Lowell nets revenge vs. rival Lawrence
Powell-Aparicio scores 24 points in pivotal MVC victory
The Red Raiders had this game circled on their calendar for a month.
After an overtime loss to Lawrence in December, Lowell had been counting down the days until their next meeting with the Lancers.
It’s safe to say the Red Raiders (10-3) made it count. Tzar Powell-Aparicio dropped in 24 points and a tremendous defensive effort resulted in a 68-54 Merrimack Valley Conference boys basketball win over Lawrence at Lowell High on Tuesday night.
After the overtime loss to Lawrence (11-4), PowellAparicio took to the floor with a vengeance. The junior guard quarterbacked Lowell’s offense, dishing five assists while showcasing his array of tricks in his bag.
“Most definitely,” Powell-Aparicio said of seeking revenge. “That game was most definitely in our hands at the end of the game, so I feel like we were so ready for Lawrence coming off that loss from Central that would put us back up and getting us going heading into this gauntlet.”
That’s not to say Tuesday’s victory came with ease. The Lancers raced out to a 10-2 run to begin the opening quarter, headlined by a pair of Igor Gonzalez put-backs to establish a presence on the glass. The Red Raiders responded with a 9-4 run of their own, settling into what would be a fast and competitive second quarter.
“They weathered the storm early,” said Lowell head coach Bob Michalczyk. “One of our goals was to outplay them because they play so hard every game, one through fifteen guys. We just wanted to set the tempo.”
Lowell kept pushing, resulting in a 13-0 run in the final minutes of the third quarter to stun the Lancers. For Michalczyk’s squad, it all started on the defensive end.
“We just wanted to run our press disciplined,” said the coach. “A lot of times, these guys they cheat or gamble. When they do, Lawrence would come down and get a good look. When they didn’t, we would stand in front of them and take away all the easy stuff.”
Lowell turned defense into offense, exploding for 23 third-quarter points ignited by Powell-Aparicio’s ability to stretch the floor and open up opportunities for his teammates.
“We expect him to do a little bit of everything,” said Michalczyk. “Rebounding, effort, we want him to facilitate for other people if they got a better shot … he played a really balanced game.”
Powell-Aparicio was not stymied by the Lawrence defense, dishing dimes in the paint while executing a lethal pull-up jump shot.
“I try to get to my spots first, that’s what I really try to do,” he said. “I try to get my teammates going, and when they lead me to my spot, I try to get it to my teammates. I like to rebound, to get those energy points.”
John Soucy also had a big quarter, posting six of his eight points. The Lowell attack was rounded out by Xavier Rivera (15 points) and Juan Beltres Diaz (12 points), as the Red Raiders outscored Lawrence 23-14 in the quarter.
Although Lawrence was knocking on the door to begin the final quarter, Rivera’s triple with three minutes remaining secured the pivotal win.