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Georgetown Royals Boys Basketball '13-'14

Tue, Jan 14, 2014 06:30 PM @ Georgetown
Team 1 2 3 4 Final
North Reading 9 7 12 15 43
Georgetown 18 12 12 12 54

Saddened Royals storm onward

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Tuesday, January, 14 By Hector Longo

GEORGETOWN — As the hearts grow heavy, the will grows stronger.

 

 

 

How else can you explain the performance of the Georgetown High Royals, now winners on back-to-back nights just hours after the passing of their coach, Mike Rowinski.

 

 

 

 

"The seniors, the guys who spent three seasons with Mike, have really stepped up the last two nights," said interim coach Barry Spears after the Royals knocked off North Reading, 54-43 last night. "Those kids wanted to play, and Mike's wife Gail asked that we play because Mike would have wanted it that way."

 

 

 

 

Rowinski died two days ago at age 57 from complications of a blood disorder. The news just began to spread through the Cape Ann League. 

 

 

 

 

Hornets coach Joe Casey Jr. remained in a bit of shock from the news.

 

 

 

 

"I couldn't believe it when I heard, and you know it puts things in perspective," said Casey. "He was one of us. Just a good coach, and a great guy, too. He did it the right way, and the Cape Ann League is going to miss him."

 

 

 

 

Once on the floor, the Royals weren't about to let the old coach down.

 

 

 

 

Georgetown blitzed to an 8-0 lead, pushing it to 14-5 after one quarter and 30-16 at the half.

 

 

 

 

The Royals defense pushed North Reading to the edge, and some slick interior passing helped build the early advantage.

 

"They hit us in the face early and we didn't know how to respond," said Casey. "That's a good, tough, senior-driven team."

 

 

 

 

The final margin of 11 was as close as North Reading would ever get.

 

 

 

 

Matt Gott paced the Royals with 15 points, and Pat Bjork fought off all kinds of foul trouble to 13 more for the Royals. Sophomore point man Ryan Slack chipped in eight.

 

 

 

 

Co-captain will Mitchell was the lone Hornet in double figures with 11 points.

 

 

 

 

Despite the wins, these are tough times for the interim boss, Spears, who lost a close friend in Rowinski.

 

 

 

 

Fans observed a moment of silence in his memory before the tipoff.

 

 

 

 

"Mike brought me here to Georgetown," said Spears. "He did an amazing job here, and I know the kids miss him. I certainly do to."


Game Statistics:

NR (43): Derek Hogan 2 0-0 4, Colby Maiola 3 0-1 6, Gerard Walsh 0 2-2 2, C.J. McCarthy 2 2-4 6, Will Mitchell 3 5-7 11, Adam Goldstein 1 1-2 4, Thomas Lews 1 0-2 2, John Fitzgerald 4 0-0 8, Totals 16 10-18 43

Georgetown (54): Ryan Slack 4 0-0 8, Pat Bjork 3 7-10 13, Ben Noelk 2 2-4 6, Matt Gott 5 5-6 15, Nick Correnti 2 0-0 4, Ben Denoncour 2 0-0 5, Kyle Drillis 1 0-0 3, Totals 19 14-18 54

3-pointers: NR — Goldstein; G — Denoncour, Drillis

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