Nauset Boys Basketball Bounces Back With 62-49 Win Over Nantucket

NORTH EASTHAM – All season, slow starts have plagued the Nauset boys basketball team. 

 On Friday afternoon, the Warriors flipped the script. 

 Senior point guard Laith Zaineh quickly scored the opening five points as Nauset stormed out to a 7-0 lead before eventually pulling away from Nantucket for a 62-49 victory in North Eastham. 

 “This is our seventh game, and every other game we’ve started really slow,” Nauset coach Kevin Harrigan said. “We started down 16-2 at Hingham, so to not be down early was really nice. Laith had the first five, which was great — he’s been so solid for us.”

 The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Warriors (3-4), who were searching for their first win since rolling to a 67-43 victory over Monomoy on Dec. 20. 

 While Harrigan said some of the losses were the result of being on the wrong side of competitive games, he praised his players for turning the tide against a feisty Whalers squad that hung tough throughout the first half. 

 “Not all losses are created equal, right?” Harrigan asked. “Some of them were OK losses and then in a few of them, we weren’t playing up to our potential. This was a step in the right direction, so it was nice to get a win.”

 Junior guard Braden Decker scored a team-high 13 points to lead Nauset, while seniors Jacob Daly, Joseph Berardi and Jon Bienvenue finished with eight points apiece. Zaineh finished with seven after helping to set the tone in the opening minutes. 

 The Warriors’ unselfishness and ball movement helped create open shots, and the team finished with seven made 3-pointers, including three by Decker. 

 “It’s what we preach,” Harrigan said. “What we talk about is trying to be the type of basketball player you’d want to play with. Anyone could shoot 20 times if they are open and it’s created with movement, so try to get the ball open and the guys were finding each other and hitting their shots.”

 Although the seniors have led the way during much of the season, Friday showcased the team’s depth and ability to score in bunches. Nine Warriors found their way into the box score after recording points in the win.

 “I think our depth is one of the best things we have,” Harrigan said. “I have eight seniors and two juniors and some very talented underclassmen, too. All of the guys can play, and it makes our practices good. 

“We’re hopeful by the end of the year, on any given night there might be a guy with 15 points that hasn't had double digits yet.”

Nauset will look to build on its Nantucket win when it hosts Barnstable on Tuesday, after The Chronicle’s deadline, and Thursday, when it travels to Cape Cod Academy for a 5 p.m. tipoff.