By Brayden Haley ’25
Beverly High School’s very own basketball team visited TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics, this past Saturday to battle against the Everett High School Crimson Tide. This game was one of nine scheduled matchups that made up the Andrew James Lawson Foundation Invitational, which invites high school teams from all across Massachusetts to duke it out on the court of one of the most storied franchises in the NBA. Thus, I am glad to say that our players did not disappoint, as they eked out a 73-59 victory to put their record at 8-4 on the season.
It was evident that many fans from Beverly were ready to show up and give the Panthers a potential competitive edge over their non-conference opponent. Although the contest was scheduled to start at 1:30, even the 12:37 train leaving from Beverly Depot was stocked with anxious fanatics showcasing their orange and black hoodies and beanies. But, by the time I arrived at the Garden at the scheduled game time, our Panthers had an early 25-15 lead over the Crimson Tide. A 9-point advantage was sealed going into halftime with a nice and-1 by Dylan Crowley, who finished the day with 15 points and 4 assists.
Other players that contributed to the triumph were Ryder Frost with 20 points and 4 assists, as well as Max Hemsey and Rook Landman who boasted a combined 11 rebounds. However, the star of the game was Noe Diaz who tallied 24 points, and knocked down four three-pointers from behind the arc. He was also in charge of guarding Steven Cordero, Everett’s star player who dropped 23 points.
What seemed to be a one-sided game for the Panthers for the duration of the game, turned into a nail-biting point exchange at the beginning of the fourth quarter, one that had fans from both schools celebrating. Every time the ball splashed through the net, one side of the stadium would erupt, even on measly free throws that did not end up having any significant effect on who took the W back to their home court. However, Beverly overcame the looming threat by downing two critical baskets and icing the game with an excellently performed lay-up on a fast break.
It should be noted that this tournament was held by the Andrew James Lawson Foundation, a non-profit organization that strives to fund, develop, and promote programs, projects, or individual scholarships that encourage and support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. You can donate at https://andrewjameslawsonfoundation.org/donate22/ and find them on their Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Image credit: Jaime Campos, Salem News
