Pat Connaughton and Jimmy Zenevitch Both Deserve to be Playing at the Boston Garden
Last night, Saint John's Prep and Central Catholic squared off in the Division 1 North Sectional Semi-finals in front of a packed crowd at Lawrence High School. In what was a great game, Saint John's Prep moved on to the North Finals with a 63-60 win over the Raiders.
Central's 6'7" Jimmy Zenevitch was excellent as he finished his high school career with a game high 33 points and 15 rebounds in the loss. Zenevitch for the most part, kept Central alive in a game where St. John's Prep won the battle of loose balls. In a game that just wasn't meant to be for the Raiders, Zenevitch back-rimmed a long three to tie the game as time expired. Zenevitch, who is a 1,000 point scorer, has nothing to be disappointed about as he leaves Central with two State Championship Rings and a division II scholarship to Assumption College where he will compete in the North East 10 next season.
St. John's and Notre Dame bound Pat Connaughton has been and is the best high school player in Massachusetts this year. In what was a modest night for the 6'4" star, Connaughton only had 14 points and 16 rebounds and probably was close to double-digit assists. It was a night that most high school players would die for. Not to take away from the other St. John's players, but it is the greatness of Connaughton that allowed junior Freddy Shove to clean up with 15 points and 15 rebounds of his own and it was the greatness of Connaughton that helped the active junior Steve Haladyna score 24 points.
If you loved basketball, it was a great night to be one of the 3,000 people packed into Lawrence High School. It was a chance to see two of the best players in Massachusetts high school basketball in Connaughton and Zenevitch and two of what will be the MA-NH High School Basketball Report first team All-State selections. We just wish we got a chance to watch these two play on Friday night at the Garden. But as they say, that is the way the ball bounces.
