Tower, Zelazo Lift McCann Tech Boys to 1-0 Start
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Logan Tower’s deep ball Wednesday pushed the McCann Tech boys basketball team past Hampden Charter, 68-55.
Tower hit seven 3-pointers on his way to a game high 23 points, including 5-of-6 in the first half from beyond the arc.
Lukas Zelazo controlled the inside, adding 17 points himself.
Both teams came out of the gates aggressive with high pressure defense. This led to a very high foul count early in the game, putting starting point guard Keeghan Vidal in foul trouble. Both teams traded baskets early, and, with the hot shooting from Tower, McCann (1-0) took an early 14-11 lead.
“It’s nice to have, we have a lot of plays for [Tower],” McCann Tech coach Chris Bullett said. “With Lukas inside, it’s nice for them to play off each other. They have been playing together for four years. It’s nice to watch.”
The second quarter would be a quarter of runs as Hampden Charter (0-1) shook off the first quarter rust and went on a 8-0 spurt to take its first lead at 23-26. McCann answered right back, ending the half on a good note with seven unanswered of its own for a four-point lead at the break.
McCann Tech continued the pressure after the break with big defensive stops, including three charges taken by Lucas Jamros. After a disappointing Bucky Bullett Jamboree last week, coach Bullett was looking for a response from his team emotionally.
“We played terrible at the Jamboree,” he said. “We’ve been on them for a week straight about having heart. It’s exactly what we have been going over in practice, and they responded tonight.”
Although McCann was putting the pressure on Hampden Charter, the visitors did not go away, keeping the game within the five- to seven-point range for most of the third quarter. It was not until the fourth that McCann Tech finally started to wear them down. Lukas Zelazo had 10 of his 17 points in the fourth and really put the game out of reach.
McCann tech will look to open 2-0 when it hosts Lenox on Friday.