Drury's Racette Reaches Coaching Milestone
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Drury head coach Jack Racette reached a major milestone Tuesday night, earning his 300th career win as the Blue Devils cruised past Lee, 65-44.
It was a special evening for Racette, who reached the 300-win mark in his high school coaching career, an achievement he was unaware of until after the game. The moment reflected the humility and dedication that have defined his time on the sidelines.
“It must mean I’ve coached for a long time,” Racette said modestly. “If you coach long enough, I think you’ll get your 300th.”
With multiple Western Massachusetts titles and state tournaments to his name, Racette’s milestone speaks to a level of sustained success that few coaches achieve, especially within a community he has served for so long.
Drury (9-2) entered the game looking for some relief after a demanding stretch that saw the Blue Devils play three games in eight days. The opening half reflected that fatigue, as Drury started slowly and lacked the defensive intensity it is known for. Still, the Blue Devils managed a 17-13 lead after the first quarter, though Lee kept things tight by knocking down timely shots.
Jorge Bond and Shane Faucher accounted for all of Drury’s first-quarter scoring. Bond finished with a game-high 26 points, while Connor Hinkell added 13 and Faucher chipped in 12.
Ball movement was inconsistent for Drury in the first half, but the Blue Devils continued to grind, heading into halftime with a narrow advantage. Lee stayed competitive by winning the majority of the 50-50 balls. Joey Abderhalden led Lee with 19 points, while Mason Lucy added nine.
The second half told a much different story. Drury raised its level on both ends of the floor, starting with a quick four points from Bond. Faucher capped a decisive 10-2 run with a block on one end and an and-one finish on the other.
“We have seven days off after tonight, and I thought we should have gotten after it more defensively in the first half,” Racette said. “We didn’t press because we were trying to dig in in the half court, but the game got slow and methodical, and that’s how we played. In the second half, our ball movement was much better. For us, it’s about pace, and we have to play fast.”
Drury did just that after halftime, pushing the lead to 11 before taking full control in the fourth quarter. Crisp ball movement led to wide-open looks inside and out, allowing the Blue Devils to stretch the lead to 20 late and empty the bench down the stretch.
Drury will enjoy a week off before hosting Monument Mountain as the regular season enters its final stretch.
Lee will look to bounce back when it hosts Lenox on Thursday.