Boys’ basketball bounced back from its previous loss, defeating the Needham Rockets 50-36 at home Friday, Jan. 17. 

“We had a really tough loss against Albany High School but we persevered through it,” said senior Nicky Spinelli, a captain along with senior Teagan Swint. “We came out with our tenth win of the season, which is really awesome to see.”

The Tigers entered the first quarter with aggressive defense by blocking Needham’s attempt for a fast break into a layup. Shortly after, sophomore Julian Zakak made an easy layup. However, two minutes in, the Tigers had four team fouls, allowing Needham to take advantage of their free throws. The quarter ended 15-11, too close for comfort for the Tigers. 

North was unprepared for Needham’s newfound energy in the second quarter. Four minutes into the second quarter, North only managed to convert four shots to the scoreboard. With a minute left, North drove the ball into the paint, scoring a layup followed by a three-pointer which closed the quarter 23-22. 

“We had a little bit of a lull where we struggled to score,” said special education teacher Paul Connolly, the head coach. “But we kept playing good defense and did a good job in getting our legs under us. ”

In the third quarter, the Tigers gained traction and pivoted to scoring at the rim against Needham. 

According to Spinelli, the team’s strong defense in cornering Needham effectively limited the team’s opportunity to shoot. 

Sophomore Jake Lyons also made crucial steals that allowed North to execute aggressive plays and score easy two-pointers.   

Lyons stole the ball from Needham’s possession and assisted Spinelli, who then executed a fast break and drove a layup, resulting in a 35-30. With a commanding lead, the Tigers held the ball to the end of the quarter, sealing the score 38-30. 

40 seconds into the fourth quarter, Needham made three fouls that allowed North to easily score, causing Needham to draw behind quickly. The Tigers consistently made their shots by driving the ball down the center. 

With mere minutes remaining in the game, Needham only managed to score two points. Desperately needing to score, the Rockets made a last attempt to drive the ball into the paint and crossover to close the score 50-36.  

According to Lyons, bouncing back from the last game allowed them to gain experience, connecting as a group and earning their win against Needham. 

The Tigers, 14-0, defeated Wellesley Friday, Jan. 13 in a blowout win. They will play Natick away Tuesday, Feb. 4.