Warriors clinch with 47-38 triumph over Stoneham
THE WMHS boys’ basketball team had a reason to congratulate each other as it clinched a state tournament with a 47-38 triumph over Stoneham on Friday night at SHS. (Donna Larsson File Photo)
Published in the February 1, 2016 edition.
By DAN BYRNE
STONEHAM — The Wakefield Memorial High School varsity boys’ basketball team went on the road Friday night as it visited Middlesex League Freedom division rival Stoneham. The Warriors were a win away from securing qualification for the state tournament.
Wakefield used some help from some infrequently used guards and some dominant work on the glass to achieve the first goal of the season, making the tournament by defeating the Spartans by a 47-38 final score at SHS Gymnasium.
“We’re in the tournament despite having to forfeit a win,” said head coach Brad Simpson after the game. “We’re in it so actually we did it twice. We’re very happy. We still have some games to play, maybe hopefully we’ll win another one or two.”
Wakefield is 9-5 overall and 8-4 in the M.L. Freedom division. The Warriors play an 18-game schedule and have four games remaining. The Warriors take on Wilmington, Melrose, Burlington and Watertown.
It was tight the whole way as the Warriors took a one point lead after the first quarter. Junior Alex McKenna had four of his team high 14 points in the first quarter. The only other Warrior in double figures, Kobey Nadeau, had four in the first as well.
Starting senior point guard, Corey Imbriano, got off to a slow start as he picked up a couple fouls early on and forced Coach Simpson to go to the bench.
“(There are) Two kids in particular that don’t get a lot of playing time but they work hard in practice,” Simpson said in reference to needing to sub out Imbriano.
Fellow senior Paul McGunigle got the nod in the first half and made the most of his time. He put in a commendable effort defensively and knocked down a big three-pointer to help the Warriors to a 12-11 lead at the end of one quarter.
“Paul McGunigle was super when Corey Imbriano picked up two fouls,” Said Coach Simpson.
The second quarter was the most productive offensively for Wakefield as it was able to have five different players contribute to putting 13 points up on the board heading into halftime.
“They’re very, very good.” Simpson said of Stoneham, “They run that nice matchup zone defense. They don’t give up any easy shots.”
Nadeau led the way with six of his 11 coming in the second quarter, making a pair of field-goals and sinking two out of three free-throws. Senior forward Tighe Beck had the only other field goal in the second for the Warriors as he grabbed an offensive rebound and scored the putback for two of his eight points.
Wakefield got three free throws from McKenna and one each from McGunigle and John Evnagelista to account for the 13 second quarter points.
Wakefield held Stoneham to just 10 points in the second quarter and went into the break with a 25-21 lead. The Spartans scored eight of their 10 points at the free throw line, shooting 8-for-10, as the refs called a tight game in the first half.
One positive that came from the refs calling it close for the Warriors was that Stoneham star sophomore forward Devon Chase picked up three fouls and had to sit on the bench. He led all scorers with 15 points in the game but being confined to the sidelines with foul trouble he was kept out of the scorebook in the second quarter.
The refs let things flow a little more freely in the third quarter and it led to the Warriors heating up from the field. Wakefield had five field goals in the third quarter as it put 11 points on the board.
Junior forward Zach Price and Imbriano had their lone baskets in the third as they finished with two points each for the game.
Sophomore Andrew Miller, came in to spell Imbriano and handled the ball superbly. He was able to cope with the full court pressure and had the poise to knock down and three-pointer and a deep two to beat the buzzer.
“In the second half, Andrew Miller, Ice in his veins, he played some pretty good defense down the other end for us,” the coach said. “We needed another ball handler out there on the court and he fit the bill.”
Defensively, the Warriors locked down Stoneham and held the Spartans to just five points in the third quarter. They took a 36-26 lead into the fourth quarter.
“I told the kids we were going to have to play good defense tonight and our defense was super,” Simpson said.
Stoneham’s Chase got on a roll and scored seven points in the fourth quarter. But Wakefield was able to keep its stride and hold on to the lead for the win by a 47-38 final score.
“We needed Zach Price to give us some very valuable minutes at the five and he did. He defended Chase pretty well for a stretch in the first half before they had to sit him out,” the coach said. “He [Chase] is a very good player and I thought Kobey down the stretch did a very good job on him.”
“You can’t stop him from scoring,” Simpson said. “So you just have to make him work for every point.”
Beck was huge on the glass in the fourth quarter and also chipped in six points and shot 2-for-2 from the line.
McKenna had five points in the fourth as he nailed a big three-pointer that stopped a Stoneham run and he hit both his free throws attempts.
Stoneham actually outscored Wakefield 12-11 but it was not nearly enough and Wakefield went home with the nine point win.
The crowd was excited the entire game creating a tournament like atmosphere and the team was happy to have secured a berth in the postseason.
“(We had) Great support tonight the whole game,” Simpson said commenting on the traveling crowd.
Up next, the Warriors are home on Tuesday night as they welcome in the Wildcats of Wilmington High. Game time is 7 p.m.
“We have Wilmington on Tuesday then our rival Melrose on Friday,” concluded Coach Simpson.
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WAKEFIELD 47, Stoneham 38
At Charbonneau Field House
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WAKEFIELD (47) — Evangelista 0 1 1; A.Miller 2 0 5; Beck 3 2 8; Imbriano 1 0 2; Carmilia-Smith 0 0 0; McKenna 4 5 14; Nadeau 3 5 11; Price 1 0 2; McGunigle 1 1 4. Totals 15 14 47.
Stoneham (38) — Macura 2 1 6; Marino 0 0 0; Rhuda 2 3 7; Magliozzi 0 2 2; Russell 1 0 2; Pignone 1 4 6; Chase 6 3 15. Totals 12 13 38.
Score by Quarters — WAKEFIELD 12-13-11-11 — 47. Stoneham 11-10-5-12 — 38.
Three-point FGs — Miller 1, McKenna 1, McGunigle 1.
