Undefeated Lincoln stops Mount St. Charles
LINCOLN – In the first half, it was junior Cody Anter shouldering the offensive load with three 3-pointers for the Lincoln High boys’ basketball team.
During the second half of Friday’s Division III contest against Mount St. Charles, the Lions placed a greater emphasis on throwing the ball to the low post. It was move that agreed with senior Declan Quinn, who scored all 11 of his points after halftime.
There’s a lot of options on this year’s LHS squad and just about all of them played a hand in a 60-49 victory over MSC. The Lions featured a nine-player rotation where everyone scored and no one had more than 13 points, which was Anter’s final point total. Also hitting three treys for the victors was senior Brett Bessette as part of a 12-point performance.
Lincoln also received eight points apiece from seniors Josh Jahnz and Marty Gaughan. Afterwards, coach Kent Crooks compared the depth at his disposal to a hockey coach who has the luxury of rolling out four lines.
“You’re just hoping that all the pieces of the puzzle can be plugged in at any time and help you,” said Crooks after his Lions improved to 2-0 in league play and 4-0 overall.
“We have shooters but we also have bigs who we have to look for.”
Jack Bennett led MSC (1-1 Division III, 2-2 overall) with 13 points while Isaiah Lee and Jordan Perry each finished with points. The Mounties deserve credit for not folding after not fallin g behind 52-36 with two minutes remaining. Multiple trips to the foul line helped MSC trim the deficit to seven (54-47) with 1:12 remaining, but that’s as close as coach Henry Coleman’s crew would come.
Mount did a good job getting to the foul line but missed 12-of-29 attempts. When Lincoln started to apply some distance on the scoreboard after enjoying a 23-16 lead at halftime, MSC became guilty of settling for quick shots. When the Mounties led 10-6 with five minutes gone by, the ball was moving rather than sticking in the hands of just one player.
“Sometimes when the outside shot isn’t falling, you need to take it to the basket. Maybe you get to the free-throw line, but that’s how you build confidence and get back into a rhythm,” said Coleman.
Neither side distinguished itself from the field during the first half. Unofficially, MSC was 5-for-27 while Lincoln was 8-for-30. Still, the Lions were the ones who owned the upper hands thanks in large part to Anter’s work from distance.
It was Quinn’s turn to get going as he scored off a Mount turnover and soon after cleaned up a missed shot that helped Lincoln build a 35-22 lead. Gaughan got in the act with back-to-back hoops that came at a key time. MSC’s Bennett nailed two threes but the Lions still led by double digits.
“You tell kids who come off the bench that their legs are fresh. You should be super charged and bring energy,” said Crooks, speaking about a bench brigade that includes Gaughan. MOUNT ST. CHARLES (49): Isaiah Lee 2 4-4 9, Tom Burke 1 0-0 2, Jack Bennett 3 5-7 13, Tristan Cox 9, Ben Ellis 0 0-0 0, Danny Johnson 2 3-8 7, Jordan Perry 3 0-0 90, Nick Platek 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 17-29 49.
LINCOLN (60): Declan Quinn 5 1-1 11, Tyler McNulty 0 1-2 1, Brett Bessette 3 3-4 12, David Du 0 0-0 0, Cody Anter 4 2-2 13, Nick Villanova 1 1-2 3, Marty Gaughan 3 2-4 8, Vinny Nassi 0 1-2 1, Josh Jahnz 3 2-3 8, Aaron DeSousa 1 1-2 3. Totals: 20 14-22 60. Halftime: L 23-16.
Three-point field goals: MSC 4 (Jack Bennett 2, Isaiah Lee, Jordan Perry); L 6 (Cody Anter 3, Brett Bessette 3). PAWTUCKET — The St. Raphael boys basketball team dug themselves too deep a hole in the first half of Friday’s Division I game, as Mt. Pleasant had four players reach double figures in a 61-51 victory over the Saints at Alumni Hall.
“We got off to a bad start in the first half,” SRA coach Tom Sorrentine said. “We got way behind, but we played better in the second half. We have to pass the ball better and look after the ball. We need to keep working on our defense because we are not really a big team.”
St. Raphael (1-3, 0-2 Division I) received a team-high 16 points and a 3-pointer from Ameir Gomes, while Abio Bloe and Jayden Garces each added 10. The Saints host Juanita Sanchez in a non-league contest Friday night.
Mt. Pleasant ( 2- 1 Division I) used a game- high 18 points from Chaynce Trottman to bounce back from a defeat to Cumberland earlier in the week. The Kilties raced out to a 35- 21 lead at halftime.
MT. Pleasant (61) Ryan Fogarty 4 3-7 14, Aaron Gomes 5 0-1 14, Jaymes Stone 2 0-0 4, Chaynce Trottman 7 3-5 18, Bernadino McGuy 5 1-3 11, Demetrius Demiranda 0 0-2 0, totals 23 7-18 61. ST. RAPHAEL (51) Ameir Gomes 7 1-2 16, Neiko Ward 1 0-0 3, Avion Bloe 4 2-4 10, Devin O’Malley 2 0-0 5, Matt West 3 1-2 7, Jayden Garces 5 0-1 10, totals 22 4-8 51.
Halftime – Mt. Pleasant, 35-21.
3-pointers – MP, Gomes 4, Trotman; SRA, Gomes, Ward, O’Malley.