30 years ago this week, the WHS boys basketball team won the Division 3 state championship
It’s hard to believe that 30 years have passed since the Winthrop High boys basketball team won the Division 3 state title with an incredible tourney run that featured some of the most amazing victories in the annals of Winthrop High sports.
Winthrop entered the tourney as the number three seed in the D-3 North after a highly successful regular season (16-4 overall record) in which they finished second in the Northeastern Conference — when the NEC was comprised of a single, 10-team league — behind only Salem, which was led by future NCAA Big 10 Player of the Year, Scoonie Penn.
The most notable feature of the Vikings that season was their lack of height. Just about every team they met could put someone on the floor who was taller than any Viking. When Winthrop met the D-3 South champ, Cohasset, in the state semifinal game, Cohasset had seven players who were taller than the tallest Winthrop hoopman.
But what the Vikings lacked in size, they more than made up for in overall athleticism, shooting skill, basketball IQ, and, most importantly, unselfish teamwork. The Vikings relentlessly pushed the ball up the court to create 2-on-1 and 3-on-2 breaks and then found the open man for a layup or open look at the basket.
They lived by the creed long-espoused by present Harvard basketball coach Tom Amaker: “I don’t care who scored the most points. What matters is who is responsible for the most points.”
On any given night a different Viking might lead the team in scoring and be the hero for the night. Tri-captains Todd Doherty, Paul Struzziero, and David Lynch, sophomore Lawone Bennett, and juniors Anthony Poto and James Buono were the big guns, and capable reserves included Chris Beattie, Ricky O’Brien, former WHS girls hoop coach Ignacio Oyola, Joe Long, Robbie Crowell, Matt Murphy, Danny Davis, and Russell Howell.
“I don’t know whom you could single out,” said their coach, the late Peter Grimes (who was the Boston Globe’s Coach of the Year) about his crew after they had won the state title game over Sutton in typical fashion with four Vikings hitting for double figures and a fifth adding nine points. “It’s been that way all season.”
The Vikings opened their state title quest with victories over Northeast Regional and Stoneham. That brought them to a D-3 North semifinal matchup with NEC rival Swampscott. Although Winthrop had beaten the Big Blue in both of their regular-season encounters, the contest stood at 53-52 in favor of Swampscott late in the game after the Big Blue had rallied from a 39-27 deficit at the half.
However, in what would prove to be their calling card in their title run, the Vikings maintained their composure and rallied in the face of adversity. A bucket by Buono put Winthrop in the lead, 54-43, and then a three-point play by Lynch made it 58-53, from where the Vikings held on for the win.
In the D-3 North final, Winthrop faced another NEC rival, defending state champ Lynn Classical. The Vikings similarly had defeated the Rams in both of their regular-season meetings, but facing the taller Rams meant Winthrop would have some match-up difficulties. However, the Vikings played their typical, fast-paced style and ran the Rams ragged. Poto, who had 15 points, went on a scoring spree late in the first half, scoring nine points to Classical’s two, to boost Winthrop into a 24-17 advantage at the half. Classical would get as close as 38-34 with three minutes to play, but Bennett (game-high 19 points) then took charge, scoring nine points in a Viking outburst that propelled Winthrop into a 48-38 lead en route to a 62-47 triumph.
With the D-3 North title in their pockets, the Vikings then made a mid-week trek to Boston Garden to face a vaunted Cohasset Skipper team, the D-3 South champ, that featured players who stood at 6-7, 6-5, 6-4, and 6-3, among others.
Indeed, Cohasset took control from the outset, jumping out to a 9-0 lead thanks to some inside buckets. Cohasset continued to utilize its size superiority to great advantage, moving ahead by as much as 14 (27-13) and holding a 35-23 advantage at the half.
The Vikings then pulled out all the stops after the intermission, applying relentless defensive pressure in an effort to wear down Cohasset’s big men. The Vikings sliced the Cohasset advantage to 43-40, only to see the Skippers go on a 9-0 run to move out to a 52-40 lead that stood at a seemingly safe 55-46 lead with just over a minute to go.
But that’s when some Viking magic — and luck — stepped to the fore. Poto got Winthrop rolling with a jumper, and after a Cohasset player missed the front end of a one-and-one, Lynch sank two free throws to make it 55-50. Another miss by a Skipper on a front end sent Bennett flying down the court for a lay-up to close the gap to 55-52 with 36 seconds to play.
Another Winthrop intentional foul — and another Cohasset missed free throw — set the stage for a dramatic three-point shot by Doherty off a pass from Poto that tied the score and sent the game into overtime.
“I just knew I could make that shot,” said Doherty. “I wasn’t even thinking. It just went in. It’s a dream I’ve had since I was six or seven — making that last-second shot in the Boston Garden. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
In the first overtime, it was Lynch’s turn to don the hero’s cape, sinking a bucket with 18 seconds to go to even matters at 59-59 and send the game into a second OT.
Winthrop took a 65-61 lead down the stretch of the second OT session, but this time it was Cohasset’s turn to create some drama, tying matters at 65-65 to force a third extra period.
With the teams deadlocked at 69-69 with just over a minute left, Bennett drained two free throws to boost the Vikings into the lead once and for all. After Cohasset failed to score on its next possession, Doherty was intentionally fouled with nine seconds on the clock. Todd calmly sank both shots to put the game on ice and send Winthrop to the state championship game that Saturday in the Worcester Centrum against Sutton.
Sutton stood at 22-0 coming into the contest and was labeled as perhaps the best Division 3 team ever. Sutton had a dominating inside game with forwards who stood at 6-6 and 6-5 and a 1000-point shooting guard.
However, the Vikings brought their usual brand of speed-ball and strong outside shooting to Worcester. With the score standing at 40-40 early in the second half, Winthrop went on a 10-0 run to bolt to a 50-40 advantage that Sutton never managed to seriously challenge. Winthrop won the game by a final score of 74-63.
Doherty led the Vikings with 21 points, including five treys, and grabbed nine rebounds in the second half against Sutton’s big men.
Poto hit for 17 points and was a tiger on defense, forcing numerous Sutton turnovers and making five steals. Lynch struck for 15 points and was clutch from the free throw line, sinking 11-of-13 attempts and thwarting any hint of a Sutton comeback down the stretch.
Struzziero chipped in 12 points and sank three treys in the opening minutes of the game to jump-start the Winthrop offense. Bennet added nine points and forced a number of enemy turnovers. Lawone also ignited the Viking fandom with a highlight-reel, behind-the-back pass to Poto for a lay-up. Buono played a key role in the Viking defensive scheme and also had a team-high five assists.
All in all, it was an amazing run by a Winthrop basketball team that showed how a group of five players can be greater than the sum of its individual parts. The 1995 Vikings created memories that will last a lifetime not only for the players themselves, but for every Winthrop fan who was privileged to watch them play.