Newton South Vs Acton Boxborough Game Report

After splitting their games 1-1 last season, Newton South and Acton-Boxborough were both eager for this Dual County League matchup, as it is the only one of this season. AB entered this game with a record of 2-3, while South had played a few more games and sat at 2-5. Both teams were looking for their 3rd win on the season to put them in better position for a shot at the state playoffs. Acton-Boxborough started off the game with a starting lineup consisting of sophomore guard Desmond Flumo, junior guard Chaz Yourk, senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2546895' first='Saket' last='Narayanan'], senior Finn Corbett, and manning the middle was junior Collett Kinobe, standing at 6 foot 3. Newton South, per usual, went with a much younger starting lineup. A backcourt of sophomore Jacob Tubman and junior [player_tooltip player_id='1532707' first='Josh' last='Rivers'] was accompanied with a front court of junior [player_tooltip player_id='1532646' first='Matthew' last='Welch'], senior captain Elias Kiritsy, and one of last year's DCL all stars, sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2568348' first='Tyson' last='Robinson']. Although he wasn't in the starting lineup, senior guard Amari Tran is finally back for Newton South High School after injuring his ankle in a game against Bedford High School on December 22. Once he gets back to full health, I believe he will once again have a huge impact on the team, and the rest of the Dual County League needs to watch out. Tran missed many games last year due to different reasons, so I think it is his time to finally shine Desmond Flumo started off the game for AB red hot, scoring 5 of his team's 7 points in the first 5 minutes of the game. Tyson was getting good looks from close to the basket but wasn't able to get them to fall. A pass from Peter Eliopoulos to [player_tooltip player_id='2960037' first='Omer' last='Rabbi'] with just over a minute left in the first quarter gave them their first lead in a close game, at 14-13. Amari Tran also checked in at this time for his first minutes of the game. Heading into the second quarter with a lead of 18-13, Cainan Weerisinghe checked into the game boasting a face mask, following a recent nose injury. He missed his first shot, but then got a contested layup to fall. In the second quarter, AB was struggling to get stops, as just about everyone on the floor from Newton South was putting the ball in the basket. This was when they started to pull away, and headed into halftime with a controlling 38-24 lead. The second half started with Flumo fighting to keep AB in the game, repeatedly getting to the basket and scoring, as well as showing much needed energy on defense. Forward Jed Hoggard also contributed, hitting a 3-pointer, and then adding another one possession later early in the quarter. However South did not relent, with Tyson dominating the paint on both ends of the court. Hustle plays from Matteo Lee and [player_tooltip player_id='2960037' first='Omer' last='Rabbi'] were crucial for the Lions, and after a very high-scoring quarter, they headed into the final period with a 62-48 lead. The 4th quarter turned into a two-man show with Desmond Flumo and Collett Kinobe, as they were doing everything for their team on both ends of the floor. Kinobe provided size against [player_tooltip player_id='2568348' first='Tyson' last='Robinson'] defensively, and was getting to the basket at will. Despite their efforts, South executed their offense nearly perfectly, resulting in many easy baskets. The game concluded with a score of 72-63, giving Newton South their third win on the year and a 3-6 record. Acton-Boxborough was handed their 4th loss on the year and fell to 2-4. Here are some notable stat lines for the games. AB: Collette Kinobe, 21 points 8 Rebounds, Desmond Flumo 19 points 4 steals. NSHS: [player_tooltip player_id='2568348' first='Tyson' last='Robinson'], 13 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks [player_tooltip player_id='1532646' first='Matthew' last='Welch'] 9 points, 6 rebounds Jacob Tubman, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists. Notable players who Stood out: Acton Boxborough: Desmond Flumo, Position G, Class 2026, HT 5'11 Desmond Flumo, only a sophomore, showcased his abilities on the court as a mature point guard. Not only was nobody on Newton South's team able to stay in front of him when he drove to the basket, but his playmaking is beyond his years. Standing at 5 foot 11, I was extremely impressed with his shot blocking abilities. Although one may have been an uncalled goaltending by the referee, Flumo blocked several shots that ricochet off the backboard. Flumo is a player to watch out for in high school basketball for many years to come. Collet Kinobe, HT 6'3, Class 2025, Position SF Listed at 6 foot 3, Collet Kinobe plays in a way that makes you think he is much bigger than he really is. When he decides to put his shoulders down and drive to the basket, defenders are at his mercy and have almost no way of defending him. Despite being several inches shorter, he was able to hold his ground defensively against South's [player_tooltip player_id='2568348' first='Tyson' last='Robinson']. Newton South: [player_tooltip player_id='2568348' first='Tyson' last='Robinson'], Class 2026, Position C, HT 6'6 It was pretty easy to tell throughout the game why [player_tooltip player_id='2568348' first='Tyson' last='Robinson'] was voted to be a Dual County League all star last season. The combination of his size, athleticism, and soft touch near the basket makes him one of the hardest players in the league to match up against. Tyson had several powerful blocks against both guards and bigs from AB's team. In the 3rd quarter, he almost caught an alley-oop pass from a teammate, but he just barely missed that. I was extremely impressed by this, and I think there are only a handful of guys in the DCL who can do that, if any. Amari Tran, Position PG, Class 2024 Although he wasn't in the starting lineup for this one, Amari Tran is finally healthy and was able to rejoin the team. Amari's basketball IQ is one of the highest in the DCL, and his passing and playmaking was on display tonight. As his minutes this season start to ramp back up, I believe he will be back in the starting lineup and finish off his high school career with a great season.