Watertown bumps Burke
Tech Boston drops N. Andover
BURLINGTON — The days of sleeping on Watertown have long passed.
A season after losing in the Division 3 state semifinal round, the Red Raiders took the next step this year with an impressive 66-61 victory against Burke in the Div. 3 state semifinals yesterday at Burlington High.
Senior John Korte finished with 28 points, nine rebounds and five blocks while freshman Gabe Spinelli chipped in with 10 points as Watertown overcame a four-point deficit to start the fourth quarter to advance to Saturday’s state championship game in Springfield (time TBA).
This will be Watertown’s fourth trip to the championship round, having won state titles in 2007 and 2009 before losing in 2011.
“This win feels great, especially after last year,” said Korte. “We’re one game away from being state champions, and to do it with this group of guys is really exciting.”
Trailing 52-48, Watertown (19-6) tied the game at 5454 early in the fourth on a bucket from Spinelli and two Korte free throws before taking its first lead of the night at 56-54 on a Korte jumper.
Burke, however, answered with a Bryan Desir lay-in, but moments later Korte found Yoseph Hamad for a corner 3-pointer that put the Red Raiders ahead for good at 61-58 with 3:50 left.
Two free throws by Spinelli moments later made it a five-point game, but after Burke’s Devante Jamison drained a 3-pointer with two minutes to play to cut it to 63-61, Watertown made three free throws to wrap it up.
“That loss last year always stung these guys,” said Watertown coach Steve Harrington. “But this team, this time of year, has been laser-focused.”
Burke (24-3) was led by Desir, who scored 21 points.
TechBoston 65, North Andover 57 — With a trip to the state championship on the line, Walter Dew-Hollis left a lasting impression.
Dew-Hollis scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half to lead the Bears (241) past the Scarlet Knights (19-6) in a Div.2 state semifinal at Burlington High.
“Walter is my guy,” said TechBoston coach Johnny Williams. “He is my most valuable player. He is the brain, the heart, the legs, the arms. We don’t go if he doesn’t go.”
TechBoston trailed 4133 with 3:15 left in the third quarter, but that all changed within a blink of an eye. Over the next six minutes the Bears went on a 21-0 run highlighted by 13 points from Dew-Hollis to jump in front 54-41.
Maurice Works began the run with a layup before Dew Hollis followed up with four straight baskets including a vicious one-handed slam to put TechBoston up 44-41.
Shamar Moore nailed an elbow jumper as the third quarter buzzer sounded to give the Bears a 46-41 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Dew-Hollis put the game firmly out of reach to begin the final stanza, hitting a 15-footer and knocking down a transition layup around a Works basket to give TechBoston a 13-point lead with five minutes left.