NORTH READING — The NRHS boys’ basketball team went 1-1 last week, bringing their record to 5-5 overall. The Hornets need to win 10 games to automatically qualify for the new statewide tournament and have half of their schedule to play in the next three weeks.
North Reading fell on the road to first place Manchester-Essex 67-61 on Jan. 25.
The Hornets were down 15-10 after one quarter and gave up 19 points in the second to trail 34-25 at halftime. Although the Hornets struggled shooting the ball in the opening half, senior forward John Jennings kept his team in the game with 4 points and 6 rebounds in the half despite being outsized down low.
Junior forward Craig Rubino also added 7 points in the half.
Jennings added 6 of his 16 total points in the third but NR continued their shooting woes and were down by 16 going into the fourth.
The Hornets exploded back in the final quarter led by 16 points from senior Cody Cannalonga who had 24 total points in this one. North Reading trimmed the deficit to just four with a minute left but could get no closer as their rival Hornets held on.
North Reading bounced back with 65-31 victory over Lynnfield at home on Jan. 27.
The Hornets shot just 34 percent from the field in the first half but their defense came to play as they took an 11-4 lead after one. Cannalonga scored 9 of his game-high 23 in the first quarter.
North Reading’s offensive woes largely continued in the second quarter but junior forward Andrew Boulas had 6 of his 16 total points in the frame as NR went up 21-10 at the break.
Lynnfield got as close as 23-18 in the third but the Hornets went on an 11-0 run after a timeout to take complete control with a 34-18 lead.
The two teams will have a rematch on Thursday night, 7 p.m. at LHS.
After two postponements due to weather, the Hornets will finally get their chance to play at the TD Garden when they meet Amesbury there on Saturday night at 7 p.m.