WESTFIELD – The East Longmeadow Spartans crashed Westfield’s party.
East Longmeadow’s Colin Lindsay scored a game-high 28 points and the Spartans halted Westfield’s four-game winning streak with a 71-63 win on senior night Tuesday in the Whip City. The Bombers entered the game having won six of their last seven, including monumental upsets of Northampton and Amherst during that impressive stretch run.
Jeric Cichon chipped in 19 points for East Longmeadow (10-10), which qualified for the postseason with the victory. Donovan Cordero had 14.
Westfield’s Javier Santos drives to the basket against East Longmeadow Tuesday night. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
It was apparent from the outset that East Longmeadow was playing for its playoff lives.
Lindsay scored 12 of his team’s 16 points, fueling a 10-0 run late in the first quarter with consecutive 3-pointers, Cichon hit a three at the buzzer to give East Longmeadow a 19-10 lead.
East Longmeadow distributed the ball a bit more evenly in the second quarter with Cordero pumping in 10. The Spartans went into the half up 39-24.
Westfield came out of the break with a renewed effort. Javier Santos and Scott Walsh each made two free throws and Kam Wells drained a 2-point bucket as the Bombers went on a 6-0 run to bring their deficit down to double digits, 39-30, with 4:40 remaining in the quarter.
East Longmeadow responded, pushing the leading back to double-digits again.
Westfield’s Rodney Bernard heated up, scoring 14 of his team-high 16 points in the fourth quarter. The Bombers pulled to within four, 67-63 with just over a minute left, but East Longmeadow converted its free throws down the stretch to end it.
Wells finished with 13 points for Westfield. Bombers’ Javi Santos had 11, and Aidan Dunn, 10.
Tigers end on high note
Westfield Technical Academy 58, Pathfinder 53
Seniors Vlad Biley and Luis Ruiz shined in their final regular season game, propelling Westfield Tech to victory.
Biley scored 24 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter. Ruiz recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The seniors turned over the reigns to the underclassmen, even voicing their opinion that the younger players should start because “they are the future of the program.”
“What a character thing to say,” Westfield Tech coach Kyle Dulude said. “It was so unselfish for the two seniors to step up in that fashion.”
When Westfield Tech juniors Skyler Bishop and Andrew Czeremcha both fouled out, the seniors were forced into extensive action.
“It was such a rewarding experience for the program,” Dulude said, “and the fact they played with so much pride is the accomplishment for the season.”
“These boys could have wrapped it up and quit games ago when we were mathematically eliminated from the Western Mass tournament,” he said, “but they didn’t. They made their coach proud with how hard they learned to fight together as a team. It was an extremely positive ending for this season.”
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Saints chase Tigers
St. Mary 34, Westfield Technical Academy 19
Jessica Crosby scored a game-high 13 points, Madie Donais had 10, and St. Mary turned back Westfield Tech at Westfield Middle School North.
Jeika Rois and Emily White led Westfield Tech with six apiece.
