On Sunday evening, the Chelsea High basketball team claimed a 68-65 victory over Salem in the opening round of the Wakefield Christmas Tournament, held at Wakefield High. The Red Devils advanced to face the host team, Wakefield, in the championship round on Tuesday night, as the Record was being finalized. “It was not one of our better games this season,” said CHS head coach Jay Seigel about the team’s win. “We played well in spurts, but lacked consistency throughout the game when we had opportunities to put Salem away. But give Salem credit, because they’re a good tam and they hung tough.” The Red Devils maintained the lead throughout the game, though they struggled to extend their advantage against the Witches. Despite the final score showing a three-point margin, Chelsea remained in control from start to finish. Cesar Castro, a consensus all-star for Chelsea, delivered an impressive performance, scoring 20 points and contributing several key assists. However, the standout player of the night was Greg Szalkowski, who stepped in to fill the void left by Mark Reddick’s early foul trouble. The 6-7 Reddick picked up four fouls in the second half, forcing him to sit out nearly the entire third quarter and most of the fourth. “Greg really stepped up for us,” noted Seigel regarding Szalkowski’s eight-point contribution. Another factor in the Red Devils’ success was the strong defensive play by Felix Crespo and Eli Ortiz, who took turns neutralizing Salem’s top scorer, Antonio Reyes. “Felix and Eli did a great job on Reyes,” said Seigel. “They both worked very hard all game and it was a big factor in our victory. “This was a big win for us against a quality Division 1 team,” continued the coach. “We have a challenging non league schedule, so hopefully this bodes well for the rest of the season.” Seigel and his team have a packed week ahead. Following the tournament final, they will host Revere on Wednesday and travel to Peabody on Monday, both former GBL rivals. The Red Devils will return home next Tuesday to face Minuteman, with the game scheduled to begin at 4:45 p.m.
Red Devil hoopmen defeat Salem, 68-65
