Crimson Tide boys basketball’s postseason fate comes down to this weekend’s Dudley Davenport Classic in Sharon

After losing to host North High in OT, Everett needs to win both games starting with Sunday’s opener vs. Walpole at noon

By Joe McConnell

The Everett High School boys basketball team (8-10) played just one game this week, and it was a heartbreaking 45-44 overtime loss to non-league host North High School out of Worcester on Monday night (Feb. 10).

It was a battle of Division 1 clubs that came down to the wire, plus an extra period to decide the outcome.

“Scoring proved to be a challenge for us throughout this game,” said coach Gerard Boyce. “We had many missed opportunities and unforced turnovers that caused significant setbacks.

“But despite those troubles, we did have some standout performances,” added the second-year Everett boys coach.

Boyce singled out Jayden Alsaindor, who led the team in scoring with 15 points. Geordiell Luna Morales was close behind him with 14 points. “They also both showcased their determination to play good basketball on the court (all the time),” said Boyce.

The Everett boys now have two regular season games left on the schedule, and they need to win both to qualify for the state tournament. The two games will be away from home in the annual Dudley Davenport Classic at Sharon High School.

The Crimson Tide will take on Walpole in the first game of the tournament on Sunday (Feb. 16), starting at noon. The host team Sharon will then go up against Dedham at 1:30 p.m. The championship and consolation games will take place the next day.

“This tournament (obviously) holds significant importance for us,” said Boyce. “We need to win both games to secure a spot in the postseason tournament, but more than that it’s an opportunity to see if the boys will dig deep, defend well, rebound effectively and share the ball (to put them over the top).”