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Reggies claim first CAC title since 1997

Tuesday, February, 10 By Hector Longo
Staff writer

WEST ANDOVER - Lynn Tech's monopolizing ways in the Commonwealth Conference, as it pertained to boys basketball championships, rangled the Greater Lawrence Tech community more than just a little.

So when the Reggies were alloted the opportunity to punch through and snap an 11-year drought, the students, faculty and most importantly the athletes themselves took care of business. In front of a raucous home crowd at the Tarbox Gym, Dan Habib's crew smothered Lynn Tech in a dominant and decisive third quarter, pulling away for a 68-60 win to claim at least a share of Greater Lawrence's first boys hoop league title since 1997.

Beat 12-4 Chelsea Thursday and the solo title is theirs.

"The banner up there says 1997, so this one feels pretty good," said the Reggie coach Habib. "Coming out in the third quarter, the way we played defense turned this game around. I'm proud of the kids, and our student body was just excellent. What a great atmosphere!

"It was the buzz around the school all day. Everybody was talking about it."

Avenging an early-season loss at Lynn Tech wasn't easy.

Nursing a 25-23 lead at half with their super soph Donald Celestin basically neutralized by constant double-teams, it was senior point guard Kelvin Correa on whom Greater Lawrence relied for a spark.

Correa's two quick steals for easy hoops ignited an 8-0 burst out of the chute. It was a deficit that Lynn Tech never did overcome.

"We've been waiting for this game," said Correa. "Lynn Tech) came in with a chip on its shoulder. Coach told us those first three minutes would be the biggest of the game. You have to have some (intestinal fortitude) for those steals, you can't be afraid to throw your body into it."

Correa, who paced the Reggies with 17 points and six assists, was the lynchpin as Greater Lawrence burned the Donald double repeatedly.

Celestin unselfishly dished to Correa, who either scored or located baseline finishers Yeltsin Colon (17 points), Leandro Valdez (11) and Brian Cabrera (8).

"Our interior passing was excellent," said Habib, whose crew was one half-step ahead of the Lynn rotation all night long.

Finishing with 13 points, 3.7 under his season average, Celestin, the Reggies' "Teflon Don," delivered the crucial hoop of the night, a slashing pullup with just over a minute left to answer a Lynn flurry that had sliced the margin to three at 61-58.

All that was left was a little foul shooting and a postgame bash at center court as the student section poured out on the floor.

 "We expected to win this league, and I know our school did, too," said Correa.

Together, they proved it to Lynn Tech and the rest of the CAC.