Day scores 65 to reach 1000 points and set school record to pace Patriot victory
Senior tri-captain Ethan Day scored 65 points to set a new Revere High single-game scoring record, a feat that catapulted Ethan into the rarefied atmosphere of 1000-point scorers, to lead the Revere High boys basketball team to an 80-53 victory over Northeast Regional in the Patriots’ season finale in the consolation game of the General George S. Patton Tournament at Hamilton-Wenham High School last Tuesday.
Day entered the contest needing 65 points to reach the 1000-point milestone, an achievement that only two Patriot boys ever have attained, Sal Bottari in 1987 and Trae Weathers in 2010.
Ethan got about halfway there in the opening half, scoring 32 points to pace Revere to a 40-23 lead at the intermission. Day then hit for 17 points in the third period as the Patriots expanded their lead to 60-31, leaving him 16 short of 1000-points with eight minutes left in the season.
With Day’s teammates feeding him the ball, the Northeast players began to figure out what was going on and double- and triple-teamed Ethan all over the court. However, the Patriots set screens and passed the ball to him multiple times on each possession, and even resorted to intentionally fouling the Northeast players to stop the clock.
“Ethan and his teammates wanted 1,000 points and Northeast wanted to stop it from happening,” said RHS head coach David Leary. “The game was a formality at this point because of our big lead, but you could cut the tension with a knife.”
After Ethan made a bunch of free throws and hit a huge corner three-pointer, leaving him just two points shy of 1000 with 1:53 remaining, the goal of 1000 points seemed well within reach. But with 33 seconds to go, he was still stuck at 998 — and from there, as the saying goes, the rest was history, in a sequence that will be remembered forever in the annals of the RHS boys basketball program.
Day grabbed a defensive rebound and sped upcourt, taking the ball the length of the floor. But when his highly-contested lay-up did not fall in, it was his four-year teammate, senior forward Erick Mayorga, who flew in for the offensive rebound. Erick flipped the ball back to Day, who sank a five-foot floater with 24 seconds to go — etching his name into RHS basketball immortality.
Day finished with an amazing stat line of 15-of-20 field goals, 5-of-12 three-point field goals, and 20-for-24 free throws, plus 10 rebounds and five assists.
The contest with the Golden Knights featured some familiar faces because some Revere boys who attend the school were on the opposing team, and as is usually the case in that sort of situation, both squads came out fast and furious to start the game.
Patriot Jayden Balogun (Day’s best friend) made a nice layup on a bounce-pass feed from Day and junior guard Isaiah Llanos drained a corner trey. But Day accounted for the rest of the Patriots’ offense as Revere took an 18-15 lead after one period.
The second quarter was more of the same for Revere. Tri-captain Avi Lung (10 assists) and tri-captain Josh Mercado (four assists) continued to feed Day the ball. Mercado sank a corner three, but other than that, Day had 19 points in the frame by driving to the basket, getting to the free throw line, and knocking down a three-pointer, giving Revere a 40-23 lead at the intermission.
Revere came out on fire in the third quarter with a solid pressure defense. Balogun hit an open corner three-pointer and Day continued to be the focal point with two three-pointers, a few layups, and some more free throws in the quarter for 17 points as the Patriots took full control, 60-31, thus setting the stage for the dramatic and historic final eight minutes.
“That was so surreal to be a part of,” said Leary. “The willingness of Ethan’s teammates to try to help him accomplish this is something we all will never forget and to me it was a very humbling moment. Guys were literally fouling out on purpose to extend the game, including his best friend, senior Jayden Balogun.
“His fellow tri-captains, Avi Lung and Josh Mercado, attempted just a few shots in the game,” Leary continued. “It was wild. But at the end of the Day (no pun intended), we put Ethan in a position to reach the goal. But he had to go out there, play all 32 minutes, and make shots, and that’s what he did.
“I love it that we played everyone and rotated four guys at a time around him so everyone could have a hand in this,” Leary added. “Deep down, I thought he could get close, but never in my wildest dreams did I think it would happen. I’m very proud to be a part of such a great group of kids and I am so happy for Ethan and the Day family. No player has worked harder in my nine years here.”
RHS girls played at Shrewsbury last night in tourney opener
The Revere High girls basketball team opened play in the MIAA Division 1 State Tournament last night (Tuesday) at Shrewsbury in a preliminary round contest.
Coach Ariana Rivera’s Lady Patriots entered the tourney as the #36 seed in D-1 with an 11-9 record, while the host Lady Colonials came in as the #29 seed with an 8-12 mark.
The winner will advance to the Round of 32 and travel to #4 seed Braintree (18-2) this Friday.
Patriots fall short to Hamilton-Wenham
The Revere High boys basketball team travelled northward to Hamilton-Wenham High School for the opening game of the General George S. Patton last Monday evening, but despite a valiant effort, came up short in a heartbreaking 44-42 loss to the host Generals, a team that is ranked #12 in Division 4.
The first period was a struggle for both teams to score. RHS senior forward Erick Mayorga (five points, five rebounds) had a basket plus the foul and senior tri-captain Ethan Day had a few nice drives to the basket to give Revere a 10-9 lead after the first quarter.
The second period was much like the first, with both teams struggling to score. Junior forward Devin Berry had a strong offensive rebound and a put-back and Day had a few more hoops and a free throw, but that was all the Patriots could muster, leaving them trailing, 22-19, at the intermission.
The second half was more of the same for both teams. Revere tried to pressure the basketball and speed up the pace, but the game remained at a snail’s crawl. Mayorga put in another layup for the Patriots, Day had a few buckets, senior guard Peter Dacelien drained a corner three-pointer, and freshman guard Charles Dobre had a fast-break layup plus the foul, giving Revere a slight 33-32 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
The Patriots continued to struggle to score, but kept playing solid defense to keep things close, Day (27 points, nine rebounds) had a floater in the lane, a three-pointer from the wing, and a bucket plus the foul to leave matters deadlocked at 42-42 with 31.6 seconds remaining.
However, a General was fouled going to the basket with 6.4 seconds to go (and with just one second left on the shot clock). After he sank both free throws, Revere pushed the ball upcourt and called a timeout with 3.2 seconds remaining. Coach David Leary drew up a sideline inbounds play to get Day the ball to win it with a three-pointer, but unfortunately the ball rattled out as time expired and the Patriots lost another close one, 44-42.
The game went just as the season did for this Revere team and Leary reiterated that after the loss, “We have just had a hard time all year winning games late,” said Leary, “whether we are coming from behind and just can’t get over the hump, or we have a lead and can’t sustain it.
“Again, I’m so proud of the effort. I just wish the execution was better,” Leary added. “That’s on all of us, not just the kids.. But I’d rather be in close games than not have a chance.”
