After losing a tight game against Marblehead, the Chieftains redeemed themselves with a 53-49 win over the Tewksbury Redmen. 

  This was a crucial game for the Chieftains with the regular season closing out, and coming into this game they still needed two wins to qualify for the state tournament. Getting this win puts them one shy of qualifying for the state tournament, and they will face Danvers as their next opponent.

  “Everybody knows that if you get to [win] ten games you qualify for the tournament, but for us, we’ll prepare the way we prepare for every single game. We’ll get ready for Danvers, take care of business, then we’re in, but you know the season isn’t even close to done, we [have] three more games after that and hopefully more in the playoffs,.” said assistant coach Ben Davis. 

  Masco’s junior Devin O’Brien stole the show, cashing in five threes and totaling 21 points and four steals for the Chieftains. 

  “[It was] definitely a tough matchup, can’t take anything easily, a good basketball team in Tewksbury but we just have had to lock in and play our game,” said O’Brien. 

  Eventually, the Redmen had enough of giving O’Brien open threes, so they started face-guarding him, but that didn’t stop him from scoring. 

  “I was working for my shot, working for my teammates, and setting screens, which gets yourself and other people open to make good things happen,” said O’Brien. 

  Sophomore center Jamason Vella also had a strong night, logging 12 points, eight boards, and three steals as the game’s leading rebounder. Sophomores Jimmy Farrell and Cal Weidman had solid games as well. Farrell had 12 points and five assists, and Weidman hit two huge threes for Masco. 

  The Chieftains’ biggest struggle in their prior loss was rebounding, but in this game, they out-rebounded Tewksbury 28 to 23. 

  “ We knew boards were going to be the key for offensive and defensive so it was just effort there and boxing out every time. You got to give a shout-out to Jamason [Vella] for really locking it down there, but something that goes unseen is Jack Fiedler running the baseline, getting three offensive rebounds and that’s really big for us. When you get offensive boards, that’s just contagious and gets you second shots,” said Davis. 

  Junior guard Jack Fiedler has been making many hustle plays for the Chieftains all season. He plays scrappy, menacing on-ball defense and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.

  “I think everyone on the team just wants to win so badly, and I think that is the mindset right now. My teammates help me a lot and push me to play hard and better and I owe my teammates everything,” said Fiedler. 

  Masco also capitalized on Tewkbury’s mistakes, tallying 22 points off turnovers to Tewksbury’s nine. Masconomet was much more careful with the ball than the Redmen, as the Redmen turned it over 24 times. 

  The Chieftains now have a surge of momentum going into the season’s final stretch, and a red-hot Masco team will be scary to face in the playoffs. Masconomet hopes to take down the Danvers Falcons on senior night to solidify their spot in the state tournament.