Lenox Boys Turn Up Pressure in Win Over Lee

LENOX, Mass. -- Evan Lanoue scored 26 points, Bailey Patella added 18, including a fourth-quarter dunk that sent the Lenox faithful to their feet, and the Millionaires scored 73 points.

 

But it was Lenox's defense that made the differnce in Friday's 73-52 win over rival Lee.

 

Lenox put a six-point game out of reach by holding the Wildcats to seven points in the second quarter on the way to a 19-point half-time bulge.

 

The Millionaires were more aggressive than usual in their 2-3 zone, and it paid dividends.

 

"[Lee] Coach [Tom] Finnegan has said a couple of times in the paper how he doesn't have a real deep bench, so we were kind of hoping to get out and run a little bit and be a little more aggressive in our zone," Lenox coach Scott Sibley said.

 

"Usually, depending on the [opponent], we tend to pack it in a little bit more and play a little more conservative. But we thought tonight we could run a little bit and get Sam Kelly in some foul trouble, which we did. ... Having him foul out in the third quarter was a huge deal for us."

 

Kelly scored 13 points and grabbed four rebounds in limited action before drawing his fifth foul with five minutes left in the third.

 

Lee (2-10) got a big second half from Josh Sampson, who scored 13 of his team-high 19 after the break, but it was not enough to get Lee closer than 17 points after Lenox's big second quarter.

 

Lanoue got things started in that quarter with a 3-pointer off a screen by Dillon Benham to make it 22-13. That ignited a 14-4 run that Benham capped with a free throw to make it 33-17.

 

Lanoue finished the half with a steal and a lay-in to go to the locker room with 17 points.

 

A conventional three-point play by Kelly early in the third got the lead down to 44-27 with 5 minutes, 53 seconds left. But moments later, Kelly drew his fifth foul at the defensive end, and Lenox quickly ran the lead back to 25 when Pat Colvin knocked down a triple to make it 53-28.

 

The fourth quarter belonged to both teams' benches, who got to draw some cheers from a packed house at Lenox Memorial.

 

"Before the game, we were all getting pumped up in the locker room," Patella said of the rivalry night atmosphhere. "We came out pretty strong, and we kept that intensity throughout the game."

 

Lenox (8-3) will look to maintain the intensity on Tuesday against Mount Greylock. Lee hosts Mount Everett on Monday.