Charlie Breitrose
Watertown center John Korte getting congratulated by his sisters Francesca (center) and Felicia after the North Section Final.
In the celebratory mayhem after Watertown High School’s victory in Saturday’s Div. 3 North Section boys basketball final, Raiders’ junior center John Korte was mobbed by two of his biggest fans – his sisters Francesca and Felicia.
The two sisters know a thing or two about playing in big games for the Raiders, both having been on girls basketball squads who made tournament runs: Felicia played on the team won in the Garden last year and made it to the State Final, and the Raiders made the North Section final twice (2013 and 2014) when Francesca played for Watertown. Felicia is a freshman on the UMass-Lowell basketball team, and Francesca played hoops during her first two years at Wellesley College.
And Korte is not the only play on the current Raiders basketball team who are following in the footsteps of older siblings.
After Saturday’s game, senior Jayden Hairston said he looks forward to playing Monday at the TD Garden.
“I can’t wait,” Hairston said. “My brother got to go there when he was on this team and I am happy I can fill his foot steps.”
T.J. Hairston was on the last boys team to make it to the Garden, in 2014. T.J. plays football for Ferris State in Michigan. Also on that team was Cesar Fulcar, the older brother of current Watertown point guard, junior Julio Fulcar. Cesar now plays for Wentworth Institute.
The Raiders hope to get a step further than that team, which fell in overtime to Cardinal Spellman. Today, the Raiders take on Hanover for for the Eastern Mass. championship and at trip to Springfield.