THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, January 5, 2024 Page 17 Malden saves its best for last in a big win over Revere, 53-36 Tornados’ 4th-quarter blitz led by Okoth, Noelsaint (15 pts) & Phejarasai (12 pts) By Steve Freker M alden High School does have an automotive class under its roof, and it appears some members of the Golden Tornados boys basketball team might be members. How else can it be explained how Malden miraculously fixed that jammed-up gas pedal just in time for the start of the fourth quarter? Revere’s Josh Mercado had just drilled a three-pointer and Ethan Day hit a putback off glass to tie the game at 33-33 on the last play of the third quarter. A back-andforth grinder – which saw the visiting Patriots dissolve a six-point halftime deficit (25-19) and get all even with Malden in a flash – looked like it was going to go knockdown-dragout-style the rest of the contest. Malden apparently had other ideas. The Tornado team that had dropped its last four games in a row – largely due to an offense that had run away and hid for large chunks of game clock – suddenly awoke and hit that gas pedal with all of its might. When Malden was finished, it had a shiny, well-polished, 53-36 victory that pushed its record to an even 2-2 in Greater Boston League play, 2-5 overall. The hard-luck losing streak – featuring two 1-point losses – had disappeared, nowhere to be found. Revere also went to 2-5 overall, 1-4 GBL with the loss. With the win, Malden avenged what is a non-league loss to the Patriots, a 51-40 win for Revere in the consolation game of the Revere-Global Oil Holiday Tournament just five days earlier, Dec. 28. Led by a pair of sophomores, Colin Okoth and Ethan Phejarasai, and their senior captain Ezechiel Noelsaint, Malden went on a scoring rampage that lasted the entire fourth quarter. Starting with two baskets by Okoth – a putback layup off glass and an off-balance running, righty hook – followed by a medium-range, 12 foot jumper and a driving, lefty layup by Phejarasai, Malden started the quarter at 8-0, a 39-31 lead and Revere timeout. The barrage continued, fueled by some inspired defense from Noelsaint (eight blocked shots, four in the fourth quarter), two steals Malden High sophomore Colin Okoth (14) skies for a hook shot that went in and kept a Malden run going in the fourth quarter, guarded by Revere’s Sean Burnett (5) and Erick Mayorga (14). (Advocate Photos/Henry Huang) JAMAL JUKES: Malden High senior Jamal Pomare (4() jukes for position against Revere. ZEKE DRIBBLES: Malden Malden High sophomore Ethan Phejarasai (10) goes airborne for a runner as Revere’s Delmoise (22) looks on. (Advocate Photos/ Henry Huang) from Okoth and Phejarasai and some end-to-end team defense by Malden. “We had shown signs [earlier in the game] we could play like that, but we were not sustaining it,” said 18-year Malden Head Coach Don Nally. “That was our best stretch we played – both ends of the court – all year. “Obviously we needed this win. When you get in a hole like we dug for ourselves right out of the gate, every night’s a must win now,” Coach Nally added. For the record, Malden outscored Revere 12-2, 17-3 and finally, 23-3 in the fourth quarter alone. Noelsaint led all scorers for Malden with 15 points and Phejarasai was right behind him with 12 points. Okoth was huge with all seven of his points coming in the fourth quarter. Malden senior guard Yandel Huynh got his first varsity start of his two-year career, and he gave Malden a spark with a pair of “threes” in the first half and a few loose ball tie ups defensively. The Tornados got his best game from sophomore Kaua Fernandes Dias, who turned in three blocked shots, two steals and nine rebounds on the night. After a series of slow, scoreless starts in its past two games, losses to Revere and East Boston, Malden led, 11-8, after the first quarter and, powered by Noelsaint and Phejarasai, 25-19 at half. Led by Ethan Day’s seven points in the third quarter and some team defense led by Day and Leone, Revere held Malden to just three buckets and rallied to tie it at 3333. Then came the Tornado of scoring for Malden and the “W” followed. **** ETHAN ESCAPES: Malden’s Ethan Phejarasai (10) dribbled out of t rouble against Revereon Tuesday, covered by Revere's Mike Mighizos (2). FREE THROWS: In other games Tuesday night, Medford (Malden’s next opponent, on the road Thursday/last night) got its first win, 68-63 over Chelsea; Lynn English blasted Lynn Classical, 7858... Malden played at Medford last night (Thursday) at 6:00 p.m. (after Advocate press deadline)... Next week, Malden has a challenging schedule with the 1-2 Greater Boston League teams coming to Malden High’s Finn Gym: on Tuesday, Jan. 9, Lynn English (6 p.m. start) and on Thursday, Jan. 11, Everett (6-1, 6 p.m. start)… Malden dropped a close game on the road at Everett in its season opener... Revere is hosting Everett tonight (Friday) at 7:00 p.m. and next week is on the road at Somerville on Tuesday, Jan. 9 (7 p.m.) and home vs. Lynn Classical on Thursday, Jan. 11 (7 p.m.). senior captain Ezechiel “Zeke” Noelsaint (22) dribbles against full court pressure from Revere's defense. DE’ SHAWN FR OM DOWNTOWN: Malden High sophomore De’Shawn Bunch (23) bangs a deep “three” in the fourth quarter.
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