Patriots boys hoop competitive in two losses

By Dom Nicastro

 

The Revere boys basketball team opened its season with a pair of losses, showing flashes of potential despite the early setbacks.

 

Its most recent encounter this Tuesday against Medford ended with a 71-61 defeat, while a nail-biting 59-55 season-opening loss to Everett highlighted their resilience and room for growth.

 

Against Medford, senior tri-captain Ethan Day led the Patriots with an impressive performance, scoring 31 points along with seven rebounds and five assists. Senior forward Erick Mayorga added 13 points and nine rebounds, and Gio Alexandre contributed five points and six rebounds.

 

The Patriots trailed Everett, 19-13, after the first quarter and were down 30-25 at halftime. Everett extended its lead to 12 points in the third quarter before Revere rallied back to tie the game with about three minutes remaining.

 

The final minutes were fraught with fouls and free throws, with Everett sealing the game by converting their last six from the line.

 

Coach David Leary reflected on the team’s performance, noting the impact of early game jitters and mental errors.

 

“Early-game jitters, especially in the first quarter… I think that’s where we lost the game,” Leary said. “We lost by four, we lost the first quarter by six.” He was proud of how the team did not give in, crediting a mid-game adjustment and cleaner play in the second half.

 

Day also showed his leadership in the Everett game, scoring 18 points along with six rebounds. Senior guard Avi Lung added 16 points, including four crucial steals and three 3-pointers. Junior forward Zane Kayembe chipped in with 10 points, providing much-needed support offensively.

 

Coach Leary also praised Alexandre for his solid defense and rebounding, saying, “Gio made a three in the second quarter and played some solid defense, and he had seven rebounds off the bench, so he was pretty solid as well.”

 

Coach Leary remains optimistic about the team’s ability to improve, particularly in handling pressure and reducing turnovers. As the season progresses, the Patriots will look to refine their strategies and build on their early experiences.

 

Revere girls, boys track gets personal wins at Winter Festival

Revere had a fine start to the track season at the large school MSTCA Winter Festival. The girls had three lifetime PRs and numerous top-five finishes.

 

Senior captain Liv Yuong placed first in the high jump with a leap of 4-10. She also placed sixth in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 10.5.

 

Sophomore Olivia Rupp ran a lifetime PR in the mile by almost two seconds with a time of 5:52.02. This was good for a third-place finish. “She looked so strong throughout the whole race,” Revere coach Racquel MacDonald-Ciambelli said. “I’m very confident that she will be in the 5:40s very soon.”

 

Senior captain Francoise Kodjo threw a PR in the shotput of 27-05.5, which was good enough for a sixth-place finish.

 

Sophomore Gemma Stamatopoulos jumped a PR in the high jump with a jump of 4-10, which placed her third.

 

The girls take on Medford and Everett on Thursday in their first Greater Boston League meet of the season.

 

The Revere boys also had a good opener with some PRs and great early-season performances.

 

Oliver Escobar, junior, finished third in the high jump, setting a new PR of 6-0. His prior PR was 5-6, and this qualifies him for the state meet.

 

“Oliver reached an entirely new level at Winter Fest,” Revere coach Dave Fleming said. “He even surprised himself with his performance. He got coaching during the week from long-time RHS coach Sam Ros, which made all the difference.”

 

Jeremy X, junior, finished fifth in the 300-meter in 37.98. He also set a personal record in the 55-meter in 6.92.

 

“I love his attitude,” Fleming said. “He set a new PR, but he wasn’t thrilled with his performance. He knows he can run much faster.”

 

Youness Chahid, senior, finished third in the mile, setting a new PR with a time of 4:40.56.

 

“Youness ran a smart race,” Fleming said. “He didn’t go out too quickly, he stayed connected in the middle part of the race, and he finished strong.”

 

Edwin Alacron, junior, placed fifth in the 1,000-meter with a new PR of 2:49.97.

 

“Edwin’s fun to watch,” Fleming said. “He got out quickly, let himself get boxed in a bit, but finished well. He knows he can run faster.”

 

Isaiah DeCrosta, senior, made the finals in the 55-meter hurdles and finished seventh, which Fleming called a “solid opener. … It was good to see him make the finals.”

 

Fleming’s in his third season as coach. Last year, the Patriots finished 6-1 and second in the GBL regular season. They won the GBL Indoor League Championship Meet.

 

The team had strong turnout for this winter season. It has about 50 on our current roster. DeCrosta, Kenan Batic, Mo Fares and X serve as captains.