Boys’ hoop to meet East Boston in prelims on Wednesday

THE LHS boys’ basketball team earned the No. 34 seed in the D3 bracket and will travel to No. 31 East Boston on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. for a preliminary round matchup. (Kristine Marengi File Photo)

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

LYNNFIELD — The Lynnfield High boys’ basketball team found who they will be opening with in the MIAA Division 3 state tournament last Saturday. The Pioneers will visit East Boston on March 1 with that game starting at 5:30 p.m. in a preliminary-round contest.

Lynnfield, who will be making its first postseason appearance since the 2017-2018 campaign, enters the game with a record of 14-6 as they are the 34^th-seed.

The Jets, meanwhile, are seeded 31^st and they enter the game at 13-7.

The Pioneers scrimmaged Marblehead and host Manchester-Essex on Feb. 26 since their final game of the regular season was back on Feb. 17^.

“We played 16 minute scrimmages against both teams,” pointed out Bakopolus. “Marblehead and Manchester-Essex are both very good teams so it was great to get to scrimmage both of them to get ready for the tournament.”

Lynnfield was led in scoring this winter by senior point guard Alex Gentile. The co-captain averaged 13 points and a team-high four assists per game. Shooting guard, Gavin Deluties, is second in scoring as the sophomore guard averaged 12 points per game. Junior Chris Daniels is third avenging eight points per game.

The team’s top rebounder is Alex Fleming as the sophomore forward is averaging nine boards per game. He is also fourth on the team in points averaging 7.5 points per game.

Bakopolus has limited knowledge about the Jets, who came in fourth place in the Boston City League.

“You would like to know something about your opponent,” he admitted. “What we have to do is worry about ourselves and what we can do.”

None of the Pioneers players have played in a state tournament game.

“I know that there will be nerves but I hope, once the game starts, that those will go away,” said Bakopolus.

If Lynnfield can win this game they will go to Lynn to take on host St. Mary’s in the Round of 32 game (date and time unknown as of press time).

The Spartans, who are the 2nd seed, will enter that game at 15-7.

St. Mary’s is the alma mater of Bakopolus.