Tide boys basketball stays busy over the holiday break with mixed results

After facing Lynn Classical last night, Everett returns home to host non-league Newton South Tuesday night

By Joe McConnell

While many high school basketball teams took the holidays off to rest up the 2025 portion of the schedule, the Everett boys (2-3) played a couple of games in the King Philip tournament right after Christmas. Prior to the holiday break, they did beat Somerville at home, 73-45 on Dec. 20.

“We approached this game against Somerville with a clear focus on our defensive sets,” said coach Gerard Boyce. “Our goal was to get into those sets faster in order to control the pace of the game. The players executed our plan diligently, including the usual in-game adjustments.”

Geordiell Luna Morales paced the offensive attack with 21 points. “We emphasized the importance of individual contributions within the team dynamic, and as a result Geordiell had a breakout game, and his scoring ability helped us build momentum,” said Boyce. “But it wasn’t just about one player. Christian Vasquez had 10 points, and Jayden Alsaindor contributed nine points to the winning cause to go along with a well-rounded effort by the rest of the team.

Boyce also singled out the contributions of Adam Aitmessaoud coming off the bench. “Adam made a significant impact, coming up with six rebounds, four assists and three steals (in an unheralded, but vital role to the team,” the coach said. “Adam was our second leading rebounder, and really stepped it up when we needed him. His energy and hustle at both ends of the court were vital to our success in this game.

“This was a great team win that allowed us to get back on track,” added the second-year Everett coach. “We’re moving in the right direction, and if we continue to work hard and stay focused, I believe we have a lot to look forward to.”

The Crimson Tide then faced some tough competition in the King Philip Christmas Tournament last Friday and Saturday night. They lost to Lincoln Sudbury in the opener, 62-40, before dropping an 80-54 decision to host King Philip in the consolation game.

“I know how disappointing it can be to see the team struggle, but I still want to acknowledge the hard work that our players put in,” said Boyce. “Both games were closely contested in the first half, but we had difficulties with rebounding and finding our rhythm in the second half, which made it tough to put points on the board.”

One positive from the two-day tournament was that Luna-Morales made the All-Tournament team.

“We’re actively trying to rediscover the defensive intensity that defined our performance last season,” Boyce said. “It hasn’t been easy, especially against bigger opponents, but I believe in our team’s potential and resilience.”

The Tide was hoping to bounce back against a talented, well-coached Lynn Classical team on the road the day after New Year’s after press deadline. The Everett boys will then come home to host non-league Newton South Tuesday (Jan. 7), starting at 7 p.m., before facing host East Boston, coach Boyce’s alma mater, two nights later at 6:30 p.m.