Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, FEbrUAry 3, 2023 Saugus boys repay Tigers with OT win B By Greg Phipps ack in December, the Saugus High School boys’ basketball team dropped a one-point decision in overtime at Lynn Tech. The two teams met in a rematch on Monday night at the Saugus gym. This time it was the Sachems who came out on the winning side. Monday’s matchup ended up being another overtime battle, as Saugus came back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force the OT session and eventually net a 70-64 victory. The win upped the Sachems’ overall record to 10-4. With the score even at 61 apiece after regulation, Saugus went on to outscore the visiting Tigers 9-3 in the extra period. Ben Tapia-Gately and Josh Osawe each poured home 19 points, while Max Anajjar (16) and Chris Flynn (12) also reached double digits in scoring. It was Flynn’s clutch three-pointer in the final seconds of regulation that tied the game at 61 and set up the overtime session. Head Coach Joe Bertrand also cited the pressure free-throw shooting of seniors Tapia-Gately, Anajjar and Osawe down the stretch. Bertrand said his squad was able to gather itself after falling behind by 10 three minutes into the fourth period. “We called a timeout, regrouped and locked in as a team on defense,” he said. “We turned some big steals into easy points. Our defense stepped up again and we got the big stop(s) we needed.” The Sachems went into the halftime locker room trailing by seven at 32-25 and were behind by six entering the final quarter. When the two teams played each other Sachem girls get by Winthrop in thriller Saugus’s Josh Osawe drove the baseline in first half action against Lynn Tech on Monday night. Saugus’s Max Anajjar took a mid-range shot over a Lynn Tech defender on Monday. Saugus’s Ashleen Escobar came up with a key performance by scoring 23 points in last Friday’s close win over Winthrop. (Advocate photo by Greg Phipps) By Greg Phipps W Sachems forward Chris Flynn looks to go to the basket against Lynn Tech. at Lynn Tech earlier this season, the Tigers escaped with a 62-61 overtime triumph. The Sachems had won five of their last six games – the lone loss coming against Div. I state powerhouse Beverly – entering Wednesday night’s home game against KIPP Academy. The Sachems are scheduled to travel to Salem for a contest against the Witches Friday night. ith each passing game, the Saugus High School girls’ basketball team is demonstrating its grit. The Sachems found themselves in a tight tussle last Friday night at home against Winthrop but were able to produce a hard-fought, 63-61 overtime victory. The Sachems were behind 30-27 at halftime and found themselves facing a 44-39 deficit after three quarters. Saugus was able to outscore the visitors 16-11 over the next eight minutes to bring the contest to an extra period tied at 55. A huge three-point shot by Ashleigh Moore late in regulation helped pave the way for the OT period. With Saugus trailing 61-58 late in the overtime period, Peyton DiBiasio sank two free throws to decrease the deficit to one, and Ashleen Escobar connected on two more to give the Sachems a 62-61 lead they would hold on to. Madi Femino made a key steal and DiBiasio added another free throw to account for the final margin. Winthrop had one last opportunity at the line in the waning seconds but missed the first of two free throws and had to attempt an intentional miss to try and grab the rebound. It didn’t work and the final buzzer sounded, as Sachem players stormed the court in celebration. Saugus Head Coach Mark Schruender described it as “probably the most exciting game” he’s ever coached. “It was back-and-forth, wire-to-wire, you name it,” he told the press afterward. Escobar had perhaps her best game of the season, at Saugus’s Isaiah Rodriguez beat a Lynn Tech player to a loose ball on Monday as teammate Ben Tapia-Gately trailed the play. (Advocate photos by Greg Phipps) least offensively, as she poured in 23 points to help lead the Sachems. DiBiasio once again was a factor on the scoring side by finishing with 18 points. Schruender also cited Jessica Bremberg for her strong defensive play. The win improved the Sachems to 9-4 overall on the season. Saugus played at Triton on Wednesday and is scheduled to host Salem on Friday night (7 p.m. tip off)
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