Chelsea High’s boys basketball team improved to 4-0 in Commonwealth Athletic Conference play by defeating Greater Lowell 68-53 on Tuesday night. The Red Devils controlled the game from start to finish, establishing a 16-4 advantage after the first quarter and maintaining a double-digit lead throughout. The offensive load was distributed among several players, with Sammy Mojica pacing the team at 16 points, Jordan Virella adding 14, Joseph Rivera contributing 12, and Felix Crespo chipping in nine. Head coach Jay Seigal’s squad employed an aggressive pressing defense that disrupted Greater Lowell’s offense and forced numerous turnovers. “We’re at our best when our defense creates offensive opportunities and we can maintain an up-tempo pace,” said Seigal.
The win halted a three-game skid that had plagued Chelsea against non-conference opponents. The Red Devils stumbled through their Christmas tournament the previous week, dropping a 50-38 decision to Masconomet in the opening round and falling 59-57 to Triton in the consolation matchup. In that Triton contest, Chelsea mounted a dramatic comeback from 14 points down with 2:35 remaining, tying the game at 57-57 with just 19 seconds left. Strong defensive pressure from the Red Devils forced Triton into a difficult final possession, and the game appeared headed to overtime until a loose ball was converted into a buzzer-beating shot by the opposing team. Mojica was instrumental in the comeback attempt, scoring 23 points with 13 coming in the fourth quarter, while Virella also played a key role in the rally. Virella had led all scorers in the Masconomet loss with 11 points, a defeat that frustrated Seigal. “We didn’t play well against Masconomet and we didn’t come to play with a lot of energy,” said the veteran coach. “When we play against good teams like Masco, we have to learn that we have to play for a full 32 minutes, not just in spurts.”
Although Chelsea fell to Peabody 65-55 on Monday, Seigal found reasons for optimism about his team’s effort. “We picked up where we left off in the final two minutes of the Triton game,” said Seigal. “We lost the Peabody game because we didn’t execute and finish our shots, but not because of a lack of hustle and effort.” The Red Devils held a 28-17 lead midway through the second quarter but struggled to capitalize on their advantage as shots failed to fall. Peabody responded with a nine-point run before halftime to narrow the gap to 28-26 at the break. The third quarter remained competitive, but Peabody pulled away during the final eight minutes. Crespo recorded 17 points and Rivera scored 16 in the loss to the Tanners, the Red Devils’ former Greater Boston League rival now competing in the Northeastern Conference. Looking ahead, Seigal’s team will face two challenging CAC opponents, traveling to Greater Lawrence on Friday and then to Lynn Tech on Tuesday.