite a monster quarter from Kerans with 11 point including three 3s – to a chorus of “MVP” – the Bengals comeback culminated with Brighton hitting a pair of threes in the final 28 seconds, the first from junior point Jordan Galloway (his first basket of the night for three of his nine total) and a buzzer beater from star junior shooting guard Tyrone Perry who end with a team-high 15 points.

It was a back and forth fourth quarter with Ramsey’s three with 5:30 left to give the Marauders’ its final advantage at 59-57. But less than a minute later, Brighton’s doubling the ball playing havoc to Belmont’s passing and dribbling attack resulting in the three steals and leading to the 4-0 run.

“We earned a lot of tough baskets tonight, but we gave up a few too many easy ones,” said Pritchard.

While the Marauders cut the lead to two with less than a minute to go (65-53 on an easy Shaughnessy layup) that was as close as Belmont would come as Kerans – who played the entire game – could not will a pair of threes to find the hoops.

For Pritchard, an outstanding season (17-6) and Middlesex League Liberty banner meant little as he stared into space after the game, which saw the end of the career of seniors Damian Bitsikas, Yvrantzi Dedravines, Justin Wagner, Shaughnessy, Luke Peterson, Lowell Haska, Bartels and Kerans, who became the program’s all-time scoring leader with more than 1,300 points.

“We played a great game, but the better team on the court was Brighton,” said Pritchard.

Sports: Boys’ Hoops Host Tough Brighton in Playoff Opener Tuesday

February 26, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Brighton winning the 2015 City Championship.

Belmont High School Boys’ Basketball will host a tough young Brighton High Bengals squad in the first round of the MIAA Division 2 North sectionals on Tuesday, March 1 at 7 p.m. at the Wenner.

Brighton (13-8) has been a Boston powerhouse program since head coach Hugh Coleman took charge seven years ago, winning the 2013 Massachusetts Divison 2 State Championship and was crowned the 2015 Boston City League Champions.

Brighton, the 12th seed, has been inconsistent this year, losing in the semifinals of the city championship last week against a weaker opponant, but stills features outstanding players such as Tyrone Perry, Mykel Derring, Izaiah Winston-Brooks and Jordan Galloway. Two of the squad’s losses were to a pair of high-power New Jersey teams.

Belmont (17-5), ranked 5th in the tourney, comes in as Middlesex League Liberty champions and will ride a senior-laden team led by Middlesex MVP Matt Kerans, three-point specialist Cole Bartels and big men Joe Shaughnessy and Justin Wagner.

Sports: Kerans Breaks Belmont’s Boys’ Hoops All-Time Scoring Record

February 19, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker 1 Comment

Photo: Matt Kerans driving against Lexington.

This spring, a new banner will be placed in the Wenner Field House with Belmont High senior Matt Kerans’ name on it accompanied by a still-to-be-determined number.

While the amount remains in flux, the recognition was earned through persistence and excellence as the four-year varsity guard broke Steve Pollard’s 30-year-old all-time career scoring record of 1,294 in Belmont’s 58-48 victory over Lexington High School on Seniors Night/Afternoon, Thursday, Feb 18.

Belmont High Boys’ Hoops 2015-16 seniors with parents: (from left) Justin Wagner, Joe Shaughnessy, Yvrantzi Desravines, Luke Peterson, Kevork Hamparian, Cole Bartels, Damian Bitsikas, Lowell Haska, Matt Kerans.

Needing seven points to top Pollard’s record, Kerans wasted little time hitting a three on the team’s initial trip down the court and a bucket soon after before taking a pass on the right side and hitting his trademark fallaway three-point shot midway through the first quarter.

Despite the history-making moment – and after the buzzer signaling the event was ignored by the refs – play continued for a minute longer before a timeout occurred allowing Kerans to receive congratulations from his teammates.

The win over the Minutemen left Belmont with a 17-5 record, a league championship and predicted five seed in the upcoming MIAA Division 2 North sectionals, earning the Marauders, at least, one home playoff game.

Despite a well-earned reputation for being a player who lets his outstanding play do most of his speaking, Kerans did say breaking the record “means a lot.”

“Ever since I was in middle school, I’ve been looking up at the banners, seeing the points and people have seen saying I could be up there,” said Kerans, who thanked his teammates over the past four seasons for their play which allowed him the opportunities to be an offensive force.

“And I couldn’t have done it without coach [Adam] Pritchard’s support,” he said.

Banner Time! Belmont Boys’ Hoops Is Middlesex League Liberty Championship

February 14, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: The 2015-16 Middlesex League Liberty Division champions: Belmont High School

The lockers took a beating from Belmont High School’s Boys Basketball players as they added a celebratory beat to the joyful roar emanating from the visitors locker room at Reading Memorial High School as the Marauders raucously celebrated winning the Middlesex League Liberty Division championship after defeating Reading, 60-54, on Friday night, Feb. 12.

“We met with the juniors last year and talked about goals and a league title was always one of them,” Belmont’s long-time head coach Adam Pritchard told the Belmontonian after the game.

“I just thought it was something that they should expect and have to earn. I thought we had to the ability to do it,” he said.

Belmont now stands at 15-4 with four games remaining including a final league match with visiting Lexington at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18. The team will also take part in the Sharon Tournament where they will meet three teams – Braintree, Cathedral and Sharon – that have made the MIAA playoffs.

If winning the championship was a great accomplishment, the game in which they won it was not, as the game tapes are worthy of being burned. Midway through the first quarter, Belmont led 2-1 before going on an 8-0 run on threes from senior guard Cole Bartels and junior Paul Ramsey (9 points). At the end of the quarter, the two playoff-bound teams scored an anemic total of 21 points (12-9 Belmont).

The second quarter was slightly more productive as strong defense and less than stellar shooting sent Belmont into halftime with a five-point edge, 26-21, as co-sixth men guards Daron Hamparian (2 points) and Tomas Donoyan (3 points) came off the bench to up the defensive intensity

“We went in at half time and I told them we have not shot a free throw, they have a two to one offensive rebounding advantage and we’re up by five, held them to 21 points in the first half and we haven’t played well on our end,” said Pritchard.

“If we can hold them defensively, our offense will win the game,” he said.

Bartels started the third quarter with a three pointer (one of three in the game for a team high 16 points) and a bucket and one in the first two minutes to give Belmont a nine point lead (36-27). Reading would keep it close behind its go-to senior guard Jared Thorpe-Johnson (three tough baskets in the third quarter, part of his game high 21 points) to cut the lead to six, 37-31. But Belmont would counter with a Steph Curry-like teardrop three from Matt Kerans (part of his 15 point night) to put the team up by nine (46-37) at the start of the fourth quarter.

The Marauders was able to pull away early in the final quarter as senior forward Luke Peterson (4 points) – who is coming back from injury – was nearly credited with a dunk which was waved off for a foul (he hit the two foul shots) while Bartels drained a three to see Belmont up its lead by 13 with 4:47 left in the game. While Reading did make a late run to come with five points at 57-52, Bartels (16 points) drained a three to end any upset ideas from the hosts.

While not wanting to rate this squad to other league championship or good squads he’s coached in the past, Pritchard said “[t]hey are similar to a couple successful teams in that they are a nice, tight team. They go to dinners together, they are very supportive of each other and we have very good students and high character kids. They’re fun to be around.”

Pritchard is now looking forward to the post season with some practical advice to his team.

“A couple of players from the [Super Bowl winning Denver] Broncos that said their coach told them all you have to be is better than everyone else for the next month. I told the boys you have to be better then everybody every day.”

So, can this team win what will be a tough Division 2 North Sectionals? How about a state title?

“Absolutely they can do it. They are a talented group, they have good leadership, they are smart basketball players. It is always a tough road ahead, but why not us?”

Sports: Belmont Boy’s Hoops Tops League Table Defeating Ranked Arlington,

January 30, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Justin Wagner scoring vs. Arlington.

A dominating third quarter by its three big men under the basket powered Belmont High School to the top of the Middlesex League Liberty Division after the Marauders defeated Arlington High School, 75-65, before a ruckus home crowd at the Wenner on Friday, Jan. 30.

Co-captain senior forward Justin Wagner scored 9 of his 14 points in the third as he and fellow forward Joe Shaughnessy (10 points with 6 in the final quarter) dictated play on both ends of the court, allowing Belmont to spring one-too-many fast breaks for the SpyPonders – ranked 9th in the latest Boston Globe basketball poll – to allow and stay with the Marauders as Belmont outscored the SpyPonders, 20-13, to extend its halftime margin from eight to 15 at the start of the final eight minutes.

The victory, revenge for the loss in December at Arlington (12-3) where Belmont (13-2) gave up a late lead for its first loss of the season, puts Belmont a game up in the race for the league championship.

“We kind of flipped the last game around in defense, rebounding and pounding them on the glass,” said Adam Pritchard, Belmont’s long-time head coach.

Lead by league all-star point guard Matt Kerans who finished with 20 points (including two threes, double-digit in assists and 8-8 from the line), Belmont stayed with the quick SpyPonders which used its quickness and opportunistic defense through the first quarter (15-14 Arlington lead) before a bucket by sophomore Tomas Dononyan (2 points) followed in quick succession by a pair of threes from junior guard Daron Hamparian (8 points) gave the Marauders a 24-17 lead with 5:30 to go in the half.

Belmont’s dominance under the basket was evident when on several occasions when the Marauders had multiple looks at the basket by grabbing the offensive bound, in one sequence, taking four than six shots at the hoop before making the bucket.

“There’s not doubt that our forwards are a big part of our game because it opens the court for Kerans and our guards,” said Pritchard.

The Marauders went into the break with a 38-30 lead followed a surging junior forward Paul Ramsey who scored 7 of his 16 points in the second, two nights from a 23 point performance against Watertown in a 69-60 victory.

Arlington could not muster a sustained challenge against the Marauders as Belmont matched every SpyPonder point run with one of its own. Arlington junior captain Colin McNamara scored nine of his team-high 20 in the fourth.

There remain parts of the team’s game that could use improving moving forward, said Pritchard.

“We have a big line-up but we have to handle full-court pressure and certainly must work on our rebounding and to be honest, we have to get healthy,” he said.

Sports: Starters Push Belmont Past Reading to Take League Lead

January 18, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont Joe Shaughnessy dunks the ball against Reading.

Three starters scored 61 of Belmont High’s 76 points as the Marauders’ climbed to the top of the Middlesex League’s Liberty Division with a hard fought 76-71 victory over the visiting Reading Memorial High Rockets in a battle for first place Friday night, Jan. 15 at the Wenner.

Seniors Matt Kerans (21 points) and Joe Shaughnessy (20 points) joined junior Paul Ramsey (20 points) to power the Marauders offense as its five starters played the majority of the game.

“Sometimes that happens. I didn’t feel that anyone was in jeopardy of fouling out, our defense was pretty good and everyone was making good decisions and most of all, they were playing together,” said Belmont’s long time head coach Adam Pritchard whose team currently stands 8-3 overall and 6-1 in league play.

“It’s a great goal,” said Pritchard on leading the league nearing mid-season. “This is this group’s chance to set their mark and it’s something that we will be working for.”

Belmont came fast out of the gate, jumping to a 14-5 lead as the Marauders took advantage of its height advantage to get inside and score from in close. Ramsey was able to make three baskets inside along with a free throw in the first.

“Everyone on this team knows what Paul has done for us. He’s just an incredible rebounder and takes the tough defensive assignments,” said Pritchard.

But before you could say “Jared Thorpe-Johnson,” the Rocket’s senior forward hit a bucket and a three-pointer with 9.5 seconds left in the period to finish off a 11-2 run and tie the score at 16 (with Thorpe-Johnson accounting for 12) after one-quarter.

The second quarter saw the shoe on the other foot as Reading out hustled Belmont to a 23-19 lead. But in this game of momentum changes, the Marauders stepped up their defense and fast break to pull off a 9-0 run to lead 28-23 midway through the quarter.

Back came the Rockets and the lead see-sawed between the squads before being knotted up at 34 at the half.

The second half saw Belmont exploit the height advantage of having senior forwards Justin Wagner (7 points) and Shaughnessy down low.

“I think tonight [Shaughnessy] showed what he can do with his back to the basket. He is one of the best post-up players in the league,” said Pritchard.

As Reading backed in to stop the pass inside, that left Kerans free to hit a three-pointer at the five-minute mark to give Belmont a 40-39 lead. On the next possession, Kerans found a wide open Shaughnessy to the right of the basket who proceeded to dunk the ball, bringing the Belmont fans to their feet.

Reading – who had four players in double figures for points – would not go away as they were able to convert several second chance opportunities, including three consecutive three-point baskets (a pair from guard Carl Gillies (10 points)) early in the fourth quarter, to cut the lead to 64-62 with 4:40 left in the game.

But it was Belmont’s other big man who defused the Rockets as Wagner took a Shaughnessy (10 points on three baskets and 4-4 from the line in the 4th quarter) pass as he was cutting to the basket to make the two-point basket and head for the line for after being hacked underneath to give Belmont a five-point advantage.

After a Thorpe-Johnson (a game-high 27 points) layup cut the lead to three (70-67), Wagner tipped in an offensive rebound as the 30-second clock expired to up the Marauders’ lead back to five points. Belmont would hit three of their four final free throws for the win.

The Belmontonian

Belmont's Independent Media Outlet Covering the 'Town of Homes'