Boys Basketball

Watertown’s Impressive Tournament Run Ended by Skilled Hanover Team

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BOSTON – Everything looked set up for Watertown High School’s boys basketball team to put away another MIAA State Tournament win, with the score tied going into the fourth quarter, but the Raiders shooting went cold and Hanover took over over for a 46-40 State Semifinal win at the TD Garden on Monday afternoon. Watertown head coach Steve Harrington had his team looking poised to go to its first Div. 3 State Final since 2011, but Hanover’s defense tightened during the last stanza of the showdown. (See how the game went here.)
“Defensively, we were outstanding in the first half,” Harrington said. “And to their credit it was their defense.

Sports

EMASS FINAL: Watertown’s Tourney Run Ends at The Garden

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BOSTON – The Watertown High School’s boys basketball team take the big stage on Monday afternoon Eastern Mass. final – a place familiar to the Raiders but not for their opponent, Hanover. This is the Raider’s 10th trip to the TD Garden to play in the state semifinals, but before this year the Indians had never even reached the South Section final. Follow the game live here. The game is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.

broadstreet.watch({ networkId: 1336 })

Game over.

Boys Basketball

Playing in the Garden a Family Tradition for the Watertown Basketball Team

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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.

Sports

NORTH CHAMPS! Raiders Win Shootout With Bedford, Heading to Garden

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BURLINGTON – The Watertown High School boys basketball players and their fans could not contain themselves when the final buzzer sounded Saturday night. Having won the a thrilling North Section final, 59-52 over Bedford, WHS students poured out of the stands to celebrate with their classmates. Each game during the Watertown High School boys basketball team’s tournament run someone stepped up to make key plays, and Saturday night the Raiders had to dig deep onto the bench to secure the win and the trip to the Garden for the state semifinal. Watertown basketball coach Steve Harrington, a veteran of 10 section finals, said Saturday’s win was one to remember. “It was as intense a game as I’ve been involved with,” Harrington said.

Boys Basketball

Watertown Faces Strong Bedford Team in North Section Basketball Final

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After his team’s win in the Div. 3 North Section Semifinal, Watertown High School basketball coach Steve Harrington said he was pleased with how his team is playing. He added, however, the Raiders opponents in the North Final – Bedford – also look tough. Come playoff time, the run-and-gun style Watertown sometimes plays goes away, and Harrington said the team has a much more cautious approach. “If we play smart and we play possession by possession, and take care of the basketball, we can compete with any team,” Harrington said. 

The Raiders have been a threat from inside and out in the tournament.

Boys Basketball

Cool Heads, Clutch Shooting Lead to Watertown to North Basketball Final

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WILMINGTON – Watertown High School’s basketball team kept its cool in the frenzied atmosphere of the MIAA Div. 3 North Section Semifinal, played tough defense and hit key shots down the stretch to defeat Lynnfield 58-46 Wednesday night. 

The gym at Wilmington High School was packed with rabid fans for both squads, and after overcoming an early deficit, the top-seeded Raiders (20-2) built off a narrow first quarter lead to hold off the fourth-seeded Pioneers (18-5). “It was just an incredible defensive effort, it was exhausting,” Watertown head coach Steve Harrington said. “The game was a grind, which is how we have to make the game at times.” Down 10-4 in the middle of the first quarter Watertown ran off eight points, with three pointers from sophomore guard Vondre Chase and junior point guard Julio Fulcar, and another hoop from senior forward Jayden Hairston.

Boys Basketball

Raiders Rock the Gym – and the Rim – in Tourney Win Over North Reading

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Watertown High School’s boys basketball team got a dose of revenge against North Reading Friday night, with a rim-rocking dunk to put an exclamation point on the 64-39 North Section quarterfinal win. 

Last year, the Raiders traveled to North Reading and were eliminated from the tournament by the Hornets. In 2017, Watertown (19-2) earned the top seed and got them in their own gym in front of a raucous crowd. “We went undefeated here this year, I believe we were 12-0 here,” said Watertown Coach Steve Harrington. “Playing at home is huge. We played over there last year and we struggled.

Boys Basketball

Watertown Boys Basketball Team Grabs Top Seed in North Section Tourney

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It’s been three years since the Watertown boys basketball team has played on the parquet of the TD Garden, but if the seeds hold up the Raiders will bound for the state semis this year. 

The Raiders topped the seedings of the MIAA Div. 3 North Boys Basketball Tournament bracket, released Friday morning. In 2014, Watertown made it to Boston for the State Semifinal and lost a heartbreaker in overtime against Cardinal Spellman. Last year the Raiders got the eighth seed and beat Ipswich in the first round before losing to North Reading in the quarterfinal. In 2015, the sixth-seeded Raiders lost in the first round to Bedford.