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By Michael Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
The Wellesley High School varsity basketball team fell to a strong Milton team on Friday evening, 69-59, despite an incredible performance off the bench by freshman point guard Anthony Lumley (12 points, six assists, five rebounds).
The Raiders (8-8, 6-4) were in a battle all throughout with the Wildcats (9-6, 6-4), as incredible defensive play on both ends caused each team to force their fair share of turnovers.
Arguably the best defensive player on the court for the Raiders on Friday evening was captain Max Guiffre (three steals, two blocks), as the senior forward was constantly making life miserable for Milton once the ball entered the paint.
Despite grabbing a 21-19 lead late in the first half, the Wildcats were able to go on a 7-1 run to enter halftime up 26-22.
Wellesley came out in the second half with a new game plan: to spread the ball up the floor extremely quickly through the slick hands and fast legs of freshman point guard Anthony Lumley. Through Lumley’s speed, the Raiders were able to regain the lead at 30-29 midway through the third quarter.
Unfortunately for Wellesley, the shake-up in their offensive scheme was not enough, as Milton was able to find mismatches through double teams and pick plays in the paint. In doing so, the Wildcats were able to go on a 15-4 run to take a big lead into the fourth quarter. The Raiders continued to fight in the final quarter of play, but Milton hung on for the 10-point victory.
At the time of print, the Raiders will look to get back on track when they travel to Dedham on February 10 before hosting arch-rival Needham on February 14.
