Page 12 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, January 21, 2022 Malden High boys basketball drop close games to Revere and Lynn Classical Tornado squad seeks first win amidst the toughest stretch of their GBL schedule By Jason Mazzilli T he Malden High School boys’ basketball is still seeking its first win, though a pair of close losses has fueled some hope for a turnaround. The Golden Tornado squad is mired in a 0-6 start to the season and like many schools around the state, has been sidetracked by COVID-19 and the injury bug. "We have not been able to field a full team from the one we are supposed to have on the roster yet," said Malden High head coach Don Nally, who is in the midst of his 20th season. "We do not need any excuses though, despite anything, we have not played consistently enough to get over the top and get a win." On Tuesday night, Malden got overmatched in a 77-45 loss to host Medford. Last night, they hosted two-time defending champ Lynn English, which is battling Everett for Greater Boston League supremacy. The loss to Medford left Malden at 0-6, but the games preceding Tuesday night's defeat left some promise. On the road at Revere, Malden dropped a 45-34 game that the Tornado squad trailed by just a basket after three quarters. In a 57-50 loss at home versus Lynn Classical, Malden was within three (down 50-47) with just under a minute to play, fighting all the way back from a 15-point deficit. In the loss to Classical, Malden got solid games from seniors Jason Ong and Ronaldo Nguyen. Ong hit three consecutive three-pointers in the third quarter to help fuel a Malden comeback while Nguyen played steady defense all night long. At this point Malden is 0-6 (0-6 GBL) and in the middle of a treacherous part of the GBL slate. After Lynn English last night, Malden hits the road next week against first-place Everett Tuesday, January 25 (6:00 p.m. start) and Thursday, January 27 away at Somerville (7:00 p.m. start). "It's a tough stretch against some of the best teams in our league, but we have to find a way to get a win out of it," Coach Nally said. Malden High head coach Don Nally talks to the troops during a timeout. (Advocate Photo/Henry Huang) Senior Justin Ong led all Malden scorers with 12 points in a loss to Lynn Classical. (Advocate Photo/Henry Huang) Justin Bell spins in flight looking for a place to pass the ball. (Advocate Photo/Henry Huang) Malden senior Ryan Delacour goes up for a shot against Lynn Classical. (Advocate Photo/Henry Huang)
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