Page 10 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JAnuARy 30, 2026 Tide boys’ basketball falls to Chelsea to snap its six-game winning streak; Girls’ win two to get back on the right track Boyce’s crew hosts non-league Durfee Saturday night, while the girls get ready to host three games next week to begin new month By Joe McConnell A fter winning six in a row, the Everett High School boys basketball team (7-6) dropped a 69-45 decision to the visiting Chelsea Red Devils on Jan. 22. But prior to that loss, the Crimson Tide knocked off host Malden rather decisively two nights earlier, 56-30. “We were able to go into Malden and secure another important Greater Boston League (GBL) win,” said coach Gerard Boyce. “We knew (the Golden Tornadoes) would come out fighting, but we stayed discipline, while executing our game plan, which resulted in a solid victory.” The veteran Everett coach said that his team “has been working on its defensive rotations and communication in practice, and it’s starting to pay off.” The team started the season slowly on offense, but the coach credits “sharing the ball,” as to one of the reasons for the turnaround. “It’s not about one individual, because it always comes down to a total team effort,” Boyce added, “and in this game against Malden, everyone who stepped on the floor contributed to this win.” Cristian Vasquez (15 points) and Emmanuel Nelson (12), who sparked the team coming off the bench, paced the attack against Malden. Adam Aitmessaoud also did his part to secure the victory with eight points and eight assists. It has been nothing but Everett’s Julianna Rivera drives the ball past a Revere defender during recent GBL action. (Advocate photos by Emily Harney) good tidings for the Everett boys since the calendar flipped to 2026, and that included games against Revere (75-38, Jan. 13), Medford (6651, Jan. 15), Brookline (39-37, Jan. 19) and aforementioned Malden. Boyce offered these thoughts after the Revere game. “We came into their gym with the goal to disrupt their rhythm,” he said, “and the boys executed that game plan perfectly. Holding a team to 38 points is a testament to the discipline and communication that we’ve been preaching in practice.” The Tide stayed aggressive in their lanes, forced difficult shots and controlled the boards to limit Revere’s possessions. “When we play defense with that kind of intensity and focus, it fuels our entire game,” said Boyce. “I was proud of how we lockedin and stayed committed to protecting the basket throughout all four quarters. That intensity is what we need for the rest of the season.” Jayden Alsaindor was the scoring leader against Revere with 15 points. Emmanuel Nelson was close behind with 13, followed by Samir King Dacosta (12), Aitmessaoud (11) and Vasquez (10), who rounded out the double-digit scorers. The Tide then came home to power past the Mustangs two nights later. “This was a statement win,” said Boyce. “It showed just how much this group has grown since the start of the season. We are finally playing the brand of Everett basketball that we are capable of playing.” Once again, the veteran Everett coach singled out the team’s defensive intensity against a club that has been playing good basketBASKETBALL | SEE PAGE 11
11 Publizr Home