BeantownHoops Blog

I was 8-4 in the Boys conference call Tuesday, let’s see how I do with the thirteen key conference girls games Friday.  How did we do?  11 wins and 2 losses in our predictions, our wrong picks are highlighted.
Atlantic Coast
Plymouth South vs. Marshfield - both teams come in undefeated in the league and have a combined two losses between them.  It’s a toss up, but I’ll go with the home team - Pick:  Marshfield
Bay State
Needham vs. #18 Newton North - another first and second place match-up.  Needham was once ranked and has played a very tough schedule.  North has a one game lead in the division, but I like Needham to win on the road - Pick:  Needham
Big Three
#5 Brockton vs. Durfee - they finally play a league game in a battle of undefeated teams.  Durfee has not had as tough a schedule as Brockton, but you never know what can happen in league play - Pick:  Brockton
Catholic Central
Cardinal Spellman vs. #23 Archbishop Williams - it’s bad enough they play in a loaded league, but now they are playing for sole possession of first place.  Archies has a four game winning streak coming in and Spellman doesn’t want to drop two in a row.  It will be a battle - Pick:  Archbishop Williams.
Dual County
#16 Newton South vs. #7 Westford/#20 Lincoln-Sudbury vs. #19 Acton-Boxborough - had to go with two games in the DCL tonight.  Four ranked teams separated by a game in the division, if it was playoff time and these games were in the same building it would be sold out for these two.  Tough ones to call, but I’m going with the home teams - Pick:  Westford, A-B
EAC
Bishop Stang vs. Bishop Feehan - battle of the bishops, much like the GBL, the EAC has only five teams which makes every league game important.  A win keeps that team in the hunt for the league title, a loss makes it look bleak - Pick:  Bishop Feehan
GBL
Cambridge vs. Medford - a tough non-league schedule and injuries have slowed Cambridge down, but they are still in first place in the league.  Medford looks to pull off the upset at home - Pick:  Cambridge
Hockomock
#8 Franklin vs. #3 Oliver Ames - It would have been nice to have this one back-to-back with the boys game, which is our game of the week.  Not to sound like a broken record, but like many other conferences tonight, both teams are in first place and have played well all year. Ames is rolling however after their opening night loss and have won eight in a row.  Make it number nine tonight - Pick: Oliver Ames
MVC
#2 Andover vs. Lowell - Andover looks to rebound after a non-league loss and they face a tough Lowell team.  Both teams can shoot the three and it will be a wide open affair.  It will be entertaining - Pick:  Andover
Middlesex
#21 Stoneham vs. #24 Reading - Stoneham did not play well in their last win versus Belmont, while Reading lost to a good Woburn team.  It is an absolute must win for Reading, a loss will put them three games back of Stoneham in the league race.  I think they play with a sense of urgency tonight at home and pull off the minor upset - Pick:  Reading
NEC
Peabody vs. Danvers - An intriguing match-up between two teams still in the hunt for their division titles.  Peabody is 8-1 while Danvers comes into the game with a 7-2 mark.  Peabody has been playing well this year and should be able to win this one on the road - Pick:  Peabody
South Shore
Cohasset vs. Abington - Cohasset is undefeated coming in, but is only one game up on second place Abington.  Abington needs to keep it close all game and hope that Cohasset gets nervous down the stretch about losing their unblemished record.  Unfortunately, I don’t think it will happen that way - Pick: Cohasset

Each week we will profile a high school coach in the area.  Here is our latest profile with Coach Jim Dolan of the Weymouth Boys.
Coach Dolan is in his 7th season at Weymouth.  Last season, his team did not win a game when he decided not to keep some players that would have helped on the court, but were destructive to the team’s philosophy and chemistry.  He has quickly turned the team around as the younger players from last season are now experienced and the current underclassmen have stepped up their games with his guidance.  Currently, the team is 5-4 overall and 4-3 in the tough Bay State league.

Beantownhoops.com (BH): How did you get started coaching high school basketball?
Coach Dolan (JD): Right out of college I started coaching - I made stops at the D3, JuCo and Prep school levels - Since playing basketball at Weymouth North HS- I always knew I wanted to coach at some level.
BH: What is the most enjoyable thing about coaching?
JD: The best part of coaching is working with kids on a daily basis, hopefully making them better people. You always want kids to improve after being part of our program, both on and off the court. We preach a family structure, we talk about making good decisions and giving back to the community. This fall we ran an intramural program with the girls team and we will make a donation to the Mass Epilepsy foundation.
BH:  What do you consider to be the toughest part about coaching at the high school level?
JD:  I am fortunate to work as a PE teacher at Weymouth, so in addition to the two hours a day you have them for basketball, I see them in class.  It is really tough knowing all the down time kids have nowadays.  Structure is a great thing for high school age kids.
BH:  What changes need to be made to high school basketball in Massachusetts to make it better?
JD:  I think basketball in MA on the whole is getting better.  I would love to be able to work with my kids in the off-season, not full time, but it would be great to get them for an assigned time in the spring and summer.
BH:  Which coaches have influenced your style or philosophy?
JD:  I was very fortunate to have played for great coaches in high school, both Gerry Morrelli and Steve Shoff were great mentors to me, not only while playing but when I got in to coaching.  Also, my father, he coached at the town and freshman level as well as reffing for a long time.  To this day we still break down each and every game-good or bad - he is no doubt the reason I have a passion for basketball, I have been very blessed. On a professional level I have always admired Coach Knight as well as Coach K,  you have to respect what they have given to the game.
BH: Tell the readers of Beantownhoops.com something that many people don’t know about you.
JD:  My favorite time coaching is with Rockland Basketball, where I coach the 4th grade travel and run a 2nd grade program that my sons are involved with.  My wife Laurie is very supportive, along with my three boys, James 9, Connor 7 and Aidan 3.

Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to focus on league play.  What that means for the fans are more upsets, close games, and quality of play going up.  One league to keep a close eye on will be the Girls Catholic Central Large Division.  The division has five teams in St. Mary’s, Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop Williams, Bishop Fenwick, and Arlington Catholic who are very close to each other talent wise and all of their games against each other have been battles thus far……The youth movement is in full swing for a number of teams this year.  The Cambridge Boys have seven underclassmen on their roster and they are talented.  The Weymouth Boys have been getting great play from Freshmen Jared Terrell and Sophomore Damian Lugay.  The two have been a key reason Weymouth has been able to turn around a winless season last year.  Reading Girls Freshman Olivia Healy is a starter for Coach Kim Penney and is definitely a player to watch in the girls ranks…..What a great week for the Cathedral Boys.  They defeated two ranked teams and league rivals in Cardinal Spellman and Archbishop Williams…..This part is for the players who follow the site - in one of the games I recently attended I saw something that drives coaches, college recruiters, and fans crazy.  Here is the scenario:  A player just made what he thought was a good play.  The next dead ball situation, the coach took the player out.  The player pouted all the way to the bench, didn’t acknowledge any of the players on the bench who were trying to give him five, and then proceeded to stay on the bench while everyone else was huddled around the coach during a timeout.  The lesson:  If you are serious about basketball, no college in their right mind is going to give you the time of the day let alone a college scholarship.  All you are doing is making basketball miserable for you, your teammates, and especially your coach.  You never know who is in the stands watching you play so please act accordingly.  You are not in the NBA so stop complaining to the officials and trying to shoot like your Kobe Bryant.  O.K. my rant is over…..Big game in the Middlesex league with the Belmont Boys and Reading Boys squaring off tonight.  I have seen both teams play in person and they are both evenly matched with different strengths, should be a good one….The New Mission Boys finally have their team together with Taj Banks now ready to play.  Banks is a 6′5″ inside player who gives the Titans another weapon to their already loaded roster…..Speaking of new additions, Brockton big man Mario Monroe was granted his waiver by the MIAA.  A 6′8″ senior center, Monroe gives Brockton more size and another weapon in the rotation…..Don’t forget the Hoophall Classic is this weekend in Springfield, the Newton North Boys have just been added to the field and will play St. Francis of Baltimore.

Every Tuesday we will look at some key boys conference match-ups for the night and make our predictions.
How did we do? 8 wins and 4 losses in our predictions, our wrong picks are highlighted.
Boys
Atlantic Coast
Falmouth at Marshfield - both teams are at the top of the division, while the other contender, Plymouth North, plays  a 1-5 Nauset team.  It will be a big victory for the winner. Our pick - Marshfield
Bay State
#3 Newton North at Brookline - North has cruised through conference play, while Brookline has not played to their potential.  A win for Brookline would be huge in this rival game. Our pick - Newton North
Cape Ann
Masconomet at Hamilton-Wenham - Both teams have one loss on the year in league play and Masconomet heads into the game with a six game winning streak.  Our pick - Masconomet
Catholic Central
Arlington Catholic at Austin Prep - A.C. needs a win to stay close in the division race while Austin Prep needs a win to salvage the season.  Our pick - Arlington Catholic
Catholic Conference
Xaverian at BC High - Overall both teams have struggled, but are still in the hunt league wise.  It is a must win for both teams. Our pick - BC High
Commonwealth
Greater Lowell at North Shore - North Shore has been playing well with a 6-2 record in the Small, but they play a team in the Large tonight.  Unfortunately for Greater Lowell they are on a two game losing streak and have to play on the road.  Our pick - North Shore
Dual County
#7 Acton-Boxborough at #20 Westford - The winner is in first place in the DCL Large and the loser gets second place and drops down in the rankings, needless to say a big game.  Our pick - Acton-Boxborough
GBL
#12 Everett at Malden - Everett is coming off an emotional win against Cambridge with Nerlins Noel going down and Malden won a nail biter versus Somerville.  Without Noel, Everett still has plenty of fire power to stop Malden.  Our pick - Everett
Hockomock
#19 Mansfield at #11 Oliver Ames - Mansfield plays it’s second undefeated team and needs a win to stay in the league race with Ames and Franklin.  A loss for Mansfield will be devastating and a win for Ames set’s up another undefeated match-up against Franklin.  Our pick - Mansfield
Merrimack Valley
Dracut at #15 Andover - Dracut leads the Small division of the MVC and Andover needs a rebound win after losing to Central Catholic again.  Our pick - Andover
Northeastern
Lynn Classical vs. #18 Winthrop -Undefeated Winthrop hosts a Lynn Classical team that just can’t seem to get it going this year.  I think Classical will be up for this one, but Winthrop is truly rolling right now.  Our pick - Winthrop
South Shore
Norwell at Harwich - Norwell is one game back of league leader Abington, while Harwich is two games back.  This is one of those positional games that teams can’t afford to lose if they want to make a run at first.  Our pick - Norwell
Did we miss a key conference game?  Let us know about it by email at webmaster@beantownhoops.com

If there is one basketball constant across the country it is that league games are much different than non-league games.  The teams know each other very well, the fans attend these games more because of familiarity, and if the coaches have been in the league for awhile, they probably have beaten each other at least once.  Every game that I have attended this year, I don’t think there is at least one fan sitting around me that doesn’t comment on how tough their league is compared to others.  I agree with some of these fans, but not all.  It has been clear to me in the first quarter of the season that there are some conferences that just stand out more than others.  Here is my list of the Top 5 Boys and Girls Conferences so far this season (1/7/2010):

Boys

#1 Bay State:  In a conference with two divisions, it is hard to find consistent play from top to bottom.  Of the twelve teams in the league, eight have records of .500 or better.  Braintree has a record of 3-4, but also have DI prospect PJ Douglas who can carry his team to victory on any given night.  The team with the worst record in the league is Framingham at 0-6, but even they are well coached and have some players who can be dangerous if given confidence.  In addition, the team that went 0-20 last season, Weymouth, is 4-3 and playing everyone tough.

#2 Boston City:  Four ranked teams, #4 Madison Park, #6 New Mission, #7 East Boston, and #20 West Roxbury.  With three of those teams being in the Top 10, the league has a strong argument to be ranked #1, however, the bottom half of the league is not as good as the bottom half of the Bay State.  That being said, I can’t wait to see the Boston City championship with these top tier teams going at it.

#3 MVC:  The Large division is absolutely loaded with #2 Central Catholic, #10 Andover, and two real solid teams in Lawrence and Lowell.  The Small division is not as strong, with Dracut being the best team there, but the top part of the league is so good the league deserves at least a #3 ranking.

#4 DCL:  The league features two ranked teams in #8 Acton-Boxborough and #25 Westford along with Lincoln-Sudbury, Bedford, Wayland, and Waltham all having .500 or better records.  Arlington at 3-4 is very good and two teams that haven’t won yet, Boston Latin and Concord-Carlisle have young talent that will only get better.

#5 (tie) Hockomock/Middlesex:  I know, my first conference power ranking and I have a tie for fifth, but hear me out first.  The Hock has three teams in the Top 25 in #12 Franklin, #16 Oliver Ames, and #17 Mansfield who are all undefeated while the Middlesex has two ranked teams in #11 Belmont and #23 Lexington.  The top half of the league between the two goes to the Hock.  However, the bottom half of the Middlesex is much stronger with Melrose playing without All-league center Andrew Scocca and Winchester losing to Belmont by two points last game.  Thus, a tie for now, but I’m sure as the season continues one of the conferences will outperform the other.

Girls

#1 MVC: For the simple fact that the #1 and #2 teams in our poll play in the same division of the conference is merit enough to garner the top spot. Besides Andover and Central Catholic, Lowell and Billerica have winning records and Methuen has a DI player in Ashley Agboola making the Large division tough to beat. In the Small division, the records may not show it, but Chelmsford beat a ranked Fenway team and Tewksbury lost by six to Central and beat Fenway as well.

#2 Hockomock: Four teams in the Top 25 in #3 Oliver Ames, #10 Foxboro, #11 Franklin, and #19 Mansfield. Sharon has a winning record and North Attleboro at 3-4 has been a tough out. The bottom half has struggled, but that is to be expected when you have to play against the top tier teams.

#3 Catholic Central: The Large division is stacked up with great competition: #6 St. Mary’s, #24 Archbishop Williams, and you know it’s good when #12 Arlington Catholic has a losing league record right now. Add Bishop Fenwick and Cardinal Spellman who were once ranked and you have no games to rest. The problem is that the Small division only has two teams with winning records and they have not fared well, making the two divisions pretty unbalanced.

#4 DCL: Very similar to the Catholic Central with four ranked teams: #9 Westford, #16 Newton South, #20 Acton-Boxborough, and #21 Lincoln-Sudbury. However, the DCL is missing that one other marquee team to take the #3 spot. Still, the top tier teams can compete with any other conference’s best, making the DCL one of the premier leagues in the state.

#5 Big Three: Alright, I’m ready for it. “How can a conference with only three teams be considered in your Top 5?” Easy, #5 Brockton, #17 New Bedford, and Durfee are a combined 22-0 to start the season. They all have played quality teams and if they were in a bigger league, those three alone would make their league amongst the top in the state.

Regular season notebook #4

What a week of movement in the rankings for both the boys and girls.  The most notable move was former #3 Andover Girls moving to the top spot with their defeat of #1 Central Catholic.  The two teams don’t have to wait long as they will play this Friday at Central in a game that will count in the league standings and our first match-up of #1 and #2…..Before you email me and hound me in the forums, I know it is a big time match-up against the two top teams and a conference game, but Andover/CC is not the girls game of the week.  A few reasons:  1.  I want more teams to get exposure so I avoid covering a team twice so close together (Lowell and CC were the girls game of the week on Dec. 18)  2.  I’ve seen the best players on both teams play and although they are outstanding (Polce and Zenevitch for Central and Boudreau and Gomez-Martinez for Andover) I want to see some other players in action and 3.  #22 Reading and #8 Melrose are no slouches either and the game will also decide who is first in their league as well….I love to watch teams like #5 St. John’s Prep play:  great ball movement, well-coached, play extremely hard, and they look like my 35 and over rec league team could beat them.  They are clearly the class of the Catholic Conference this season…..Lynn English’s Jarell Byrd should get his 1,000th point this Tuesday.  I know there was a lot of controversy about him this off-season, but that doesn’t deny the fact that he is an outstanding player and plays on the #1 team, early congratulations to him….On that note, congrats as well to Marshfield’s Nicole Beresford for reaching the 1,000 pt. milestone last week….Don’t you just hate it when you miss a good high school basketball game?  Would have loved to see the overtime thriller versus  Stoughton and Brockton.  Anyone have a DVD for me?…..Remember that the Hoophall Classic in Springfield is coming up next weekend (Jan.15th - 18th). If you want to see some of the best high school talent in the country you don’t want to miss this one, I don’t care how long the drive is from Eastern Mass…..Have a good week of hoops and I’ll see you at Melrose for the girls game of the week and at Cambridge for the boys game of the week should be two good ones.

Regular season notebook #3

With the season off to a nice start, we head into the holiday stretch.  For some teams they will be playing in competitive tournaments and testing how good they are while others have so many league games they can’t participate.  Wouldn’t it be great if each team was required to be in a holiday tournament?….Caught a couple of games at the BABC tournament, great atmosphere and quality match-ups….The New Mission boys headed to Springfield to play six time Rhode Island champion Bishop Hendriken.  Samir McDaniels came up huge with 22 pts. and 16 rebs. as New Mission won 66 to 52….Congratulations to Lynn English’s Jenicia Duggins on achieving 1,000 points for her career….Went to watch the 2nd annual Urban Suburban xmas tourney for 4th-9th grade youth teams.  Came out very impressed with the amount of young talent on display and the professionalism of Visionary Basketball in their organization of the event….Although Wareham lost to #5 St. John’s Prep in our boys game of the week, watch out for the Vikings come playoff time.  Plenty of talent to do damage in Division three…..Nerlins Noel continues to improve each game for Everett.  He is long and athletic and is a consistent jump shot away from being a big time college prospect…..Seen plenty of games since the opening weekend and the Newton North fans are clearly the most vocal and supportive thus far….I think it is time for Massachusetts to have three official crews for high school games.  I know it is a tough job, but there were many missed calls in recent games that changed momentum….Keep a close eye on the Acton-Boxborough Boys.  They are quietly undefeated and have a solid core of players along with good coaching….The St. Mary’s Girls are making their case as one of the top teams in the state.  They recently defeated #2 Lynn English to win the Boverini tournament and they are well-balanced and play a tough schedule that will prepare them for the postseason….Happy New Year everyone and our staff looks forward to bringing you the latest on high school basketball in Massachusetts.

Regular Season Notebook #2

A great week of high school basketball as a lot of teams have made drastic improvements coming into this season.  The Medford boys are 3-0 after going 3-17 last season….Weymouth boys are 2-1 after going 0-20 last year….Case Cardinal boys win their first game after losing the previous 43….Belmont boys beat Lexington at Lexington for the first time in over a decade…..I swear I didn’t plan this, but last weeks boys and girls games of the week featured the Melrose Red Raiders versus the Watertown Red Raiders while the girls game was between the Lowell Red Raiders and the Central Catholic Raiders….Concern for the Cambridge girls?  A very talented team that dropped their first two games by a significant margin…..Do you think that Fenway’s Tajanay Veiga had a good week?  How about 53 points, 33 rebounds, and 16 assists in two games….Congratulations to Molly Breen of Millis and Brittany Obi-Talbot of Watertown who reached 1,000 points for their careers….Watch New Mission big man Ousmane Drame closely.  He just took up the game a few years back and is only going to get better in college….We are proud to be working with emasssports.com and coachstorm5.com to help you get the best coverage of high school basketball in Massachusetts.  We want what’s best for our sport and working with other basketball sites only helps to achieve that goal…..Short week of basketball due to Christmas, but everything will be back to full throttle after the holidays.

Regular Season Notebook #1

The first weekend saw our first big upset with the Foxboro Girls defeating the Oliver Ames Girls, 49-45.  Foxboro was ranked #25 in our Fall pre-season poll while Oliver Ames was #3.  Although both teams are ranked, many local pundits consider Oliver Ames a top two team in the state….East Boston Boys got off to a great start with two wins over South Boston and Lawrence; they are currently ranked #14 in our first regular season poll….Greg Kelley of Newton North was stellar in our last game of the week versus Framingham.  He is the rock of their team, but how far the Tigers will go in the playoffs probably will depend on the development of Sophomore point guard Michael Thorpe.  He struggled in the first half, but exploded in the third quarter when Newton North put the game away…..It seems that the rumors are confirmed and Zach Hurynowicz has come back to Burlington.  This immediately shakes up the Middlesex league even more with Lexington, Woburn, Belmont, Watertown, and Melrose all considered strong teams…..A game that went under the radar this weekend was Arlington defeating a good Boston Latin team by 16.  Arlington did not have their whole team in the Fall League and it looked like it, but they return a lot and should be a tough team to beat in the DCL…..Disturbing story about Coach Maureen Jennings at Norwood who resigned a week before the first game.  The word is it was a difference in opinion between parents and administrators.  I’ll make my point and be quiet about it for the rest of the year:  1.  Administrators - please support your coaches and let them do their job.  You have every right to question any wrongdoings physically or verbally, but when you don’t support them everyone suffers 2.  A.D.’s - somewhere along the line you were part of the hiring process of every coach.  If you weren’t, you definitely sat down with them and laid out your expectations, so you should be supporting your coach 100%.  I’m not saying that the A.D. is at fault here, but a coach should never have to resign a week before the season if the coach has full support of the administration and athletic department.  3.  Parents - I’m sorry your son or daughter was cut.  In my fifteen year coaching career it is definitely the hardest thing to do.  However, somewhere along the line you have to realize that there are just better players out there than yours.  As a parent, I know you want what’s best for your child, but complaining because they were cut and asking for the coach’s head is not fair to the coach and their family as well…..Big games this week, looking forward to the first full week of basketball.

Boston Latin Boys looking strong in the DCL Large
by beantownhoops.com

The Boston Latin Boys have had an impressive three year run under Coach Brendan Smith.  The Wolfpack have won forty eight games during Coach Smith’s tenure and their looking to make noise this year in a loaded Dual County Large division.  “We are going to be a young, athletic and up-tempo team. We have six sophmores and one freshman on Varsity so our  future looks bright,” said Coach Smith about this year’s squad.  Although the team will be young, Coach Smith likes the balance his younger players bring to the table.  “Last year was a senior heavy team, that relied on two or three players to carry the load every night. On this team the scoring load will be shared and on any given night five to seven players could score at least ten points,” added Coach Smith.

Leading the balanced attack for Boston Latin will be point guard Jack Duggan and forwards Kahleel Abdul-Jabber and Tosin Awjole.  The three will have to provide stability on the court as the Wolfpack will face some tough teams in #16 Westford and #21 Acton-Boxborough.  If the younger core of players can find consistency during league play look for Boston Latin to be right there when all is said and done.  They will open their regular season this Friday when they face Arlington at home.  Tip-off at 7 p.m.

New Mission Boys looking for a breakout year
by beantownhoops.com

Last season, the New Mission Boys finished with a 9-5 record in the tough Boston City South.  The record was good enough for a third place finish, but expectations are higher this year and the Titans want more.  Head Coach Cory McCarthy (2nd season) likes the look of this year’s squad.  “We have a group of great young men who do well in school and love the game of basketball. This year we are stronger, bigger, and the big guys have become faster. This year we hope to make the city tournament and make at run at the state championship. I strongly feel that if we enter the season mentally tougher than last year, we will be tough to beat,” said Coach McCarthy.

The Titans have an abundance of talent lead by the trio of 6′8″ Ousmane Drame, point guard Osmel Odena, and 6′4″ swingman Samir McDaniels.  Odena, who transferred from Florida, will be running the point and he displayed his quickness and defensive ability this Fall in the DOT House league.  Drame is still very raw, taking up basketball two years ago, but he has a soft touch from the inside and has shown range from the three-point line.  McDaniels is a legitimate college prospect and he will pose many problems for teams this season with his ability to post up and work from the perimeter.  “He is arguably the best player in the city with his ability to play every position,” added Coach McCarthy about McDaniels.

New Mission has the tools this season to make a serious playoff run, but Coach McCarthy knows that there is still room to improve.  “Last year we were very young and didn’t quite understand the ‘team first’ concept and really didn’t love rebounding. From talking to some of our guys, rebounding is the first thing that comes out of their mouths,” said Coach McCarthy.  In the DOT House playoffs, the Titans looked like they overcame the mental and rebounding deficiencies from last year when they defeated #3 Newton North in the semi-finals.  Playing in the Boston City South won’t be easy with the likes of O’Bryant, Brighton, and West Roxbury looming, but watch this team closely as they have all the ingredients for a great season.

West Roxbury Boys ready to compete with the Boston City elite
by beantownhoops.com

Coach Martin Somers (2nd season) has a simple motto for his players and program at West Roxbury.  “We will focus on commitment, discipline, hard work, sportsmanship, respect and teamwork,” said Coach Somers.  Last Saturday in the DOT House playoffs this was very evident against #21 New Mission. The Raiders showed plenty of promise in that game, playing hard, working on defense, but just not finding the scoring touch in the end.  The team hopes to change this during the regular season and more importantly improve on its 8-6 league record from last year. Coach Somers likes his teams chances to do just that and perform in the classroom as well, “We have many players returning (Juniors and Sophomores) who have been working hard in the classroom and on the court during the preseason. We will look to put pressure on teams and run. Our goals are to make the Boston City tournament and the state tournament. We will not have to worry about players failing academically as every player performs well inside the classroom.We want to be the team with the highest GPA.”

The Raiders will be led by a core of five non-seniors in Juniors Jason Hall, Roger Paul, Givaughn Jones and Sophomores Nelson Gonzalez and Sterling Brown.  The strength of their team will be their athleticism and defense, but they will need to find some consistent scoring from the perimeter to battle with the top teams in the conference.  But the key factor will be the team’s willingness to work and play as a team.  “This year’s team understands the importance of discipline and hard work. We have kids who work very hard to become better players. They also understand the “team” concept,” said Coach Somers.

West Roxbury will have to play at a high level each night in a strong Boston City league this season as Coach Somers sees New Mission, Boston English, and O’Bryant  as the teams to beat. If this team can create points off their defense and continue to improve and stay together, it could be a breakout year for the Raiders.  Hall, Paul, and Jones will have to show Senior leadership as Juniors and the Sophomores will have to play like seasoned veterans for the team to be successful.  Coach Somers is setting the building blocks for a successful program at West Roxbury and keeping the program a close knit group, which includes hiring one of his former players Joseph Chatman as an assistant.  One thing is for sure with this team, they will compete every game and they will be a tough out in the city in ‘09-’10.

Concord-Carlisle Boys ready to turn the corner
by beantownhoops.com

On paper, the Concord-Carlisle Boys look to be your average team in the DCL Small.  They finished last season with a .500 record in league and overall record of 6-12.  But with a core group of players returning and some much needed size added to the roster, the Patriots are a team to watch closely this year.  Coach David Cohen’s (3rd Season) ‘08-’09 squad struggled on the boards and relied on a faster tempo to counter their rebounding deficiencies.  “We return a solid group, but still have only a few seniors and a talented younger group. It gives us some experience and yet still be building for the future. Given that everyone is healthy and we will have some size that we clearly lacked last season,” added Coach Cohen.  The help inside still hasn’t slowed them down as C-C has some quickness on the perimeter which they have put on display this Fall in the Fidelity House League.

The Patriots are led by Junior scoring guard Brima Rogers.  The 5′10″ guard has tremendous instincts and can control the game on both ends of the court.  As he gains more experience with each game, he will be one of the players to watch in the DCL.  He is not alone as the Patriots have more quick guards to contend with in Senior Obie Bonsu and Junior Edwin Delva.  Add 6′3″ Senior Forward John Bumpus to the mix as the team’s anchor and C-C has a good chance to improve on their .500 record in league last year.  But the DCL Small will provide a stern test for the Patriots as all teams in the league (Arlington, Bedford, Tyngsboro, Wayland, and Weston) have strong players returning to challenge C-C all year.

Experience will be a key factor in determining the fate of Concord-Carlisle.  Players will be asked to step up their games immediately or else the early part in the season could be tough for the Patriots.  Rogers will have to bring it every night on both ends and show that he can be a player that the team can rely on down the stretch.  In addition, Seniors Bonsu and Bumpus will have to display a tremendous amount of leadership to help the younger group deal with the rigors of a varsity basketball season.  If these key players can meet this goals, look for Concrd-Carlisle to turn the corner and be a team that will make noise in the DCL Small this season.

Lynn English Girls ready to repeat as NEC champs
by beantownhoops.com

The Lynn English Lady Bulldogs had a very successful ‘08-’09 season.  They won the Northeastern Conference title with a perfect 16-0 record and finished the season with an impressive 20-4 overall mark.  To say expectations are high is putting it mildly as Coach Fred Hogan (4th season, 47-37 overall) believes this team has the tools for another great year.  “This will be one of our most athletic teams in five years. We have four very good guards and a solid forward and we return four starters from last year,” said Coach Hogan.  The one void that the team will have to make up for is the loss of leading scorer and rebounder Jeanette Anderson.  Anderson, who is currently playing at Div. II Caldwell College, averaged  16.2 ppg and 14.8 rpg and was a major force inside last season.  But the loss makes Lynn English quicker and more able to create more havoc defensively in the backcourt.  “We will be smaller than last season, not looking to the post as much, and we will be looking to run on every occasion,” added Coach Hogan.

The Lady Bulldogs will look to five upper classmen led by Senior Jenicia Duggins.  Duggins is a legitimate college prospect and is getting looks at the DI and DII level.  She led the team in assists and steals last season while averaging 14.1 ppg.  If teams are going to focus on stopping her, they will still have to contend with Senior Kayla Murkison and Junior Lashaunda Hogan who were the 3rd and 4th leading scorers on the team.  Juniors Miranda Hogan and Olivia Dupree will also be big contributors and will give the Lady Bulldogs five legitimate scoring options.

The league will be gunning for Lynn English this season and crosstown rival Lynn Classical will always be a tough match-up.  The loss of Jeanette Anderson will hurt and the team should not have a problem making up her scoring, but they have to make up for the rebounding she provided.  With many teams that are small and play fast the inside game and a slow tempo could be a factor, but don’t expect this group of experienced players and an experienced coach let that get in the way of them repeating as NEC champs and making a huge run at a state title.

New Mission Girls running and gunning for a championship
by beantownhoops.com

Last season the New Mission Girls had a record of 20-3 and were one game away from the Division 4 state tournament.  Going into the 2009-10 season, expect them to be right back near the top of their league and division and to be one of the teams that have a legitimate shot at a state championship.  Coach Greg Berry’s (2nd season) team returns an abundance of high caliber talent and he believes that they are better prepared than last year to win a title.  “Last year, we had some players that didn’t quite fit in with our philosophy of “fun and gun” and it really hurt our chemistry. This year we have young women who realize that they can be successful on any level of college basketball so there is more focus on elevating the general play or our team,” said Coach Berry.

The Titans arguably have one of the best guard tandems in the state with Seniors Niesha Kelly and Miesha Reynolds.  Kelly is a Division 1 talent and is being recruited heavily while Reynolds is the rock of the team providing toughness and leadership.  The newest addition to the team will be highly touted freshman Donaizha Fountain.  Coach Berry had this to say about her, “Donaizha Fountian is a 5’’ 10″ freshman guard/forward. She has been playing in the fall league and it appears that she is a big time talent, sky is the limit for her and she is a tremendous student. On any given day she can play every position on the court.”

Boston City League rival Fenway will provide stiff competition for New Mission this season along with a Burke team led by Kahdidja Ellison, but the Titans have all the tools necessary to be a dominant team in ‘09-’10.  As with any team, staying healthy will be a big factor in determining the team’s success.  But if Kelly, Reynolds and Fountain have the years they are capable of having and remain healthy, the New Mission Girls should be one of the elite teams in the state. “This year, we have the strongest New Mission team to date. We have outstanding new talent to go along with our strong backcourt of Kelley and  Reynolds. I expect people to really see a team that’s more committed to defense than previous years,” added Coach Berry.

Weymouth Boys sticking together through thick and thin

by beantownhoops.com

From 2006-2008, the Weymouth Boys team compiled a record of 31-15 and had playoff wins vs. Durfee in ‘07 and West Roxbury in ‘08.  That period of success took a dramatic turn last season when the Wildcats fell on hard times and went winless with an 0-20 record.  Coach Jim Dolan (7th season) had to make a difficult decision and the team was put on a rebuilding track.  “Last year was difficult as we had to get rid of kids before we ever played a game, we got way too young too quick, but our kids got experience and have worked really hard in the off-season,” said Cocah Dolan.  I know many coaches who would not have been able to make the decision that Coach Dolan made, but it was the right thing to do in order for the program to grow and it gave his younger players the chance to get some big time experience.  “Nobody, including the coaching staff wants to go through another year like last year.  In all honesty the kids never quit and we are all excited to get going on November 30th,” added Coach Dolan.

The Wildcats will be led by a pair of Senior Brian’s in BrianValovcin and Brian Hard.  Both will be asked to lead the team on and off the court and keep the team together after last season’s struggles.  “We have built an unreal team chemistry, something that came from the struggles we went through last year. Most of our guys played AAU together this past spring and they did a nice job through the Braintree summer league, and summer camps,” said Coach Dolan.  The Junior class at Weymouth will also be called on to contribute with scorer Patrick Deegan, point guard Derek Newcomb, and sharpshooter Jon Perez.  Deegan will have the most to live up to being the younger brother of former Weymouth star Tommy Deegan, now playing at Bates.  But the real boost to the program will be the arrival of incoming freshman guard Jarred Terrell who Coach Dolan considers “one of the better Freshmen in the area” and expects him to “make an immediate impact.”

Standing in the way of Weymouth is the always tough Bay State League which includes Yale bound Greg Kelly at Newton North and the atheltic PJ Douglas at Braintree.  In addition, the league includes Milton who are the defending Division II Champs.  It will be hard for the Wildcats to rebound playing in a stacked league, but I don’t expect them to repeat last year’s performance.  If Weymouth did not have experienced players returning it could have been a long ‘09-’10 season.  Let’s see if the team can get back to its old form from three seasons ago and put together a good year.  If team chemistry has anything to do with it, expect the Weymouth boys to battle every night and erase last year’s winless season.

Medford Boys moving in the right direction

by beantownhoops.com

It is a very difficult task for a coach to build a basketball program after it has had a tough season.  Coach Anthony Faradie (3rd Season) inherited a team that finished 1-19 after the 2006-07 campaign.  The Medford Boys didn’t find immediate success, but have steadily grown under Coach Faradie’s guidance and are ready to take the next step in the revitalization of the program.  Last year, the Mustangs finished 3-17, but the groundwork has been put in place for the team to improve their chances for the ‘09-’10 season.  “We are a team that is senior heavy. We have a combination of guys that have been with us since their sophomore years along with two transfers that came in it makes up a large senior class. We are very deep at the forward position with a combination of seniors, transfers, and underclassmen. Experience in the program, leadership, and hard work could make us turn the corner this year,” said Coach Faradie.

The team will be led by two-time Greater Boston League All-Star Andrew White.  The senior guard averaged 16 points last year and it will be essential to the team’s success that he continue his stellar play.  Senior and three year starter Tevin Moore and senior point guard Kadeem Smith should help ease the load for White while adding leadership for the younger players.  Depth for the team will be provided by senior transfer Mike O’Leary, athletic junior Ronnie Pitterson, and sophomore Larry Keating.  It is a hard transition for a program to have a winning season after a losing one but Coach Faradie is optimistic.  “Our confidence level has risen tremendously. We have had success in our summer and fall leagues and our guys believe that we can reach our goals of winning games. The system has now been implemented in all levels over the last two years and we have been able to establish our philosophy and culture of hard work coming into this off-season.”

The pieces are in place for the Medford Boys to turn the corner this year and with only five teams in the GBL every game will be huge.  As the year develops, it will be interesting to see their growth and if the team can sustain a level of success consistent in winning programs.  I have seen teams make this transition and the one underlying factor in their transformation was strong play and leadership from the senior class.  If Andrew White, Tevin Moore, and Kadeem Smith can provide this, the Medford Boys should end up on the winning end.

Watertown Boys looking to build on their winning tradition

by beantownhoops.com

In the past ten seasons, the Watertown High Red Raiders have compiled an impressive record of 195-42.  During that span, the program has won two state championships, four sectional titles, been to seven sectional finals, and has qualified for the post season every year.  The 2009-2010 team has a lot to live up to, but under the guidance of Coach Steve Harrington, 15th season, the Red Raiders should still be a premier team in the Middlesex League.

Leading the charge will be the duo of 6′0″ Junior Marco Coppola and 6′3″ Junior Connor Stockdale, but who will fill the other key roles will determine the team’s success this season. “We have a lot of experience to make up for. The quicker the players gain confidence and understand the level of competition the better we will compete. Consistency will be something we will be looking for from new players vying for spots,” said Coach Harrington.  It won’t be an easy road as the rest of the Middlesex League looks to knockout the defending Div. 3 state champs. “The Middlesex League is very strong again. Lexington (Dave Miller), Woburn (Randy Parker, Mikel Simpson, Nick Lund), Belmont (Andrew Musler) and Reading should all be solid for this season. Melrose (Andrew Scocca) will also be a tough team. Playing everyone twice makes this one of the most consistenly strong leagues in the state,” added Coach Harrington.

Expectations will be high and the Red Raiders will be a team that everyone on their schedule will be ready to play.  But if history is any indication, Watertown will be right in the mix again in league play and in the postseason.  Coach Harrington has established a strong program and has a proven track record of developing players, so look for good things again this season from Watertown High.

St. Mary’s Girls not surprising anyone this season

by beantownhoops.com

After finishing the 2007-08 season 9-13, St. Mary’s,Lynn rebounded nicely to post an 18-7 record last year and finish amongst the top teams of the CCL.  They will no longer be under the radar as the Spartans return an abundance of top talent and look to be a force in an already loaded league.  Coach Jeff Newhall, 5th season at St. Mary’s, likes the look of his team:  “We have a good mix of players, both new and returning. If things fall right we should be in the mix for the CCL and a major player in Division 3,” said Coach Newhall.

The Spartans are led by Junior, Division I prospect, Tori Faieta, a three-time CCL All-Star.  She was the team’s leading scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker last year and is receiving looks from the likes of Maine, Hartford, URI, and UMass.  Complementing Faieta is Senior guard Bria Tiro and Junior forward Cassi Amenta.  Tiro is and outstanding shooter and is also getting Division I and II looks while Amenta was the third leading scorer and second leading rebounder on the team.  Add sixth man  guard Kirsten Ferrari to the mix and the Spartans have a solid foundation going into the season.

Coach Newhall sees a tough challenge from the likes of Arlington Catholic, Bishop Fenwick, and three time Division 3 South Sectional champions Archbishop Williams.  But the Spartans have all the necessary tools to expand on their 18 wins last year and should be a contender in league and tourney play in 2009-10.

Mansfield Girls more than ready for the jump to Division 1

by beantownhoops.com

With five returning starters and a quality bench back from last year’s team, the Mansfield Hornets have the look of a strong contender in the Hockomock League.  Coach Mike Redding is entering his 12th season at Mansfield and likes his team’s depth and experience this year: “We return our top scorers, assist leaders and rebounders.  We should improve on our 13 win season and challenge for the league title,” said Coach Redding.

The Hornets will be led by their top scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker from last season, Jess Eason, along with a pair of experienced players in point guard Colleen Hooper and wing Briena Walker.  The big three will have to come and play every night if they are to unseat the defending league champions and a strong league in general: “Oliver Ames are the defending champs and have the league’s best player in Lauren Battista.  Overall, the league is outstanding and there is great competition every night,” added Coach Redding.

Another challenge awaits Mansfield during the Divisional tournament, where the Hornets move to Division 1 from Division 2.  But adding two Division 1 opponents to their regular season schedule in Brockton and Atteboro, should help ease the transition and make Mansfield a tough team to beat.  The experience that Mansfield has on the court and on the bench should contribute to a successful 2009-10 campaign.  As the season goes along, beantownhoops.com will be keeping a close eye on the Hornets.

Game reports

Twice as nice - Harvard beats BC for the second straight year
Lin and Wright carry Harvard in the second half
by beantownhoops.com  December 9, 2009

Senior Jeremy Lin’s 25 points and Sophomore big man Keith Wright’s 21 points (a career high) led Harvard to their second win in as many years against the Eagles.  BC had no answer for Lin and Wright as the two ran pick and roll after pick and roll in the second half to overcome a four point halftime deficit in the 74-67 win. 

"We were just trying to drag their bigs out and spread the floor and it worked out," said Lin about the success of his two-man game with Wright.

"Their bigs just didn’t hedge out very hard on the ball screen and Jeremy told me in the huddle if you roll I’ll find you and that’s what we did," added Wright.

BC was able to take control of the first half with a 14-0 run that gave them 24-15 lead until Lin’s three-pointer ended the run.  Lin would score with two seconds remaining to trim the Eagle lead going into the break.  While Lin and Wright were able to execute for Harvard down the stretch, the Eagles just couldn’t find an offensive rhythm and missed three key free-throws that would have cut in to the Harvard lead.

"They just executed better than us down the stretch and played harder than us," said BC head coach Al Skinner.

Jeremy Lin’s 25 points follows his 30 point effort from Sunday against #12 UConn.  He is averaging 18 ppg this season and is beginning to get noticed outside the Ivy League with his stellar play against two power conference opponents.

"I know I sound like a broken record but I like sounding like a broken record when talking about him.  He is one of the better players in the country and he’s proven it.  It’s not like I’m just saying it to say it.  He is a tremendous player and our playmaker," said Harvard head coach Tommy Amaker about his senior captain.

BC was led by Joe Trapani’s 21 points and Corey Raji’s 11 points and 11 rebounds.  Next for Harvard will be a date with #15 Georgtown while BC will host Rhode Island this Sunday.

Harvard rolls over Rice
Wright and Casey spark the Crimson in the non-league victory
by beantownhoops.com  December 2, 2009

A backdoor lob from Oliver McNally to Freshman Kyle Casey ignited a big first half run for Harvard in the Crimson’s easy 85-64 victory over visiting Rice.  Casey’s emphatic dunk gave Harvard a 6-3 lead early, but more importantly gave the Crimson a much needed boost after turning the ball over in their first two possessions.

"My role is to be a high energy guy, get on the glass, run the floor and do all the things to help us win.  I just tried to play my role tonight and it worked out well," said Casey. 

"We love that about Kyle, the energy he gave us off the bench gave us a shot in the arm and we expect it from him," added Harvard head coach Tommy Amaker. 

The Crimson would take a fourteen point lead going into the break 40-26 on the strength of a 9-2 run in the last two and a half minutes.  The second half belonged to Sophomore big man Keith Wright.  His twelve points on a variety of post moves, short jumpers, and dunks paced Harvard as they extended their lead to as many as twenty-four points in the final frame.

"Keith was very efficient tonight around the basket and we play much better when we can get the ball inside first and then to the outside," added Coach Amaker.

Harvard shot an astounding 60.8% from the field while holding Rice to 38.9%.  The win improves the Crimson record to 6-1 as they head into a tough stretch of three games starting with #13 UConn Sunday and followed by Boston College and Georgetown all on the road.

"We got an opportunity against some great teams and great programs and we’ll see if we can come up with a few things to help us compete," said Coach Amaker.

Harvard scoring: Miller 4, Wright 16, Webster 10, Lin 14, McNally 13, Curry 7, Van Nest 3, Giger, 2, Casey 6, Magnarelli 8, deMars 2

Rice scoring:  Braimoh 4, Ghoram 14, Stanton 13, Jackson 7, Frizzelle 7, Herndon 13, Beasley 1, Kuipers 5

Paladino carries #21 Arlington Catholic to victory
by beantownhoops.com 1/2/10

Arlington Catholic Senior forward Cara Paladino picked a good day to be at the top of her game. In a game in which both teams struggled offensively, it was Paladino that kept the scoreboard moving. Her 23 points and 7 rebounds led #21 Arlington Catholic in a 51-37 win over #23 ranked Needham.

The Top 25 game featured an intriguing match-up between Paladino and Needham center Christine Ganser, a Holy Cross recruit. Ganser was solid, but not spectacular, with 14 points and 8 rebounds, while Paladino had 14 points in the first half alone.

“She’s very strong (Ganser), but I thought Teresa (Busiek) did a great job on her defensively and I just wanted to play her tough when we were on offense,” said Paladino.

Both teams played with high intensity on defense to start the game as they had a combined 29 turnovers in the first half, most of them forced. As a result of the stellar defense, not much scoring by both teams and an AC lead of 19-14 at the break.

“It was a real muck and grind game in the first half. I thought we didn’t move the ball that well offensively, but we played real good defense,” said AC Head Coach Dave Brady.

Needham would keep the game close, but too many turnovers did them in. They had 34 for the game and during a decisive 13-0 run in the fourth quarter by AC, Needham coughed the ball up four times. The run came with five minutes left in the game and AC leading 36-33. Paladino would score 7 points during the run and Nicole Catizone added 4 points to break the game wide open. Needham would not score until 1:30 left in the game on a Ganser lay-up to make the score 49-35.

Ganser’s 14 points and Coleen Rizzo’s 9 points led Needham. Arlington Catholic improves to 4-1 while Needham falls to 4-3.

Notes:
The win gives Arlington Catholic some nice momentum heading into league play next week when they face a tough Bishop Fenwick team on Tuesday.

“Our league is a lot of fun. The brand of basketball changes with each team, so you have to get ready differently for each one. “I love playing in this league, it’s a challenge every day,” added Coach Brady about life in the Catholic Central.

Needham has lost three games all to ranked teams….One of the questions I had before the game was if Paladino could carry AC when Needham made a run. I think her 7 points in the 13-0 run answered that question….The AC gym may be one of the toughest gyms to play in for opposing teams: very compact, fans right on top of you, and playing against a team that likes to press.

Scoring:
Needham (NHS): M. Ganser 2, Mahoney 5, Rizzo 9, C. Ganser 14, Menchin 7
Arlington Catholic (AC): Busiek 4, Roberson 7, Roche 10, Catizone 7, Paladino 23

Scoring by quarters:
NHS: 8 6 12 9 = 37
AC: 10 9 11 21 = 51

Rebounds:
Needham: 34
Arlington Catholic: 20
Turnovers:
Needham: 34
Arlington Catholic: 19

3 pt. Shooting:
Needham: 0/4 .000
Arlington Catholic: 1/8 .125
Free-throws:
Needham: 9/14 .642
Arlington Catholic: 16/21 .761

Carbone and Doherty rally #5 St. John’s Prep to victory
by beantownhoops.com 12/28/09

Things were looking pretty bleak for #5 SJP in the third quarter of their first round game of the BABC Holiday Classic.  They were playing a feisty Wareham team from the Southcoast conference and after Wareham’s Jordan Rezendes hit a three and a Jules Tavares thundering dunk, St. John’s was down sixteen points.  Wareham was able to control SJP star Pat Connaughton all night and someone had to carry the load if they were going to come from behind.  Guards Michael Carbone and James Doherty obliged by combining for 23 points in the fourth quarter to help the Eagles avoid the upset and win 75-63.
SJP started the game on a 7-0 run, but Wareham wouldn’t back down and tied the game at 14 behind the shooting of Rezendes.  Wareham kept their momentum in the second quarter and took a seven point lead going into the break.  Wareham kept the pressure on in the third quarter as point guard Darren Gray was able to score on a variety of shots to extend the lead to eleven before Rezendes and Tavares capped off the 11-2 run with their three and dunk to lead 46-30.
With Connaughton being hounded by two and three defenders every time he touched the ball, Carbone and Doherty stepped up.  Doherty’s three with 5:45 left in the game cut the lead to two, 55-53.  He would later tie the game at 63 with another three while Carbone hit two himself in the quarter to make the comeback complete.  Both SJP guards hit all seven of their free-throws down the stretch to keep any chance of a Wareham victory at bay.
More impressive than the play of Carbone and Doherty was the Eagle defense which limited Wareham to only two field goals in the fourth quarter.
"We just dug in defensively and that was the only way we were going to win this game," said SJP Head Coach Sean Connolly.
The loss was a big blow for Wareham, a Division 3 team looking for some respect, as they let this one slip away.
"We shouldn’t have given up a sixteen point lead in the second half.  Our goal was to let someone other than Connaughton beat us and they did.  We just didn’t run our sets and play as well down the stretch," said Wareham Head Coach Kevin Brogioli.
Wareham was led by Rezendes’ 18 points and Tavares’ 13.  St. John’s Prep improves to 4-0 and Wareham goes to 2-1.

Notes:
Jules Tavares fouled out with 4:20 left in the game on his third offensive foul with Wareham leading 62-60.  They would only score one point for the rest of the game….SJP big man Mackenzie Burt had two key three-point plays in the third quarter that began their rally….The loss ends a 12 game regular season winning streak for Wareham….Wareham plays Brookline at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday.  Brookline lost their opening game to Everett 40-37…..SJP will play Everett at 6:00 p.m.

Scoring:
Wareham: Gray 10, Murphy 7, Pina 11, Tavares 13, Rezendes 18, Mendes 1, Gomes 2, Fernandez 1
St. John’s Prep (SJP):  Haladyna 10, Macomber 6, Connaughton 17, Doherty 16, Carbone 12, Sessoms 3, Burt 11

Scoring by quarters:
Wareham:   14   21  17   11 = 63
SJP:              14  14  16   31 = 75

Rebounds:
Wareham:  32
SJP:  31
Turnovers:
Wareham: 16
SJP: 17
3 pt. Shooting:
Wareham: 5/21 .238
SJP: 6/16 .375
Free-throws:
Wareham:  11/21  .523
SJP: 19/26 .730

#17 St. Mary’s dominates #25 Cambridge
by beantownhoops.com 12/23/09

#17 St. Mary’s put on an impressive offensive and defensive display Wednesday night in their non-league match-up versus #25 Cambridge.  The Lady Spartans jumped out to a 15-0 lead in the first quarter and didn’t look back in their 69-44 victory.  Defensively, they held Cambridge to seven points in the first and fourth quarters and limited Cambridge to 26% shooting for the game. 

"We were ready from the beginning to defend tonight.  We slacked a little bit in the second quarter, but we really picked up our intensity again in the 3rd quarter," said Senior guard Bria Tiro of their defensive effort.

On the offensive end, Cassi Amenta had 16, Tiro had 17, and center Tori Faieta had a game high 20 for St. Mary’s.  The Lady Spartans were able to get what they wanted most of the night and were able to wear down Cambridge as the lead ballooned to 27 points with two minutes left in the game.

"It all starts with Tori and she had a good game and we got the shots we wanted and were able to get to the line as well," said St. Mary’s Coach Jeff Newhall.

The win improves St. Mary’s record to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the Catholic Central.  More importantly, the program has made a complete turnaround under Coach Newhall and a once struggling team finds itself alone in first place and ranked in the polls in the Boston Area.

"I can’t even put into words what this means.  We’ve worked really hard for it.  Last year was a stepping stone and it just feels awesome right now," added Bria Tiro.

"We had won eight games total in the league the last four years and were able to win seven last season.  I think we’re up to the challenge, but a lot of this is still new to us," said Coach Newhall.

Cambridge was led by Deneesha Barrett’s 16 points and Kiara Gomes and Georgia Pingue’s 7 points a piece. 

Notes:
Cambridge star guard Dyamond Gardner did not play due to a knee injury but will be back in a couple of weeks…Cambridge coach Dana Ellcock added that the team is still not at 100%, but should be fully ready by the start of GBL league play….Give credit to Cambridge for playing strong opponents in their non-league schedule.  They will be a tough team once healthy and can only get better from this point forward….In the JV game Cambridge defeated St. Mary’s 54-44.

Scoring:
Campbridge:  Gomes 7, Vital 5, Pingue 7, Amanuel 2, Andres 2, Barrett 16, Kostopoulos 5, Best 0
St. Mary’s:   Anderson 0, Amenta 16, Ferrari 9, Stueve 3, Faieta 20, Carey 2, Tiro 17, Idusuyi 2

Scoring by quarters:
Cambridge:  7    15  15   7 = 44
St. Mary’s:   21  10  26  12= 69

Rebounds:
Cambridge:  32
St. Mary’s:  33
Turnovers:
Cambridge: 23
St. Mary’s: 17
3 pt. Shooting:
Cambridge: 5/19 .263
St. Mary’s: 3/8 .375
Free-throws:
Cambridge:  7/13  .538
St. Mary’s: 12/17 .705

Belmont’s big three shines in the second half
by beantownhoops.com 12/21/09

Nothing seemed to be going right for the Belmont Marauders in the first half of their game against #16 Woburn.  They gave up forty points, struggled from the field offensively, and star player Andrew Musler had only eight points and missed five free-throws.  The second half turned out to be a different story as Belmont erased an eleven point halftime defecit behind their big three of Musler, Luca Ladan and John Dillon to defeat Woburn 72-61.

Woburn is known around the Middlesex league for having their own three key players in Randy Parker, Mickel Simpson and Nick Lund.  However, Parker did not play, Lund fouled out, and Simpson was shut down in the second half after scoring 14 in the first.  Belmont countered with Musler’s 18 points, Ladan’s 16 points and sophomore Dillon’s game high 19.

Dillon was the key player for Belmont as he gave them a lift in the first half  with  7 points when they couldn’t make a basket and his three pointer with 5:41 in the 4th quarter gave Belmont the lead for good.

"My job coming off the bench is to give a team a spark and get them going.  I went down low a lot in the first half and I hit that three which was pretty big, but I don’t do that alot," said a modest Dillon on his contribution for the game.

The win improves Belmont’s record to 3-0 in the league and drops a talented Woburn team to 1-2.

"It feels great to win this game.  I love playing with these guys, a lot of passion and a lot of fun," said Dillon.

Woburn was lead by Bill Claflin’s 22 points and Mickel Simpson’s 17.  Woburn hosts Melrose Wednesday and Belmont visits Wakefield.

Notes: The game was played without a 30 second clock after it malfunctioned in the girls game…..Looking over each possession in the game, it doesn’t seem that the clock would not have come into play….The turning point in the game was Woburn big man Nick Lund fouling out at the 7 min. mark in the 4th quarter.  Woburn had the lead at that point and relinquished it on the next play….The Woburn Girls beat Belmont 45-31 in the opening game.

Scoring
Woburn: Daughtrey 10, Mari 2, Lacosta 2, Simpson 17, Claflin 22, Lund 8
Belmont:  Wynott 4, Papas 2, Cortina 12, Musler 18, Ladan 16, Dillon 19 Stratford 1

Scoring by quarters:
Woburn:  22  18  11  10 = 61
Belmont: 14  15  19  24 = 72

Rebounds:
Woburn:  25
Belmont:  30
Turnovers:
Woburn:  19
Belmont:  6
3 pt. Shooting:
Woburn:  2/9 .222
Belmont:  4/15 .266
Free-throws:
Woburn:  9/16 .562
Belmont:  17/31 .548

Central Catholic shuts down Lowell
by beantownhoops.com 12/18/09

#1 Central Catholic played three quarters of dominating defense, where they gave up just sixteen points, en route to a big victory over MVC rival Lowell, 61-33.  The game was shaping up to be a back and forth affair in the first quarter when Central took a five point lead 10-5 and Lowell responded with a 9-1 run capped by Kaitlyn Bryan’s three pointer to take a 14-11 lead.  The quarter ended with Lowell up 17-15 and that’s when Central turned up it’s defensive pressure.  Lowell would only score six points in the quarter, but CC Head Coach Sue Downer still wasn’t pleased with the effort.

"We were out hustled and out toughened and mentally not in the right place and we had a pretty hardcore halftime talk about that," said Coach Downer.

The motivation worked as Central’s defense forced Lowell into seven turnovers and at one point Central had five consecutive fast break lay-ups four by Brianna Martin and one by Courtney Williams to cap off a 22-3 run that put the game away.  Central stars Katie Zenevitch and Gabie Polce were steady as Zenevitch had 11 points and 10 rebounds and Polce had 12 points and a couple of steals, but it was an overall team effort in that quarter that finished off Lowell.

"We just wanted to do a better job of contesting shots and containing their drives in the second half.  We are an extremely athletic group and it was pretty evident in the third quarter," added Coach Downer.

Lowell was led by Junior Tess Cigliano’s 10 points and Sophomore Bridgett Ravagli’s 8 points.  Next up for #1 Central will be Tewksbury on Sunday and Lowell will face Dracut on Monday.

Notes: Lowell had five three’s in the first half and none in the second….The only sore spot for Central was their free-throw shooting where they were 7 of 19….Lowell Soph Bridgett Ravagli had a solid first half and showed some impressive moves for an underclassmen…..In the JV game Central defeated Lowell 40-31

Scoring
Lowell:  Ravagli 8, McQuaid 2, C. Luis 3, T. Luis 3, Desmond 4, Cigliano 10, Bryan 3
Central Catholic:  Williams 8, Borrelli 7, Miller 7, Polce 12, Brillaud 6, Martin 8, McLaughlin 2, Zenevitch 11

Scoring by quarters:
Lowell:                     17    6   6    4    = 33
Central Catholic:     15   12  24  10 = 61

Rebounds:
Lowell - 29, Central Catholic - 43
Turnovers:
Lowell - 19, Central Catholic - 13
3 pt. Shooting:
Lowell - 5/21 .238, Central Catholic - 4/12 .333
Free-throws:
Lowell - 2/8 .400, Central Catholic - 7/19 .368
Boys Game of the Week:  Melrose at Watertown
Coppola and Stockdale too much for Melrose
by beantownhoops.com 12/15/09

Marco Coppola scored 29 points and Connor Stockdale had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds to lead Watertown over Melrose, 52-40.  Coppola was able to get to the basket all night on a variety of drives and hit a couple of threes for good measure, while Stockdale was solid on the interior and added three blocks to his stat line. 

"We graduated a lot last year and now I have to step up and carry the load a lot more this season.  We know that every game in our league is going to be a dogfight and that people will be gunning for us.  We’ll have to get Connor even more involved because he is one of the best bigs in our league and one of our top scorers," said Coppola.

The two stars for Watertown did not have to contend with Melrose big man Andy Scocca.  Scocca was on crutches after injuring his leg in practice and he will be out awhile according to Melrose coach Mike Kasprzak.  The void in the middle left Melrose with little size down low and it forced them to play a more spread out offense.  Yet they scrapped and clawed all night and were able to outrebound Watertown 24 to 19.

"I tip my hat to Watertown they’re one of the best teams in the state and they are very well coached.  We’re not at their level yet, but we’ll continue to work and we have confidence that we will be able to compete with them next time we play," said Coach Kasprzak.

Watertown had a seven point lead at the half 25-18 and Melrose was able to get the lead down to four with three minutes left in the third.  They would get no closer as Watertown answered with a 16-6 run which would put the game away for good.

"We have a lot of guys who are getting major minutes for the first time, so it’s important that we get them some confidence and off to a good start with a win.  We did some good things and there are some things that we need to work on, so we’ll see where we are, we’re just glad to be 1-0 right now,"said Watertown Coach Steve Harrington.

Melrose was led by Jim Fluellen’s 15 points and Ryan Sherlock’s 8 points.

Notes: The game was originally scheduled to be played at Melrose, but a problem with their 30 second clock forced the game to be moved to Watertown…..Rumors before the game was that Scocca might be out for an extended amount of time, but he will return soon for Melrose…..Melrose falls to 0-2 and 0-1 in league.

Scoring
Melrose:  Sherlock 4, Fluellen 15, Sinto 4, Runge 1, Jones 2, Larsson 6, Sherlock 8
Watertown:  Barba 3, Romanelli 2, Coppola 29, Bagdasarian 5, Donahue 3, Stockdale 10

Scoring by quarters:
Melrose:          10    8   14    8 = 40
Watertown:     15   10  14  13 = 52

Rebounds:
Melrose - 24, Watertown - 19
Turnovers:
Melrose - 19, Watertown - 15
3 pt. Shooting:
Melrose - 0/7 .000, Watertown - 5/22 .227
Free-throws:
Melrose - 4/10 .400, Watertown - 7/12 .583

#3 Newton North impressive in thirty-point blowout of Framingham
by beantownhoops.com 12/11/09
Yale-bound Greg Kelley had 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks for Newton North in an easy 71-41 win against Framingham.  The Tigers were just too much inside for the undersized Flyers and outrebounded them 35 to 20 for the game.  Framingham hung in there early down three points at the end of the first quarter.  But that was the closest they would get for the rest of the contest as Newton North held them to seven points for the quarter while also committing no turnovers to take a 34 - 18 lead going into the intermission.
In the second half, Junior Tevin Falzon and Sophomore guard Michael Thorpe helped stretch the lead with their inside/outside play.  Falzon finished with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks while Thorpe shook off a slow start to finish with 16 points, most of them coming in the third quarter.
It was the league and season opener for both teams and Newton North Coach Paul Connolly knows there is still a long way to go in the season.
"For us to come in here, on the road, against a well-coached team, and win, I’ll take it. We have to get better defensively and it’s my job to make sure we get there, but I’m very excited and pleased with our guys tonight," said Coach Connolly.
Framingham was led by Senior guard Nomso Emetarom and Junior guard Sam Searcy who both scored thirteen points. 
Notes:  Senior Kourtney Wornum-Parker of Newton North gave the Tigers solid minutes off the bench with his defense and energy….Newton North started two sophomores in Luke Westman and Michael Thorpe…..The Newton North student section gets my early vote for best student section of the year…..In the JV game, Newton North won 46 to 29.
Scoring
Newton North:  Donegan 2, Westman 2, Cohen 5, Thorpe 16, Wornum-Parker 7, Stanton 2, Tucker 2, Kelley 22, Falzon 13
Framingham:  Emetarom 13, Jones 3, Sedewitz 3, Druker 5, Riley 1, Hulme 2, Searcy 13, Downey 1
Scoring by quarters:
Newton North:  14  20  22  15 = 71
Framingham:     11    7   13  10 = 41
Rebounds:
Newton North - 35, Framingham - 20
Turnovers:
Newton North - 11, Framingham - 26
3 pt. Shooting:
Newton North - 5/16 .312, Framingham - 4/11 .363
Free-throws:
Newton North - 11/16 .687, Framingham - 11/17 .647

Note: the leagues previewed had significant input from coaches and people who follow high school basketball closely.  If a league is not shown, there was not enough input for each team in a conference to make an accurate preview.

Girls Merrimack Valley Conference (Large)

Outlook: Central Catholic is the best team in the conference and the state, but Andover and Lowell are not far behind.  Methuen will be a tough team to beat as well.

Keep and eye on: Katie Zenevitch of Central Catholic, Natalie Gomez-Martinez and Nicole Boudreau of Andover, Rashidat Agboola of Methuen

Predicted finish: Central Catholic, Andover, Lowell, Methuen, Billerica

Girls Merrimack Valley Conference (Small)
Outlook:  A down year overall on this side of the conference.  Look for Tewskbury to be the early favorite, but it will be a wide open race for the top spot

Keep and eye on: Yulissa Nunez of Lawrence, Moriah Nutter of Haverhill
Predicted finish:  Tewksbury, Chelmsford, Lawrence, Haverhill, Dracut, Notre Dame

Boys Catholic Central (Large)

Outlook: The Large division looks to be a wide open race with Cathedral being the early favorite.  Look for Cardinal Spellman and Fenwick to be right there as well.

Keep and eye on: Peter Mattera of Arlington Catholic can score in bunches

Predicted finish:  Cathedral, Cardinal Spellman, Fenwick, St. Mary’s, North Cambridge, Arlington Catholic, Archbishop Williams, Austin Prep

Boys Bay State (Carey Division)

Outlook: Newton North is the favorite with  Needham, Braintree, and a solid Brookline team not far behind.  Lots of talent will be on display this season in this side of the conference.

Keep and eye on:  Newton North’s Greg Kelley and Tevin Falzon, P.J. Douglas of Braintree, Brookline’s Drew Levey, Weymouth freshman Jarred Terrell

Predicted finish: Newton North, Needham, Braintree, Brookline, Framingham, Weymouth
Boys Bay State (Herget Division)

Outlook: Milton are the defending D2 champs and look to continue their dominance on this side of the Bay State, Natick and Wellesley have improved.

Keep and eye on:  Manny Hutcherson of Milton, Scott McCummings of Natick, Wellesley’s Evan Kulak

Predicted finish:  Milton, Walpole, Natick, Wellesley, Norwood, Dedham

Boys Northeastern Conference (North Division)

Outlook: Lynn English is hands down the best in the division and the conference. Lynn Classical will challenge, but everyone is playing for second in this half of the NEC.

Keep and eye on:  Lynn English’s Ryan Woumn and Jarell Byrd, Lynn Classical’s Jasper Grassa, Mike Clayton of Beverly

Predicted finish: Lynn English, Lynn Classical, Salem, Beverly, Peabody, Revere

Boys Northeastern Conference (South Division)

Outlook: The South will not be as strong as the North this year.  Winthrop returns their core group of players and are the favorite to win this division.

Keep and eye on:  Dino Mallios of Winthrop

Predicted finish: Winthrop, Marblehead, Gloucester, Danvers, Swampscott, Saugus

Boys Dual County League (Small)

Outlook: Arlington returns a lot from last season, Wayland and Bedford are very talented.

Keep and eye on:  Weston’s Alex Levine, Bedford’s Mike Ingram-Rubin, Brima Rogers of Concord-Carlisle

Predicted finish: Bedford, Arlington, Wayland, Concord-Carlisle, Weston, Tyngsboro

Boys Hockomock League

Outlook: Frankiln and Stoughton are the class of the league and will be dueling all year for the title.  They will play twice this season, Jan. 5th at Franklin and Feb. 2nd at Stoughton.

Keep and eye on:  Kris Joyce of Stoughton, Franklin’s Matt Palazini and Matt Dean

Predicted finish: Franklin, Stoughton, Mansfield, North Attleboro, Oliver Ames, Foxboro, Canton, Sharon, King Philip

Boys Dual County League (Large)

Outlook: Westford looks to repeat, but they are going to face stiff competition from Acton-Boxborough and Boston Latin.  Waltham will be better than their 0-9 record last year.

Keep and eye on:  A-B’s Sam Longwell, Waltham’s AJ Prince, TJ Jann of Westford

Predicted finish: Westford, Acton-Boxborough, Boston Latin, Newton South, Waltham, Lincoln-Sudbury

Boys Boston City North and South
Outlook: The conference is loaded in both divisions with  Madison Park, East Boston, and a strong Charlestown team in the North and  New Mission, O’Bryant, and West Roxbury in the South.  It will be an exciting year for the conference.
Keep an eye on: Samir McDaniels of New Mission, Marco Banegas of O’Bryant, Jeff Amazon of East Boston
Predicted finish:  (North)  Madison Park, East Boston, Charlestown, Fenway, Latin Academy, Snowden, South Boston
(South) New Mission, O’Bryant, West Roxbury, Boston English, Brighton, Dorchester, Burke, Hyde Park

Boys Catholic Conference
Outlook:  St. John’s Prep had a solid Fall, but Catholic Memorial will challenge them all season for the league title
Keep an eye on: Pat Connaughton of St. John’s Prep, new coaching regime at Xaverian, Dan Brooks of Catholic Memorial
Predicted finish:  St. John’s Prep, Catholic Memorial, BC High,  Malden Catholic, Xaverian
Boys Merrimack Valley (Large)
Outlook:  Central Catholic is the class of this division, but Andover and Lowell are strong and could overtake CC at the end
Keep an eye on:  Wake Forest signee Carson Desrosiers of Central, the speed and athleticism of Lawrence, interim coach at Lowell
Predicted finish:  Central Catholic, Andover, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill
Boys Greater Boston League
Outlook:  Cambridge will win the league with their depth and athleticism, it will be a three way battle for second with Everett, Somerville, and Medford
Keep an eye on:  Nerlins Noel of Everett, Andrew White of Medford, Franklin Salvador of Somerville
Predictied Finish:  Cambridge, Everett, Somerville, Medford, Malden
Boys Middlesex League
Outlook:  - Lexington is the early favorite, but they will have to fight off Woburn to repeat as league champs.
Keep an eye on:  Woburn’s big three Randy Parker, Mikel Simpson, and Nick Lund, Belmont’s Andrew Musler, Melrose big man Andrew Scocca, the size and length of Lexington
Predicted Finish:  Lexington, Woburn, Watertown, Belmont, Reading, Melrose, Burlington, Wakefield, Stoneham, Winchester