The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys basketball team started off the Eastern Athletic Conference schedule with a scrappy 60-49 win over Bishop Stang Friday afternoon in Oak Bluffs.
The Vineyarders were spotty offensively but toughed out the win with solid defense.
“It definitely wasn’t our finest hour, but I thought the kids hung tough through it,” coach Mike Joyce said. “Deshawn [James] did a great job rebounding for us as did Liam [Weston]. We had a lot of offensive droughts. We survived just from playing defense. We’ve got to do a better job distributing the ball and working it, especially against the zone. We should be able to get some good looks, and we did for a while, but we’ve got to keep doing it. We can’t get away from what works because we’re bored with it or we don’t like it. It’s the first win in the league, though, and that’s always good, but we need to be a lot sharper on Tuesday against Bishop Feehan.”
The Vineyarders (6-2 overall, 1-0 EAC) led throughout. The Spartans, down 32-25 at the half, chipped away at the deficit to climb within 46-44 midway through the final period but Jack Roberts answered with a clutch three-pointer. The visitors would not get closer.
Deshawn James scored a double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Brandon Watkins had 12 points and Jack Roberts scored 11.
Jayvee boys improve to 6-0, frosh fall
The Vineyard jayvee boys stayed unbeaten with a 56-39 win over the Spartans. Eleven players dressed for the Vineyard and all 11 scored. Brandon Dwane had the most points with, fittingly, 11.
The boys freshman team let a double-digit lead slip away in the fourth quarter as Bishop Stang rallied for a 64-55 win.
