Belmont Boys’, Girls’ Hoops Run Into Hot Hands As Marauders Dropped From Tourney

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont senior co-captain Andre Chavushian drives by the Chelmsford team in Belmont’s

Belmont Hoops found it a rocky road in the first round of the MIAA Division 1 Boys’ and Girls’ state tourney as the Marauders failed to take down their hosts.

Boys’ Hoops: Andover 65, Belmont 52

After an inspired win in the play-in game vs Chelmsford – a wire-to-wire 51-40 victory – Belmont (13-9) was looking to continue its outstanding end-of-season play as they traveled to Andover for a first-round Division 1 match-up against the second-ranked Golden Warriors (19-2).

The Marauders knew they would be facing a stout Andover defense. What they did not account for was the offensive explosion coming from Andover’s junior guard Josh Roux. The recently named co-MVP of the Merrimack Valley Conference came to play, scoring off fast breaks, from offensive rebounds and three pointers. When the half ended, Roux had buried 21 of Andover’s 41 points.

Belmont did keep the contest close, trailing by 11 at the half. But the Marauders allowed sophomore Charlie Tutwiler to total 11 points while unable to score a bucket until midway through the quarter. While Roux was “held” to seven points in the second half, the damage was done.

Belmont High’s junior center Braiden Dargon (left) challenges Chelmsford’s senior Kevin Burns while Peter McLaughlin looks on.

In the end, while Belmont played over its head in a 2nd vs 31st ranking match up, the quality did rise to the top to Andover’s advantage. The competitiveness Belmont put on the court in their final five games provided a glimpse into what should be coming next season, demonstrated in Belmont’s 51-40 play-in win against Chelmsford on Tuesday, Feb. 24. A strong man-to-man defense, and timely shooting from senior captain Charlie Tingos (13 points) and senior captain Andre Chavushian (10 points) – who scored the first six of Belmont’s points using the Euro step to perfection – while junior big man Braiden Dragon (9 points) was a imposing presence under the basket.

“I can’t tell you what’s its like to come in here every day and be able to go to work with kids that enjoy what they’re doing. They’re very close. They all get along. They’re very unselfish. They’re the boys who looked after each other. I see that continuing next season,” said first year Head Coach Dan Burns.

Belmont are saying farewell to seniors Chavushian, Tingos, Elijah Pierre, Weston Zalewski and Elijah Akins.

Girls Hoops: Needham 54, Belmont 36

The first round match between the 24th-ranked Belmont vs 9th-seed Needham could not have started any better for Belmont with senior captain Sophia McClendon and sophomore Sarah Geller hitting their first shots and with junior Stella Ivkovic coming up with semi-hook to see the Marauders go up 6-3 half way through a sloppy first quarter. And when junior Rebecca Christensen put in an offensive rebound (Christensen would end with double digit rebounds) and McClendon hit a spinning drive in the lane, Belmont would enter the second quarter up by 4 points, 10-6.

Belmont High’s Rebecca Christensen grabbing an offensive rebound against Georgetown

And when senior co-captain Leah Attridge made one-of-two, Belmont had its biggest lead of the night, 11-6. But the Rockets would launch off, outscoring the Marauders, 18-2, with Geller’s runner the sole points for Belmont. Needham’s center Eva Andrews began dominating on both ends of the court, taking McClendon out of her game, and scoring half of her 22 game high points. Belmont did not help its cause going 3 for 15 from the free throw line.

It was fitting that Erin Attridge, one of three co-captains, had the opportunity to score, making one of two with four seconds remaining. Geller and Christensen would end up co-high scorers with 11 each.

Belmont seniors McClendon – who reached the 1,000 point milestone this season – and the Attridge twins played their final game for the Marauders.

Getting The Job Done: Belmont Boys’ BBball Reach Tourament And Takes Home Post-Season Silverware

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High’s 25-26 seniors (from left) Charles Tingos, Eli Pierre, Andre Chavushian, Eli Akins, Weston Zalewski, and Tyler Raubenheimer

When push came to shove, the Belmont High Boys’ Basketball propped open the door just wide enough to squeeze into the MIAA Division 1 tourney. The Marauders left it late, winning the final game of the regular season, a beat down of Reading, 66-35, to reach the 10-win mark that secured an away play-in game.

“I knew when I took the job, that they had some good players,” said Dan Burns, the Marauders’ first year coach. “I also was aware that it was going to take some time for us to get where need to be. So the goal for us was to get 10 wins, and we got it. It feels great. I’m really happy for the kids.”

Then as if the burden of making the post-season was a weight the team couldn’t wait to remove, Belmont went out and brought home post-season silverware, capturing the Division 2 winner’s trophy from the Spartan Classic at St. Mary’s in Lynn. The Marauders defeated Lowell Catholic, 68-51, on Sunday and then took down 15-4 Lincoln/Sudbury, 57-53, via a late three-point dagger-to-the-heart from senior captain Andre Chavugian (17 points) with a clutch 3-pointer down the stretch.

“It was a great overall team win. Everybody played,” said Burns. “I thought the seniors really came out and carried us right from the start we haven’t had a really good start in a long time.”

Nearly ever game this season has been a struggle for the Marauders as the team learned Burn’s new system throughout the season. Sporting a power ranking of 37, five spaces from an automatic placement, Belmont walked onto the court on Seniors Night needing a victory to move on. As fortune would have it, the Rockets have had an uncharacteristic poor season sporting a 3-16 record.

One issue the team was battling all season was falling behind early in games.

“We haven’t had a really good start in a long time, and we’re usually six or seven down going into the second. Tonight we actually went up seven (9-2) early. That’s a credit to the seniors and their leadership,” said Burns.

Belmont got out in front early and just kept scoring. With a solid defense, the Marauders raced through the first quarter up 18-8, led by senior Charles Tingos with a pair of threes and a run away lay up. Belmont’s second quarter resembled Secretariat at Belmont, throwing down 21 while holding the Rockets to six to blow the doors off of the game to lead 38-14, by the half. Junior co-captain Braiden Dargon scored 12 of his 15 points. in the quarter dominating the post on both ends of the court.

With a good lead on hand, Burns was allowed to look down his bench and give those players time on the floor. Senior guard Eli Akins provided the night’s highlight when after initially blowing a dunk, stole the ball and completed the slam to the delight of the students section. The Maruaders didn’t let up in the fourth scoring 18 to take their 10th of the season.

“It was a great team win. [It] gets us to the tournament that was our goal all year. So great to accomplish that,” said Burns.

For Burns, the last three wins gives a boost to the team’s belief that it can do some damage in the tournament.

I think we have a lot of size, and we’re pretty physical, and, we tend to beat up teams inside with our rebounding and just our physicality is a problem for most teams.”

“We’ve had a couple heartbreaking losses, and we’ve had some great wins, too. And part of that is just learning how to win,” said Burns.

Belmont High Hoops: Boys Enters New Year With A New ‘Fun’ Look; A Young Girls Squad Rebuilding Thru Senior Leadership

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont senior All-Star guard Sophia McClendon driving against Arlington.

With both teams introducing new head coaches this season, Belmont High boys and girls basketball have started off the new season attempting to find an identity that will move the

Boys bring fun back to Wenner Field House

After a number of years in which it was looking up from a deep end of the standings, Belmont High Boys’ have entered the 2025-26 season having rediscovered a vibe it hasn’t had for quite a while.

“It’s a team that’s having fun,” said Dan Burns who played and coached at Woburn High before taking his first head coaching post in Belmont. A lot of that fun comes from the style of play Burns has installed with this youngish team.

“Belmont has always had a tradition of playing fast, and getting the ball out of the net. We have the bodies and the skill set to be able to wear teams down, which cause turnovers, which led to easy baskets as we are being able to get out on the break,” said Burns.

“I think we have the ability to really pressure and bother teams, especially on the defensive side,” he noted. “We have all the pieces to make a strong run in the league and that leads to success later in the season.”

Belmont enters 2026 with a 4-3 record as it heads into the heart of the Middlesex League rotation of games beginning in the new year. With the exception of a final of the Adams Holiday Tourney, Belmont has been competitve in each of its five games. The Marauders’ one-point loss, 45-44, to Arlington was a result of Belmont making one of three shots from the charity stripe with a second left in the game. [Belmont fell to Burlington, 78 – 59, on Tuesday, Jan. 6]

Burn’s sends out a young starting five with three juniors and a sophomore joining senior co-captain Andre Chavushian. But Burns notes that he’s ready and willing to empty most of his bench, using 9 to 10 players to play significant roles on the floor.

Leading the offense early in the season has been Chavushian, junior guard William Murphy and sophomore forward Liam Phillips. Add the presence of the team’s big man junior center Braiden Dargon who is adept at blocking out for rebounds on both ends and has rocked the court with some hard blocks. Starter junior guard Theo Sorblom and senior co-captain Charles Tingos have seen their share of minutes so far.

Three Marauders hit double digits in the season opener win vs Watertown. Dargon led the scoring with 17, Murphy (with two threes) coming home with 12, and Chavushian 11, as Tingos and Sorblom came home with nine each. In the opening game of the Adams Holiday Tournament at Concord-Carlisle on Dec. 27, Murphy finished with 21 points and Dargon put up 17 points in the Maruaders’ 69-51 win over Weymouth.

Belmont will visit Lexington on Friday, Jan. 9, before heading home on Tuesday, Jan. 13, against Wilmington.

Girls toughing it out its rebuilding

“That was ugly,” said newly-installed Belmont Girls’ Basketball Head Coach Antonia Macklin after the Marauders had just won its first game of the 2025-6 season, a 43-23 home walk over of a very young Wakefield High squad on Dec. 16.

And it appears the Marauders will have to endure more slugfests as the team finds itself in a rebuilding season under its first year head coach. Macklin – who was a star at Boston’s Jeremiah E. Burke High School before heading off to the University of Iowa where she as a member of the 1993 Hawkeye team that played in the semifinals of the NCAA Final Four – comes to Belmont from Boston’s Holland High School of Technology to take on a challenge of developing a winning program

“We’re a young team. We lost a lot of seniors from last year, so we’re looking to rebuild. But this is a good group as we are returning six varsity players and we have eight new additions who I am excited about.”

“Defense is key. I love playing defense. I played for one of the top coaches in the country and the defense was our thing. I want to see how we look playing man to man and how we look in the zone,” she said.

While praising her team’s overall effort early in the season, Macklin said the players have been wanting to do so much instead of just letting their game flow. “We don’t necessarily have to keep shooting so we can penetrate as well. So those are things that we can work on and practice.”

“But overall, I thought they did a good job,” she noted.

The Marauders’ is led by senior All-Star guard Sophia McClendon. The four-year starter is the team’s “go to player” on the offense end of the court and is a dominate force on defense, with her rebounding and shot blocking ability, swatting away four attempts in Belmont’s loss to Arlington.

Joining McClendon as a veteran varsity presence is junior Becca Christensen, who has been a magnet under the boards, coming down with 13 rebounds against Watertown and 11 vs. Wakefield.

The remaining starters are youngsters playing their first season on varsity, with sophomores Sarah Geller and Reece Bundy in the backcourt and first-year Eleanor Siegert joining Christensen up front. Macklin uses her bench judiciously, able to bring in senior twins (and co-captains) Erin and Leah Attridge, along with forwards junior Stella Ivkovic and first year Gwen Cornett.

“I’m expecting a lot from [our seniors] being on the floor, but also looking for their leadership as well. So they play a major part of us putting this young group together,” said Macklin.

After struggling in the first two weeks of the season winning one of four, the Marauders has taken two of its last three including an opening victory against host Cambridge in the Cambridge Legends Classic on Dec. 29 and a 10 point win against Burlington.

Belmont will be on the road taking on Lexington on Friday, Jan. 9 before returning home on Jan. 13 against Wilmington. Tip off is at 6 p.m.

Opening Day For Belmont High Hoops an Up (Girls) and Down (Boys) Affair

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont vs Melrose

It was an up-and-down result for Belmont High’s Hoop teams on their opening day of the 2024-25 Boy and Girls’ campaign on Friday, Dec. 13. While the Marauders Girls romped past Melrose, the Boys wasted the efforts of a pair of impressive sophomores as the Raiders took home the victory from the Wenner Field House.

Boys: Melrose 51, Belmont 47

Belmont Head Coach Darren Martinez didn’t sugarcoat his team’s opening performance losing to a solid – but hardly great – Melrose squad. It needs to improve everywhere.

“There’s a lot to be learned on both ends of the floor, individually and as a team. We just had a lot of self-inflicted wounds that hurt you, I expected a little bit of sloppiness. I wish we would have come prepared, but just like I’ve always told you past couple of years, players win, coaches lose. So that’s on me,” said Martinez.

But Martinez saw a few sparks of optimism during the game, pointing to a pair of sophomores in Brayden Dargon and Pete McLaughlin who led the Marauders in scoring with 15 and 8 points.

It was somewhat understandable that the season opener would get off on a as Melrose (1-0) ran off to an 8-2 lead in the first four minutes only to see Belmont (0-1) go on a 9-0 run behind the slick play of Dargon to finish the first quarter up 11-8.

But just like that, the Raiders said “Hold our Gatorade” and matched Belmont’s surge with one of its own, an 11-0 spurt to snatch a 19-11 lead after 3:31 into the quarter, an advantage it would not give up for the remainder of the contest. Belmont did bring the deficit back to two, 21-19, but would trailed 23-19 at the half.

The third quarter saw the lead stay steady in the four to five-point range as Belmont’s guard kept the Marauders in range with a pair of knockdown jumpers as the Raiders entered the final eight minutes leading 37-32. Once again Belmont began hitting their shots and when Will Murphy hit a corner three with six minutes to cut the lead to a single point, it appeared Belmont had grabbed the game’s momentum for a late-game charge.

But Melrose’s senior big man Owen Mujalli would do what senior captains are expected in the final moments: put the team on his back. Mujalli first stole a cross-court pass and drive for two, then hit a spinning jumper for a deuce, and finished with a line-drive three to give Melrose a critical six-point spread, 47-41, in the final two minutes.

Belmont would fight back with a two-from Williams with 25 seconds remaining cutting the lead to a single possession, 50-47. But an apparent clean steal from a Belmont double team was blown as a foul, much to the noisy consternation of the Belmont Girls team watching in the stands. Mujalli – who scored 10 of his game high 18 points in the fourth – knocked down one of two from the charity stripe and ended the game with a defensive rebound.

“I’m gonna challenge my upper class and my juniors and seniors to be leaders and step up and help the young guys. To have sophomores step up like that is great, but I don’t think any great team is relying on sophomores to carry them,” said Martinez.

Next up for the Marauders will be an early season traveling two miles to historic rival Watertown on Tuesday, Dec. 17. It will be played at Watertown Middle School.

“The team showed its potential at times in the game, but they need to be better prepared mentally and physically for future games, especially against tougher opponents like Watertown, that’s for sure,” he said.

Girls: Belmont 70, Melrose 21

It was all smiles as the Girls’ Marauders entered Wenner Field House after the crimson and white dismantled the host Raiders by nearly 50 points, 70-21. “We beat them. Period,” a Marauder said emphatically describing the game between two mismatched Middlesex League teams.

Senior point guard Gabby Orfanos scored a game-high 18 points which included four threes, and sixth-player extraordinaire senior Brynn Connolly added 11 points. First-year Sarah Geller, who third-year head coach Shantell Jeter is high on after the preseason, started the game and knotted eight points.

Gabby had a real breakout game to show what she can do in every game while having a freshman on the floor to start tonight was also another message that we sent,” said Jeter.

Each of Belmont’s 14 member squad got a chance to get on the court in the game which Belmont outscored 22-1 in the first quarter.

“It was a good team effort,” said Jeter. “While they didn’t really have too much we still had a lot of opportunities to work on” a lot of our stuff” including a chance to mix and match lineups. Jeter also praised the team’s defense, producing a handful of five-second calls

Belmont will host its first home match against Watertown on Tuesday with tip-off at 6 p.m. said the Raiders will provide a much stiffer opponent this time around.

“We’ll have to be more intense. We gotta turn up every game,” she said.

0:18


Like about this game. I’m sure I’ll find some good things as well. When we listen and when we played together, when the ball moved, we got good shots.


yeah, we showed spurn to what we can do, and a lot of that is, you know, the bench has to be ready to play. You know, the starters played a lot in the second half, and a lot of it has to be with guys kind of not being ready, maybe nerds for the first game, a little bit of jitters.

I have to get them prepared, but they have to themselves, be mentally and physically prepared as well, so hopefully we bounce back on Tuesday, but it’s not going to be any easy against Watertown mastery.

Belmont High Hoops: Girls’, Boys’ Playoff Bound But A Way To Go Before Tourney Ready

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High Senior Co-Capt. Mia Ferrari and sophomore Sophia McClendon vs. Lexington

The good news: Both Belmont varsity basketball teams are playoff bound having secured their 10th win this season.

The flip side: The Marauders Boys’ and Girls’ are not looking, just quite yet, ready to withstand a tournament game much less going on a playoff run in the MIAA Division 1 post season that starts next week.

Case in point: Seniors Night games on Feb. 9 against Lexington that both Marauder teams hosted at the Wenner Field House. It’s certain Belmont’s girls and boys will be meeting similarly skilled squads as Lexington in the playoffs which gave the games a Cassandra quality peering into the future. And while Belmont was able to keep both games outcome within a couple of baskets, the Minutemen demonstrated just a bit more basketball smart to carry off the wins by the final buzzer.

Too much second quarter Sam

In the opener of last weeks doubleheader, the Belmont Boys’ were coming off a 5-2 stretch to earn its 10th victory demolishing Woburn, 59-29. But despite a 10-6 overall record, Belmont’s all important MIAA Power Ranking – which is used to seed the teams in the playoff – was a paltry 41st in which the first 32 teams automatically make the tournament. Teams with a .500 record or better are added to the post season but must win a play-in game against the lowest automatic teams to make the 32-team tourney.

Friday’s matinee game set two teams with nearly identical records. Lexington’s power ranking was 40th and they were seeking its 10th win. The Marauders took advantage of its tall, physical forwards – senior co-Capt.’s Donovan Holway and Gabriel Meyer-Herron with junior Ryan O’Byrne – to get off to a 15-10 first quarter lead.

But the second quarter quickly turned into “Showtime with Sam” as Lexington’s Sam Myerberg had career eight minutes. The sophomore guard started by hitting consecutive 3’s, then going one for two from the free throw line then hit two more treys finishing the quarter with 17 points and 22 for the half to push the Minutemen to a 35-29 lead after the first half. Belmont relied on its big men specifically Meyer-Herron but too many times on the court the Marauders were not executing with quickness allowing Lexington to hold the advantage to the frustration of Head Coach Darren Martinez.

The Minutemen continued their onslaught this time highlighted by senior co-capt. guard Derin Ongur (19 points for the game) who canned two threes and a straight away jumper to increase the lead to 48-31 with three minutes left in the third quarter. While this could have been a good time to think about its next game, Belmont got back in the game as Meyer-Harron and O’Byrne headed inside the paint to score and drag the team to within nine at the end of three, 48-39.

Belmont up the tempo in the fourth and got to the charity stripe three times only ending up missing the six free throws they were awarded. The Marauders kept chipping away, cutting the Minutemen lead to 57-53 with two to play. But a technical foul on a Belmont player gave Lexington four shots from the line and they didn’t miss to put the lead back to eight, 61-53 with 1:05 to play. And when Myerberg hit for a three – he finished with 32 points – on the next time down the court, that was all she wrote as Lexington eased to a 68-63 win.

Stella stellar for Lexington

The nightcap saw Belmont Girls coming into the game on the wrong end of a three game losing streak, seeing them drop to 14th in the power ranking at 10-7, getting uncomfortably close to the 17th ranking which would result in the Marauders missing out on hosting a home game. Facing them was 12-4 Lexington – 8th in the power rankings- squad that defeated Belmont earlier in the season, 48-39.

After the tipoff, the Minutemen showed immediately their skills, using quick cutting runs through the paint to open space against Belmont’s zone defense for easy baskets to lead 9-4 midway through the quarter. But lead by senior capt. Mia Ferrari and sophomore Sophia McClendon, Belmont fought back to where a pair of free throws from junior Brynn Connolly to tie the score at 13 after one.

Belmont came out with purpose and snatched the lead, 18-17 off a junior co-captain Linda Sheng drive with 6:20 to play in the quarter. But just like the boys’ game, a Lexington player took hold of the game in the second quarter and didn’t let go. Junior guard Stella Crinti started with a three pointer, followed by a stop and shot basket, than a layup on the break and then handing out two pitch perfect assist to take the Minutemen from one down to 10 up before a three from finished a 13-0 run to give the Minutemen at 30-18 lead that the visitors would not give up. Belmont through Sheng would cut the lead at the half to 30-23.

If there was a statistic that showed the advantage Lexington brought to the game occurred early in the three quarter when the Minutemen took down five offensive rebounds on two possessions resulting in two baskets, one courtesy of a Crinti turnaround to up the lead back to 12 at midpoint in the quarter. Lexington led by 18 – 48-30 – when McClendon went on her one run with two in close buckets and a three to pull Belmont back to 11 only to see that Crinti player hit a three to give Lexington a 51-37 advantage with six left in the game. But Belmont made it interesting with McClendon and Sheng cutting the lead to 56-47 before – guess who – Crinti putting the knife in any hope of a miracle comeback with a straight away three making the score 59-47 as the Minutemen put this win to bed, going home 63-55 victors.

The Belmont Girls would subsequently loss their remaining three games of the regular season to finish the campaign at 10-10 and likely miss out on holding a playoff game. The Boys’ went 1-1 since the Lexington game – a loss at Winchester before winning against visiting Billerica. They have two games left this week against Westwood and Malden Catholic before the start of the playoffs.

Belmont High Teams In A Winning Way As Winter Sports Season Gets Underway

By Leave a Comment

Photo: 2023-4 Belmont High Girls’ Hockey

After a successful fall in which each team participated in the MIAA tournament, Belmont High begins the winter sports season with

Girls’ Basketball: Belmont High Head Coach Shantell Jeter opened her second campaign with the Marauders thumping Melrose, 68-24, at the Wenner Field House on Dec. 13. Coming off an impressive first-year campaign, Sophomore Sophia McClendon continued her outstanding form, scoring 12 of her game-high 16 points in the first quarter on two 3s and three baskets. Senior captain Mia Ferrari scored in double digits with 10 points, including a pair of 3s. Emily Donahue, Lean Attridge, and Brynn Connolly each contributed 8 points to the lopsided victory. The Marauders (1-0) head to Reading (1-0) to meet the Rockets on Friday, Dec 15.

Belmont High sophomore Sophia McClendon in action.

Girls Hockey: Under the tutelage of new head coach Brendan Kelleher, the newly-created co-op team of Belmont and Watertown high schools started the 2023-4 season with a stellar performance, shutting out hosts Melrose, 3-0, on Wednesday, Dec. 13. Goals were courtesy of seniors Ruby Jones, Allison Caputo and Molly Driscoll while sophomore Jil Costa in goal did an outstanding job replacing four-year starter all-star Bridget Gray.

Boys’ Basketball: In a tight, low-scoring season opener, Belmont took down Melrose, 49-45, at the Wenner. Senior Donovan Holway netted 21 points while leading the Marauders back from a double-digit deficit to squeak through in the final minute. Next up for the Marauders (1-0) is a matchup with Reading (1-0) on Friday, Dec. 15.

Boys’ Hockey: With losing its top defensive line and all-star goal-scoring forward due to graduation, it will be a rebuilding year for the Marauders, which will be playing the next two seasons in Watertown as the town builds a new rink.

The season got underway against Catholic Memorial, ranked fourth in the Boston Globe preseason Top 20. The West Roxbury team proved a real test for the Marauders as the Knights scored a 4-1 win at the Warrior Arena in Brighton. Sophomore Leo Packard scored Belmont’s lone goal, assisted by senior co-captain Adam Bauer, while first-year goalie Ethan Bauer stopped 26 shots. Against Melrose, Adam Bauer collected two points with a goal and an assist on Packard’s second goal of the season to secure a 2-2 tie vs. Melrose. Belmont will be in Watertown to take on the Raiders on Saturday, Dec. 15.

Obituary: Paul Lyons, Legendary Coach And Noted Belmontian, Died At 85 [Update]

By 7 Comments

Photo: Paul Lyons in February 2019

Paul E. Lyons, a legendary high school coach who brought to Belmont its only state boys’ basketball championship as well as being a respected educator and Bemontian, died suddenly on Sunday, June 19.

He was 85.

“The loss of Coach Lyons is heartache felt throughout the Belmont, Cambridge and Boston basketball community,” said Adam Pritchard, who played under Lyons then became his assistant before succeeding him as Belmont High head coach in 2000.

“Personally, Paul has been my coach, mentor, and mostly an amazing friend. I loved him and I’m thankful that coach and [his wife] Moira, through their support and generosity, have been in my life through every season for the past four decades.”

Lyons coached the Belmont High boys’ basketball team for a quarter century from 1975 to 2000 and led it to its only state crown in 1993 while winning the Middlesex League title five times. By the end of his Belmont career, Lyons had racked up 335 victories (and 473 overall) and is a member of the Massachusetts Basketball Association’s Hall of Fame. In February 2019, the playing surface at the Wenner Field House was named “Coach Lyons Court” in his honor.

Paul Lyons was Belmont High School’s Boys’ Basketball head coach from 1975-2000

“The one quote I tell my players was that success is not a destination, it’s a journey we take along the way. It’s more important what you did then what the outcome was,” said Lyons at the dedication.

“Before every game as we prepared to go on the court we put our hands in and listened to coach say, ‘Let’s be humble and close as we huddle together tonight. Let’s feel the power that flows from faith and gives us courage and strength as we play. When the game is played and we’ve met the test, please let us know we’ve done our best.’ That sums up everything I know of [Lyons] and he was the best,” said Pritchard.

Lyons and Ralph Jones were the founders of the Belmont Youth Basketball Association in 1977 and the Marauders Basketball Association in 1986 which supports both the high school teams as well as introducing thousands of elementary and middle school-aged children to the game. Nearly all the players on the boys and girls high school teams started playing hoops in the BYBA.

“He was very competitive and always wanted to win, but [Lyons] did so with a great deal of class and integrity,” said Jones after the Belmont School Committee approved the court’s naming.

Jones noted Monday Lyons was also supportive of women’s basketball, using his involvement with the Marauders Basketball Association to provide new uniforms to girls teams when they were wearing handmade kits. “It was very important at the time to show that the women were an equal partner,” said Jones.

“It is still unbelievable he is gone,” said Melissa Hart, the former Belmont High Girls’ Basketball head coach. “He was such a presence in Belmont Basketball from his early years to his grandfathering days, but more so in a lot more loves than Belmont ones. I was fortunate to have known him. Lyons and one of his daughter’s was actually the person who told me about the Belmont Basketball job, encouraged me to apply, and wrote a recommendation for me for it. It meant a lot that he supported me as much as he did. Will be strange to not see him in the stands at some games next year.”

“From my experience with Paul, he was first a devoted husband and father, and devoted teacher of math and basketball skills,” said his friend Chet Messer. “He was a quiet person but a person who loved to laugh. He also loved ice cream after games, thus a regular at Rancatore’s.”

“He taught his teams life skills as well as basketball skills. He requested that each team member give back to basketball later in life. A great example is Adam Pritchard who became an assistant including on the 1993 state championship team and Paul’s successor after 25 years,” said Messer.

Born in Boston in 1936 to Joseph and Catherine (McKeon) Lyons and raised in Cambridge, Lyons attended Cambridge High Latin School and later Boston College on a basketball scholarship – playing on one of the first Eagle teams invited to the NCAA tournament – where he received his BA in Mathematics. (He would later earn a M.Ed. from Boston University.) After graduating, Lyons joined John Hancock where he worked as an actuary.

One of his former basketball coaches became aware of a basketball coaching opportunity in upper state New York and after an interview, Lyons was offered the head basketball coach and assistant football coach posts at Mount Carmel High School. Lyons would return to his hometown to begin a 40-year career in the Cambridge Public Schools first as a math teacher/coach at Cambridge Latin then become head of the math department. As its director, Lyons was required to give up the school’s basketball coaching position. He went on to become the freshman coach at Bentley College, then assistant coach at Harvard University before coming to Belmont High.

He and his wife of 58 years, Moira, were Belmont residents for 49 years.

A loving father of five who dotted on his 12 grandchildren, Lyons’ final post on his Facebook page, dated June 17, spoke of his pride that his granddaughter, three sport all-star Kendall Blomquist from Westwood, was playing for a lacrosse state championship on Monday, June 20.

Westwood won the game.

Lyons is survived by his wife, Moira (Feeley) Lyons; daughter Kathleen Guden and her husband Jay of Belmont, son Michael Lyons of Andover, daughter Patricia Brody and her husband Jeff of Belmont, daughter Sheila Blomquist and her husband Scott of Westwood, and son Kevin Lyons and his wife Chris Ann of Arlington. He is grandfather to Katie, Kevin and David Guden; Ben, Matt and Sarah Brody; Brian, Hannah, Kendall and Sean Blomquist; and Caleigh and Mackenzie Lyons.

He is also survived by his sisters-in-laws Eleanor Feeley, Eileen Feeley, Brenda Lipizzi, and friend Joyce Finerty and by many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and devoted friends. 

Visitation will take place on Thursday, June 23, 2022 at 4 p.m., at Keefe Funeral Home, 5 Chestnut St., Arlington. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, June 24, 2022 at 11:30 a.m., at St. Camillus’ Church, 1185 Concord Turnpike, Arlington, followed by the burial at Highland Meadow Cemetery, 700 Concord Ave., Belmont.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Coach Paul Lyons Scholarship Fund at https://gofundme.com/f/paul-lyons-scholarship-fund or Pine Street Inn, Boston.

Hoops: Both Marauder Squads Stumble In Visit To Lexington

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Tyler Arno throwing up a three against Winchester.

It was a frustrating start to the holiday weekend for the Belmont High boys and girls basketball teams as their visits to cross border rivals Lexington on Friday, Jan. 14 as both teams came home nursing one-sided losses to the Minutemen.

Belmont High Girls’ came to the contest to halt both a scoring drought and losing streak which the Marauders averaged just 26 points vs Watertown and Woburn.

Belmont’s attempt to run its offense through the paint was hampered by a strong Lexington perimeter defense that produced several steals and Marauder miscues. While Belmont preferred to work inside, Lexington showed no such disinclination shooting from downtown, hitting nine threes while the Marauders came up blank from beyond the arc.

And it didn’t help that Belmont’s biggest bugaboo was going to the free throw line where the Marauders went 11 for 27, leaving 16 valuable points on the floor.

The game didn’t start well as the Marauders fell behind 7-0 after about 70 seconds before Sophie McDevitt buried two from the charity stripe. After cutting the lead to three, 7-4, on a Mia Ferrari, long two point jumper, Lexington scored twice off steals to finish the quarter on a 9-2 run to take a 16-6 lead entering the second. The Minutemen stretched the advantage throwing in a trio of threes in two minutes to up the lead to 28-12 midway through the frame before Belmont scored the final five points with Cortney Howell nailing a fall away two at the buzzer to end the half trailing 28-17.

Belmont came out strong in the third cutting the Minutemen’ advantage to seven points with a Ferrari jumper. But the Minutemen responded with two threes and a bucket while Belmont missed three of four free throws to restore a double digit lead, 36-21, before extending it to 44-28 entering the final quarter And while the Marauders did go 5 for 8 from the free throw line in the final quarter, Lexington was never threatened as it won by 18, 55-37.

Belmont currently sits at 3-7 over all and 3-5 in the league.

It was showtime as the Lexington boys’ literally running away from Belmont High Boys’ Hoops early to take home a rather sloppy 75-49 win in the second game of the doubleheader. Lexington’s speed, physicality on offense and defense and their touch from outside proved too much for a Marauders team that simply couldn’t keep up with the hosts.

Not that the Minutemen didn’t give Belmont opportunities to take control of the game as Lexington players, especially in the first half, were more than happy to turn the ball over in attempts at the spectacular – they had more failed dipsy-dos then the returns department at the dipsy-do factory – when a jumper or pass would have sufficed.

While Lexington’s haphazard playing allowed Belmont a sniff at getting back into the game, the Marauders’ couldn’t get out of their own way; in one sequence down by ten, Belmont committed a pair of traveling violations and an offensive foul in three trips up the court while Lexington scored on each turnover..

Belmont did come out with a hot hand from distance with Donovan Holway hitting the first basket for a three and senor guard Tyler Arno going two for three from the arc to keep the deficit to seven early in the second quarter, 18-11. But Lexington’s League MVP candidate CJ Cox was not going to be stopped by Belmont, hitting from outside (3 for 4 from three point range in the first 10 minutes) before finishing off a fast break with a dunk to stretch the host’s advantage to 18 (29-11) just two minutes into the second quarter. At half time, Belmont was down by 17, 38-21.

For the remainder of the game, Belmont could only match basket for basket only to be victimized by Lexington’s quick hands defense and downtown shooting. After three quarters, Minutemen shot 10 for 19 from three compared to Belmont’s 4 for 11.

Belmont sits at .500 both in the Middlesex League 4-4 and overall 5-5 with a visit from Wakefield next.

Belmont Hoops: Stratford’s First Game In Charge A Success; Girls’ A Work In Progress

By Leave a Comment

Photo:

Boys’ “New” Coach’s account opens With A Victory

When head coach Adam Pritchard was installed as the school’s acting Athletic Director, the Belmont High Boys’ Basketball team found themselves looking for just its third head coach in several decades.

But the school didn’t have to look far for Pritchard’s replacement as long-time tenured JV coach Tim Stratford has taken over running the program. And while a rookie leader in name only, Stafford was as excited as any first-time coach as Belmont got the season underway with a scrappy 64-59 opening victory against Middlesex League Liberty Division foe Winchester.

”Excellent start. They showed a great deal tonight,” said a smiling Stratford after the victory as the Marauders ended the calendar year with four victories in the first six games as it now begins a stretch against very difficult League opponents.

Relying on a combination of strong defense led by senior center Kevin Logan and launching lots of threes, Belmont demonstrated a balanced scoring attack led by senior Tyler Arno with 16 points, followed by sophomore Donovan Holway contributing 13 as senior Thomas Ryder, junior Collin Galloway and senior Nick Giangregorio scored 10 a piece.

It looked as if Belmont was going to run away from Winchester from the start stretching an early lead 19-6 at the end of the first 12 minutes. But Winchester would quietly rally with a 11-2 run and just before the half the once safe lead was down to two, 27-25, as Belmont’s three-point prowess fizzed out.

“We got out to a slow start in the second and it’s just some things that it’s early in the season so I’m not surprised they’re making some mistakes,” Stratford said.

Winchester would take a brief one point lead early in the third, Belmont would climb back on top with their favorite threes from Arno, Ryder and Giangregorio to lead 44-37 entering the fourth quarter. And while built the margin to 11 with 87 seconds remaining in the game. Winchester’s long distance shots found the range and the lead dwindled down to two possessions – 63-59 – with 25 seconds to play, but the Marauders hung on for the W.

“I liked all what I saw tonight because they played within themselves and within the game,” he said “But they sure scared the heck out of me at the end,” said Stratford.

At 4-2, the season has seen good wins against out-of-league opponent Dracut – which defeated Brockton and Chelmsford – and Liberty division foe Arlington. The team enters the new year to begin the bulk of its season against Middlesex league opponents starting at Melrose on Tuesday, Jan. 4, at 7:30 p.m.

Girls’ Hoops Finding Out What Will Work

When you enter a season with a young and mostly untested team, it will take some time before the coach knows just what combination of players will give them the best results. And it appears Belmont High Girls’ Basketball Head Coach Melissa Hart will be performing that task for the foreseeable future.

In the season opener against Winchester at the Wenner Field House, Hart made several wholesale changes – at times entering four subs. But just who that group will be was not discovered that night as it was a rough start for the Marauders coming on the wrong side of a 50-32 loss.

“This team is certain a work in progress,” said Hart, who will miss three past varsity starters – including a league all-star – who transferred to private schools.

That lack of experience showed itself against Middlesex League Liberty opponent Winchester. Headed by the familiar figure of Belmont’s assistant volleyball coach, Sam Mosley, Winchester begins the season with its strongest team in memory with a trio of tall talented starters led by sophomore forward Emily Collins who score 12 points in the second quarter finishing with a game high 22 points.

Belmont is currently relying on senior guard Sara Dullaghan, the only starter with varsity experience going back to the playoff team of 2019-20. The starting guard’s quickness on defense and ability to get into the open court to slash to the basket saw her score 9 of Belmont’s 14 first half points and 7 of its 9 in the fourth to end the game with 15 points. Junior Sophie McDevitt finished with 6 points as Paula Dullaghan came through with 4 points.

Newcomers to watch this season includes freshmen forward Cortney Howell (three blocks and a raw force under the basket) 9th grade point guard Linda Sheng and sophomore Mia Ferrari.

After its annual trip to the Garden City Classic at Newton South High School over the holiday break, Belmont stands at at 2-4 overall, and 2-2 in the Middlesex League as it prepares for a month of Middlesex League opponents beginning with Melrose at the Wenner Field House on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

Belmont Boys’ Hoops ‘Big Three’ Bring Marauders Back To North Final With Win Over Latin Academy

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont’s Preston Jackson-Stephens driving to the basket.

The Boston Celtics had the “Big Three” – Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen – who took the team to the NBA championship in 2008.

And during Belmont High Boys’ Basketball return to the Division 2 North Finals, its had found its own “Big Three” to carry the load.

Senior guard Mac Annus and junior forwards Tim Minicozzi and Preston Jackson-Stephens have asserted their prowess in the three tournament games not just in each scoring an average of 20-plus points per game but with on-court leadership and a coolness under pressure.

And it was never more in evidence on Wednesday, March 4 in Wakefield High’s oldie-style gym where the trio accepted the challenge from a smart and quick Boston Latin Academy squad to display the grit and guts to slay the Dragons, 72-64, in an all-you-would-hope-for North semifinal.

Belmont returns to the Tsongus Arena in Lowell on Saturday, March 7, to defend its North title in an encounter with top seed Beverly – the Panthers were the 1 seed last season. Tip off is at 4:15 p.m.

The three’s dominance showed as they combined for 66 of Belmont’s 72 points vs Latin Academy with Jackson-Stephens with 26, Minicozzi 23 and Annus throwing in 17.

“They’ve been doing that all year,” said Adam Pritchard, Belmont’s long time head coach. “There are not a lot of coaches that are blessed with three guys who are scoring for that average. It’s because they are really focused players who shot a lot but most of all they are great kids.”

Annus – who was recently named the MVP of the Middlesex League – Minicozzi and Jackson-Stephens found it difficult which of the three to defend as each has the ability to drive inside, find the assist or bury an NBA-length three point shots. Pick your poison.

The opening quarter was all Dragons, using its speed – slashing to the hoop, creating steals and winning the majority of the 50/50 ball all night long – and outside shooting to nearly run Belmont off the court and out of the game early as Latin Academy’s all-everything guard Abdulahi Aden hit for three 3s in the quarter.

The second saw the track meet ended as both teams took the game inside the paint with Belmont creeping back into the game as Minicozzi and Jackson-Stephens hit 3s to end the half down with Belmont down 33-29.

The Marauders started the third continuing to connect from long distance as Annus and Minicotti hit three consecutive 3s to put Belmont in the lead for the first time, 38-37. Slowly the Marauders advantage grew as Latin Academy shots were off the mark. An Annus 3 with a little more than a minute remaining gave Belmont its biggest lead at 49-40, before ending the quarter outscoring Latin Academy 20 to 10 in the third to take a 49-43 into the final eight minutes.

The fourth quarter saw Latin Academy come off the mat with Aden’s 11 points in the quarter leading the way. Jackson Stephens would make one of two free throws before driving for a layup to give Belmont a small three point cushion only to see Latin Academy march back to cut the lead to 63-62 when Belmont fouled on the shot near the basket.

With the ball in their hands and less than a minute to play, Latin Academy blinked, as they missed both free throws with 56.1 seconds left giving Belmont the rock and a one point lead.

On the subsequent trip down court, Minicozzi drove the baseline and was chopped down to put the junior on the charity stripe. Then, in frustration rather than anger, a Latin Academy player punched the loose ball toward the benches. The official had little option but to call a technical foul.

Annus hit the two technical free throws, Minicozzi sank his pair and Belmont retained possession. A quick foul sent Jackson-Stephens to the line who hit one of two and the damage had been done as a one point lead stretched to six in just a handful of seconds.

There was a reprieve for Latin Academy when Belmont was called for its own technical for taunting and narrowed the margin to a two possession game but a rushed shot and a foul proved the margin of victory.

Pritchard told the media gaggle surrounding him after the contest that having core players who have been this far into the tournament before is a clear advantage.

“Experience is not to be overlooked in terms of confidence. But you know that confidence is hard work, it’s determination and it’s self belief and they believe in themselves and believe in their teammates.”

As for the matchup against Beverly, Pritchard was succinct.

“They’re very good,” said Pritchard. “We’re pretty good, too.”