Wildcat center scores 26 points, Warriors drop 61-49 game

By DAN BYRNE

WAKEFIELD — Having defeated Stoneham on the road in its midweek game, the Wakefield Memorial High School boys’ basketball team returned home to the Charbonneau Field House on Friday evening after a four-game road trip as its hosted its next Middlesex League matchup against Wilmington.

The Wildcats came in and had their way with the Warriors behind the 26 point effort from 6-8 senior center Connor Bennett en route to a 61-49 defeat for the Wakefield.

The loss is yet another tough pill to swallow for Head Coach Brad Simpson and his team.

Wakefield got off to a nice start to the game and held a 10 point lead after the first quarter with the score 17-7.

Junior Jon Miller was in the starting line-up once again, after his impressive outing against Stoneham. Yet again Miller was on target from long range, as he finished the first quarter with eight points, including two three-pointers.

Senior captain Brian Dickey was another Warrior who got it going early on. Dickey had seven of his 13 points in the first.

“Brian Dickey never gives up,” said Simpson.

The tables were turned in the second quarter. The Wildcats went on a run thanks to 11 points from the big man, Bennett, while Wakefield couldn’t buy a bucket.

“At times we didn’t do a good job on Bennett,” said Simpson after the game.

Wakefield went from having a 10 point lead after one, to being down 29-25 after only scoring eight points in the second quarter. After a hot start, the Warriors went on to shoot just 28 percent from the field in the game.

Coach Simpson wasn’t encouraged by the offense he saw.

“Every game we’ve shot 28 percent from the field, we’ve lost,” Simpson said. “You can’t beat anybody shooting under 30 percent.”

The shots just weren’t falling for Wakefield’s shooters, and as the game went on, they became wearier and wearier of trying to take it into the paint and risk getting the shot blocked by Bennett.

The third quarter went much the way the second did and Wilmington held Wakefield’s offense to just nine points. Meanwhile, down the other end, the Wildcats continued to feed Bennett where he added seven more points.

“When Andrew Auld was out of the game, that’s when they were able to go to Bennett,” Simpson admitted.

Wilmington extended its lead in the third quarter by outscoring Wakefield by eight points, 17-9. Heading to the fourth quarter Wakefield trailed 46-34.

The Warriors never waved the white flag and in the fourth their shooters found their range once again. Three times the Warriors found the net from long range, with Miller finding his mark again. Two Elijah Nardone three-pointers went through the cylinder as well.

Along with Nardone, some underclassmen got some playing time in this one. Due to senior Neil Fitzgerald being sidelined with an ankle injury, Corey Imbriano saw his first action of varsity basketball.

“Corey Imbriano got his first taste, I liked what I saw,” Simpson said. “He plays good defense. He might be able to help us a little bit as we go down the road.”

Wilmington didn’t waiver from its strategy of getting the ball into the low post for its center to do work. Wakefield clamped down on him in the fourth, holding the big guy to just four points. Tighe Beck and Auld adjusted their defense effectively to slow down the Wildcats’ star.

“Andrew Auld, when he was playing did a pretty good job,” Simpson said. “Tighe Beck never gives up.”

Unfortunately for Wakefield, it was playing from behind and that meant an aggressive Wilmington team got to the free throw line. Matt Spurr attempted nine of the Wildcats’ 15 free throws in the fourth quarter on his own and Wilmington matched Wakefield’s final quarter output of 15 points.

With the loss, the Warriors fall to 3-5 overall on the season. The next game is for the Warriors is Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m. as they welcome the Red Raiders of Melrose to the Charbonneau Field House.

—–

Wilmington 61, WAKEFIELD 49

At Charbonneau Field House

—–

Wilmington (61) — Colangelo 1 0 3; Smith 0 0 0; Horgan 4 1 9; Raffi 0 0 0; Field 0 0 0; Woods 1 0 2; Pennie 0 0 0; Abbott 2 3 7; Spurr 1 11 14; Bennett 10 6 26; Gaudreau 0 0 0; Walsh 0 0 0; Flood 0 0 0. Totals 19 21 61.

WAKEFIELD (49) — Imbriano 0 0 0; Dickey 4 5 13; Beck 3 1 7; Calnan 2 0 4; Miller 6 0 15; Urbano 0 0 0; McKenna 0 0 0; Nardone 2 0 6; Nadeau 0 0 0; Price 0 0 0; Auld 2 0 4. Totals 19 6 49.

Score by Quarters — Wilmington 7-22-17-15 — 61. Wakefield 17-8-9-15 — 49.

Three-point FGs — Wil, Colangelo 1,  Spurr 1. Wak, Miller 3, Nardone 2.