Just a little over a mile of Dorchester’s Washington Street separates Tech Boston Academy (formerly Dorchester High School) from Jeremiah Burke High, and the schools’ two state-ranked boys’ basketball programs share not only proximity, but also a newly competitive rivalry and kinship on and off the floor.

The past two years have been quite the struggle for both programs as they’ve navigated Covid-19 through shortened seasons, pauses in competition, mask mandates, empty bleachers, and the inability to compete for championship titles due to the state and city tournament being cancelled last year during the short season.

Burke’s Ramsay Checo hits the floor and quickly gets rid of the ball as Tech’s Kervenslee Blanc and Youssouf Mboukoh press on defense. Seth Daniel photos

Tech Junior guard Michael DeLeon lays one in in the second quarter.

Both teams have won state titles in their respective divisions in recent years – Burke being the reigning Division 3 (2020) state champ – and all of that was a great backdrop for a hyped crowd at Tech Boston last Friday night as Burke head coach Sean Ryan and his roundballers travelled the short distance down Washington Street to play Tech Boston under head coach Johnny Williams.

In many cases, the players were facing off against friends, neighbors, and teammates from summer leagues. With a vocal and excited crowd able to return to the stands, the stage was set for an intense evening of neighborhood hoops with state-level implications.

“We always have a great battle with the Burke and it’s something we do; it’s a tradition to have a battle when we play,” said Williams. “It’s down the street and the kids all know each other. I came from the Burke and that’s where I got my first coaching opportunity. So, Burke is bittersweet. I always want to see them do well and I know a lot of the kids. It’s just a great rivalry.”

Added Ryan: “The kids definitely know each other playing out of season and outside of high school ball in different leagues during the summer and whatnot. It is a rivalry, though they’ve beaten us more than we’ve beaten them, so I don’t know how much of a rivalry it is quite yet. But they play hard, and I like to think we play hard at times, too. It’s two good teams and two good programs.”

The atmosphere was one that harkened back to pre-Covid times when students, alumni, and basketball enthusiasts from around the city could drop in on a Friday night and check out the neighborhood’s top talent: Blocked shots brought down the house. Fans jumped up when Tech or Burke hit three-pointers. The Tech faithful turned up the heat when senior Elijah Clunie converted a three-point play on a coast-to-coast drive in the second quarter. And a baseline drive that turned into an explosive dunk by Burke’s Takei Galloway later in the game nearly blew the gym doors open as the visiting Burke fans went wild.

Burke’s Takei Galloway, of Dorchester, was the lone senior starter on the young squad. Galloway had several blocks on the night and brought down the house with a monster dunk in the third quarter.

It was an environment that many players and fans hadn’t experienced in quite some time, and it was a welcome return.

“I thought it was just a great environment,” said Ryan after the game.

Many of the fans in the house were former players, or former students, who came back to see younger friends on both teams – while taking in a great game and remembering their time at Tech or Burke.

Romario ‘Stickz’ Louriston, who formerly attended Dorchester Academy, came with several former Tech Boston students who said that they love to see Tech’s famous stifling defense at work.

“I like to come back to this game because I know I’m going to see great defense from Tech, a great fourth quarter. And I like how Tech can shut down good teams like Burke,” Louriston said. “A lot of these kids are from Dorchester, and it just goes to show who works hard and who has the dedication. You can come here and see who loves basketball and who works out and is dedicated to the game. You come to see the best at this game every year.”

On Friday night, a young Burke lineup – featuring only one senior, Takei Galloway, in the starting lineup – took on a much more experienced Tech Boston team that is stacked with upperclassmen. Both teams, however, came in ranked in the state’s Top 20 as of last week, so there was no mistaking that either team could get the win.

Burke jumped to a lead quickly, frustrating Tech early on with 6-foot-6 sophomore Nahkeem Singleton down low, who coaxed five fouls from Tech in the first quarter alone. Great passing and a skillful fast-break attack led to Burke being up 14-11 at the close of the first quarter and seemingly in control.

But then Tech’s defense took over, though both teams played excellent defense all night long. A pivotal moment came in the second quarter when Burke turned over the ball and Tech’s Michael DeLeon charged up court on a break, only to be thwarted by Galloway who came out of nowhere to swat the layup away. Yet, just as the “oooohs” from the crowd were dying down, Tech’s Clunie grabbed the rebound, stepped outside the three-point arc, and drained a trifecta.

The back and forth continued the rest of the quarter and at halftime, the game had lived up to the hype, with Tech up 28-23 on the Burke.
In the third quarter, Tech came out aggressively on defense while also hitting open shots. The game seemed to be getting out of hand, but then a missed dunk by Burke turned into a missed dunk by Tech, and Galloway seized the moment with a baseline drive that brought down the house after a monster jam.

Tech Boston’s Youssouf Mboukoh wins the tip over Burke center Nahkeem Singleton on Friday night’s rivalry game at Tech Boston. Seth Daniel photos

Burke fed off that to climb back into the game, bringing its deficit down to nine at 54-43. But Tech’s experience, combined with a great performance down the stretch by senior Youssouf Mboukoh, came to bear, and on this night, the Bears roared, prevailing, 64-47, in the end.
Said Williams: “We played defense tonight. That’s what we do. What else is Tech known for?” he asked, referencing the team’s motto, “It starts with defense, it ends with defense.”

Ryan centered his remarks on Tech’s defense in remarks after the game. “They’re a very good shooting team and we haven’t faced a team yet that makes shots like that,” he said. “Conversely, we didn’t make shots at all and that’s a credit to their defense…I think we were just a step slow to their shooters and I think that set the tone.”

Williams said his team doesn’t set its sights on playing great games or pleasing the re-engaged fans. “We only play for banners like the two up there [2018 and 2019 on the gym wall]; we play for state championships,” he said. “We coach every day and every night to win state championships. We don’t win a state title, we didn’t have a successful season. What’s the point of going 25-1 and not winning the state title?”

Tech Boston finished last week at 9-3 overall and climbed to No. 12 in statewide rankings on Monday, while Burke finished the week at 8-3 and No. 22 statewide.