RallyNorth.net

ROXBURY — The Central Catholic boys basketball team seems to bring out the best from its opposition.

Yesterday, it was New Mission which used a suffocating defense in the first half on its way to a 58-50 victory over the Raiders in the final game of the day in the BABC Winter Classic at the Reggie Lewis Center.

BOSTON – Taryn O’Connell was in the stands the last time the Georgetown girls basketball team played at TD Banknorth Garden. In March 2004, the future Royals watched with stars in their eyes.

Up 50-48 in the final minute, top-seeded Georgetown made just one of three free-throw attempts and paid dearly, falling to New Mission High of Boston, 54-51, in the Division 4 North quarterfinals. The Royals, who led basically the entire route against a much bigger foe, ran out of time without tossing up a shot to possibly tie. "We were seven of 18 from the foul line, and you're just not going to beat anyone in the tournament doing that," said Royals coach Mike Rowinski. "We had our chances, and we just didn't finish them off." Sophomore Jaymie Spears, currently waiting on official word from St. Mark's School, led the Royals with 21 points in what might be his final game at Georgetown. Senior Joe Esposito added 10 points.

John Delaney felt uneasy | partly disorganized | for his failure to find out any pre-tournament information on Division 3 North opponent New Mission High of Roxbury. Didn't matter.

"Certainly I didn't expect anything like this," the North Shore Tech baseball coach asserted after his Bulldogs established school history by capturing their first postseason victory in a 20-4 romp at sun-splashed Barry Field yesterday.

It's official, there will be a new state champion in Division 4 girls basketball this season.

No. 9 seed Manchester Essex (14-8) made sure of that as they went to New Mission (19-3) -- the No. 1 seed and defending state champion -- and knocked off the Titans, 68-61, in a Saturday quarterfinal game before a lively, pro-Hornets crowd at the Tobin Community Center.