Red Raiders Avenge Earlier Loss, Edge Leominster 54–51 in Rivalry Thriller

LEOMINSTER — The Fitchburg Red Raiders (10-9) flipped the script on their archrivals Tuesday night, surviving a late surge from the Leominster Blue Devils (4-15) to pull out a 54–51 road victory and punch their ticket into the MIAA State tournament. The win marked a sweet revenge for Fitchburg, which dropped their Jan. 20 meeting 56-49 between the two teams at home last month.

Junior forward Tyreese Green powered the Red Raiders early on after a slow 0/3 start. Green mixed things up with mid-range jumpers and drives to keep Fitchburg’s offense steady through the first half. He knocked down a pair of first-quarter threes and finished the game with 20 points, including a clutch left-handed drive in the final minutes that put Fitchburg back on top, 52–51.

Leominster’s Jayden Wilbon, a sophomore standout, countered with a dynamic second half. After Fitchburg led by as many as twelve in the third quarter, Wilbon fueled a furious comeback with baseline spins, drives, and a burst of confidence that cut the deficit to one heading into the fourth. He finished with a game-high 21 points. Also, a near unsung hero for Leominster was Jensen Ortiz, giving Leominster a vital boost of scoring and ball handling that the Blue Devils desperately needed to relieve Wilbon. Ortiz finished with 9 points.

With just over three minutes remaining, Wilbon drained two free throws to give Leominster its first lead since early in the second quarter, 51–50. Fitchburg answered immediately — Green’s drive regained the lead, and sophomore Yaniel Guzman (11 points) delivered the decisive blow, stealing a pass and converting a layup with under a minute left to make it 54–51.

Leominster had two chances to tie in the closing seconds. Wilbon’s right-wing three missed, and after a timeout, his second attempt from the corner was just off as time expired.

Fitchburg improved to 10–9, continuing its late-season surge, while Leominster fell to 4–15. The Red Raiders will look to carry their momentum into the final stretch of the regular season, while the young Blue Devils squad takes away another hard-fought rivalry lesson.

(Photos by @nellclippedit instagram)