IMAGE GALLERY: Boys Hoops Salutes Seniors

It wasn't the way the Wilmington boys basketball team wanted to end their season, and for some players their careers, but it was still an entertaining evening on the hardwood.

Billerica spoiled the Wildcats' senior night with a 65-48 win over the hosts, but Wilmington had nothing on the line except for pride after they were eliminated from postseason contention with a Friday loss in Burlington.

The crowd in attendance was by far the team's largest audience of the season, and they were rowdy throughout. At halftime, the school honored its four 1,000-point scorers by revealing a banner and presenting the three in attendance with a plaque.

Another highlight of the evening was the first start of the season for Phil Lentini, a senior who has seen minimal playing time until the final tilt of the year.

Upon re-entering the game late in the fourth quarter, Lentini promptly drilled a jump shot and grinned as he backpedalled back on defense. Then, just seconds later he stuck home a shot from three-point land, and saluted the crowd on his way down the court.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, head coach Joe Maiella substituted his seniors out of the game one at a time so they could get recognition from the fans.

Tim McCarthy and Kyle Albanese, both all-league players, along with Cole Peffer, John Parsons, Lentini, Kyle Peach, James Mara and injured guard Vinny Scifo are the players whose high school careers came to a close on Tuesday night.

Editor's Note: A correction was made in the original story to indicate that Phil Lentini started the game, and did not first come in with two minutes to play as originally indicated.