Crimson Tide boys basketball beats Chelsea on the road to remain in contention for a playoff berth

Everett will now play host to non-league Brookline Saturday night at 5:30 p.m.

By Joe McConnell

The Everett High School boys basketball team (7-8 overall, 6-2 in the Greater Boston League) is hovering around the .500 mark, but that’s very important in the race for a Division 1 playoff berth with five games left in the regular season schedule. Teams that finish with at least the same number of wins as losses automatically qualify for the postseason, which is everybody’s goal on the first day of practice the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Last Thursday night in Chelsea, the Crimson Tide defeated the Red Devils to the tune of 58-51. But then on Tuesday night at home, they fell to Lynn Classical, 66-46.

Second-year Everett High boys basketball coach Gerard Boyce knew that the Chelsea game was a must-win for his team, and they didn’t disappoint him.

“This matchup was crucial for us,” said Boyce afterwards, “and I’m thrilled that we are back to .500. “Our players showed remarkable resilience and discipline throughout this game.”

Geordiell Luna Morales led the team on offense with 18 points, while also providing a solid presence at both ends of the court, according to Boyce.

Jayden Alsaindor was right on Morales’ heels in terms of points with 16. Boyce said that Jamil Nelson had an impactful 12 points coming off the bench. “(Nelson) was able to showcase our depth and teamwork,” added Boyce.

Boyce mentioned that one of the key takeaways from this game was the team’s focus on defense, especially at the start and at the end of the game. “The players were evidently committed to maintaining a discipline defense, which helped control the pace of the game that ultimately secured our victory,” the coach said.

Boyce went on to say, “I’m incredibly proud of everyone’s hard work and determination on the court against Chelsea. We will (hopefully) continue to build on this momentum as we move forward (this) season.”

The Everett boys now hope to bounce back from that aforementioned loss to Classical with again five games left on the regular season schedule. They took on host Malden last night (Jan. 30) after press deadline, before coming home to play host to non-league Brookline Saturday night (Feb. 1), starting at 5:30 p.m.