LYNN – Propelled by a dominant defensive effort, St. Mary’s of Lynn bulldozed Abington, 74-43, to advance to the final four of the MIAA Division 3 boys basketball tournament.
St. Mary’s (24-1) was powered offensively by senior forward Devell Pamplin (20 points) and producing a sensational all-around effort was junior guard JJ Martinez (14 points, 11 rebounds, five steals, three blocks).
“We didn’t start the way we wanted, but we knew we needed to stick to the game plan,” said Martinez, who is from Lynn. “That’s what we did, and we took control in the second half with our defense. We’re proud to be the only team left playing from Lynn, and we’re looking to bring one home for the city.”
The game, which took place at Lynn Classical, started in an entirely different manner than it ended. Top-seeded St. Mary’s struggled with Abington’s zone defense throughout the opening quarter, going scoreless for the first minutes of the game. As the No. 8 seed, Abington looked to play spoiler and even took a double-digit lead, 16-5, into the start of the second.
But then the pendulum swung. St. Mary’s unrelenting pressure forced 11 turnovers in the second quarter, turning a 23-17 deficit into a 25-23 lead at the half. St. Mary’s held Abington scoreless for the final three minutes of the half, then did not allow a field goal until only two minutes and 14 seconds remained in the third. That phenomenal stretch included a 17-0 run, including a dozen points from freshman point guard Jake Fortier.
“I’m so lucky to play with this group of teammates,” said Fortier (17 points, three 3-pointers). “They get me into every game and make me feel confident, so my goal was staying confident. I just wanted to let the game come to me, and it worked.”
By the end of the third, St. Mary’s expanded the lead to a comfortable 18-point margin, 52-34, which effectively put the game out of reach.
“Our pressure was the difference,” said St. Mary’s coach David Brown. “Once we started scoring, we got into the passing lanes, turned them over, and got some easy baskets.”
Abington coach Peter Serino’s team overcame multiple obstacles throughout the year. Yet St. Mary’s proved too big an obstacle.
“Early on, we limited their opportunities to set up pressure,” said Serino. “When they were able to score, they were able to turn up their pressure. As the game went on, that snowballed. Give credit to St. Mary’s.”
Led by captains Jake McSharry (12 points, nine rebounds) and Kingston Maxwell (15 points, five assists), the loss ended a memorable season for Abington (19-6).
“This was a group that bought into their roles,” said Serino. “Our senior captains set the tone. Everyone embraced their role – the word team really embodied this group.”
For St. Mary’s, the opportunity now exists to re-establish itself as one of the state’s elite programs, especially after an early exit in last year’s tournament. The Spartans advance to play No. 20 Old Rochester.
“We know Old Rochester is going to give us their best, so we need to be ready,” said Brown. “It’s all about our defense. If we defend and hold teams as talented as Abington to just over 40 points, we’re going to be successful.”