RallyNorth.net

Georgetown beat Division 4 rival Winthrop in the consolation round of the Spartan Classic. The Royals (13-7) received 24 points from Jaymie Spears, 22 of which came in the second half.

"They shut him down with a box-and-one in the first half," Georgetown coach Mike Rowinsky said. "He made the adjustments in the second half, and we won a game we probably shouldn't have won."

Too many big guys. Too much firepower. Too much defensive muscle. Too much of everything.

The St. John's Prep Eagles had so many advantages in the North Shore Invitational final last night that Bishop Fenwick needed to play a near perfect game to win. The Crusaders didn't come close to playing their best, however, and St. John's Prep was largely responsible for that development in a 69-38 win that gave the Eagles their eighth invitational championship in 11 years.

It may seem hard to be upbeat after completing a 3-17 record, which is the worst for Haverhill High in at least 25 years, but first-year coach Mike Trovato is doing the best he can.

With only two seniors graduating, he believes much better days lie ahead, perhaps as early as next year.

DANVERS | The excitement is never written on Mike Clifford's face. That's just his personality.

If you'd run into Bishop Fenwick's junior center after the first round of the North Shore Hoop Invitational Saturday night, you never would've guessed from his demeanor whether his team won or lost.

Despite sparkling outside shooting from Beau Cassidy, Pinkerton saw a third quarter comeback go for naught as Spaulding held on for a 67-60 victory. Cassidy drilled seven 3-pointers for a game-high 23 points, but Spaulding prevailed.

Antonio Reyes has the poise of a Scoonie Penn or a Rick Brunson at the freshman level | and that's not a reach. The 6-foot all-star and pride of Prospect Street is probably the best fresman prospect to wear the Salem High Witches uniform since Erik Groszyk.

The old adage that defense wins games was certainly true last night at packed Swampscott High School.

The Marblehead boys basketball team's pressure defense found a way to quiet the explosive offense of the host Big Blue as the visiting Magicians pulled out a 54-50 thriller over their rivals in the game's final minute. In doing so, Marblehead nailed down the Northeastern Conference South title.

On a Senior Night worth celebrating, it was a sophomore who led the way for rejuvenated North Andover yesterday.

Sophomore guard Tommy O'Connell came off the bench to pump in a career-high 21 points to pace the Knights to a resounding 65-40 victory over Masconomet. With the win, the hosts earned a share of the Cape Ann League Division 1 crown with Wilmington.

In the season finale of the River Rival action, Newburyport and Amesbury did not disappoint playing an emotional, hard fought yet clean barn-burner at the Nock School in Newburyport.

Playing with poise in the final quarter, the home-side favorite Clippers | headed to state tournament with a 12-7 record after one more game with St. Clement Monday | got the best of the Indians for a 4-point victory, 47-43.

Coach Scott Lewis and the Beverly High boys basketball team can justifiably take pride in upgrading the program in recent years.

The Panthers are rolling along with an 11-6 record this season and will be going to the state tournament for the third year in a row. Last year, Beverly went 12-8 and made its deepest postseason run in decades, reaching the Division 2 North semifinals before losing to Belmont.