BLACKSTONE VALLEY MEMORIES

December 29

1969 Coach Andy Boyle used only six players and got

well-balanced scoring from his five starters and a good clutch performance from Dennis Azevedo as Lincoln moved into the second round of the annual West Warwick Invitational Tournament with a surprise 75-62 victory over defending champion West Warwick. Pete Moreau paced the Lions’ scoring with 18 points, while Gary Stott had 16, Dennis O’Reilly 14, Brad Seaward 12 and Ray Walker 10. Lincoln not only turned in its best offensive performance thus far this season, they did an excellent job on defense in holding the Wizards’ high-scoring Paul Barber to only seven points. 1989 Bill Almonte fired in a game-high 26 points, but it

was not enough as Woonsocket dropped a 62-57 loss to Cumberland in the opening semifinal game of the 17th annual Holiday Basketball Tournament sponsored by the Boys & Girls Club of Cumberland-Lincoln. The Clippers’ fate was carried on the broad shoulders of center Mark Yankee who torched the twines for 25 points and hauled down 14 rebounds, while Jeremy Nobrega added 18 points. In the other semifinal tilt, Hank Hanley (21 points), Mark Barrett (19) and Scott Allard (17) led the way for a well-disciplined Mount St. Charles quintet that stunned Lincoln 74-61 in the nightcap.

1999 Lyndita Liburd excelled offensively with a game-high

15 points and eight rebounds, and Carmen Pizarro shined defensively with nine steals, as Central Falls posted a 48-43 win over Middletown in the Smithfield Boosters Club Holiday Classic’s Division 3 consolation game. Jazmin Rivera chipped in with 11 points and four thefts for the Warriors, who improved to 5-3 overall. Pizarro, who scored eight points, “was all over the place defensively,” noted CF coach Kathy Luther. “Defensively, this is one of the best games I’ve seen her play.”