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Begin Postseason At Home

BY JOE MCCONNELL

As the regular season wound down, the Marblehead High boys basketball team (13-4) built up momentum for the postseason. After defeating Swampscott (83-64, Feb. 16), Bedford (79-73, Feb. 19) and Gloucester (71-67 in OT, Feb. 20), the Magicians have won six out of their last seven games.

“We may have played one of our best halves of basketball all year long in the Swampscott game,” coach Mike Giardi said. “We jumped out to a big first half lead (58-24). Swampscott then picked up the pace in the second half, but they were trailing by so much, it was too much to overcome for them.”

Ryan Commoss paced the attack against the Big Blue with 19 points. Isaiah Makor and Nick Lemmond were next in line with 17 apiece. Tryone Countrymon accounted for 13. Scott Campbell had six. Magnus McCarthy and Cameron Comstock each scored four points. Matthew Sherf tallied three.

The Magicians then hosted the annual Larry McIntire Board 130 Tournament. Bedford was their first-round opponent, and it was a battle, according to Giardi.

“They are a team that we may face in the state tournament down the road, and we were able to hold on this time to secure the close win,” the coach added.

The Marblehead boys led at halftime, 43-30. But the Buccaneers outscored the home team in the third quarter, 22-14, to trim the deficit to five, 57-52.

Countrymon was the top scorer in this game with 26 points. Commoss chipped in with 19, and Lemmond had 16 to round out the top three Marblehead scorers.

Campbell netted nine.

McCarthy contributed six points to the winning cause. Makor tallied three. The win over Bedford set up the title game against Northeastern Conference rival Gloucester.

“While we got out to a big lead in the third quarter (47-35), Gloucester fought back and actually took the lead with under a minute to go in the game,” said Giardi. “We then hit a big shot to tie it, followed by a great defensive stretch to force overtime. In the overtime period, we were able to pull ahead to come away with the championship.”

Lemmond and Countrymon led their teammates on offense with 19 and 14 points, respectively, against the Fishermen. Makor was next up with 13. Commoss was credited with 12. Campbell had seven, and McCarthy six.

The Magicians will begin the Division 2 state tournament as the 10th seed. They are scheduled to face Pembroke, the 23rd seed in a Round of 32 game at 7 p.m. Thursday night, March 2 at home.

MhS VarSITY SchEDULE

Wednesday, March 1 Time Sport

3:30 p.m. Boys indoor track State Pentathlon Reggie Lewis Center, Roxbury

7 p.m. Girls ice hockey MIAA tournament vs. Haverhill Veterans Memorial Rink, Haverhill

7:30 p.m. Boys ice hockey MIAA tournament vs. Norwood Salem State O’Keefe Center

Thursday, March 2

7 p.m. Boys basketball vs. Pembroke Marblehead High School

Saturday, March 4

10:30 a.m. Boys and girls indoor track New Englands Reggie Lewis Center, Roxbury

BOYS hOcKEY