Masco gave Saugus 32 minutes of work on both ends of the floor, slaughtering them 96-47 this past Thursday.
There was never a doubt for Masco in this game, as they were hot with shooting the ball and scoring at will inside. Masco’s shooters were hot from deep and the big men were bodying the Sachems around down low. No matter who was on the floor, it was straight buckets for the Chieftains.
“I shout out the whole team; it was a whole team effort going out there and showing we can all score the ball and play the game the right way,” said head coach Jaycob Morales. “Kudos to our players, they are great kids and hopefully we can show the world that.”
Senior captain Devin O’Brien led the offensive surge for Masco, sinking four three-pointers and leading all scorers with 19 points. His co-captain Jimmy Farrell was on par tonight as he got to the rim whenever he pleased, snagging 14 points. These two have been so reliable to start this season for Masco, as Farrell averages 17 points per game with six assists and three steals and O’Brien averages 12.3 points per game with 5.5 boards.
Masco had five scorers in double figures and many players stepped up into bigger roles. Senior guard Jack Rollins had an awesome game, scoring an efficient career-high nine points, and junior guard Colin Doherty proved that you can’t leave him open from deep, drilling three triples and also getting his career-high of 11 points. As players who are in the mix fighting for minutes, that is how they make a statement, as the Chieftains kept extending the lead.
“We [second and third groups] were excited about the opportunity in this game since the whole team has been working so hard in practice. Any chance you get, you have to take, so when I caught the ball and was open, I shot,” said Doherty. “As a shooter, when you can hear the people behind you when your shot goes in, it’s the best feeling ever.”
Masco big man senior Hunter Rossi was ferocious down low and hit all his shots from the paint, netting him 10 points on the night.
Junior guards Cal Weidman and Ryan Richardson are known for their defense and every game they strike fear into the opposing ball-handlers. Richardson came off the bench and stuck to the point guard like glue getting him multiple steals in this contest.
Sophomore forward Thomas Denton stole the highlight of this game, however, when he jumped a Saugus pass at half court and punished the rim with a two-hand slam, his first in-game dunk.
“When I got that steal I just wanted to punch it,” he said. “I had an opportunity earlier in the game but I got fouled and jumped too early, but the second time I knew I needed to throw it down.”
Denton has started to come into his own as a vital player for the Chieftains as he scored 12 points, boosting his season average to 9.4.
“Preparing for our next game against Beverly is really about the defensive end, as we have some very good offensive scorers and nearly all of the starting lineup can get a basket whenever they want. In practice we need to heavily focus on our defense and rebounding,” said Denton.
The game he is referencing is what seems to be Masco’s biggest game of the season as the two best teams in the Northeast Conference (NEC) square off. A lot of preparation must go into this week at practice to get ready for this Beverly game.
“We are preparing like this is the first and last game of our life. We want to make sure we come ready to play. The intensity, passion, and commitment from the players should always be there no matter what game it is but especially when it’s a huge in-conference game,” said Morales. “As a coaching staff, we are going to look at the film, study a bunch of different things, and put together a strong game plan, but we’ll be ready to go.”
If you are from Massachusetts and a fan of high school basketball, you should be in the Beverly gym this Tuesday at seven to watch the two top dogs in the NEC go to battle.