Chairmen of the boards
From the Wicked Local Walpole website:
The Walpole High boys’ basketball team is returning with so much talent down low that it should feature one of the top frontcourts in Div. 2 this year and will be a force on the boards.
The flip side to that is that if a team is going to concentrate inside, especially on the offensive glass, and wants to bang with the big boys, then it ought to be able to score consistently at the line.
That was Walpole’s downfall last winter, especially in the fateful first-round loss to Dorchester in which there was a literal parade of Rebels going to the line, only to come away figuratively rained on.
That was one of the reasons why Coach Dave St. Martin requisitioned Walpole’s newest secret weapon: a contraption not unlike those at carnivals that collects rebounds for practicing shooters and keeps them in their rhythm.
If it helps, and the Rebels are also able to replace their all-star starting backcourt of Joe Cabral and Dale Johnson, then they should not only be in the state tourney once more, but also be contending with Milton for the Bay State Herget title.
If things fall together right and everyone stays healthy, plus the Super Bowl participants get their basketball legs back as soon as possible, then they could also have a shot at the sectional title.
The team’s main strength, as last year, is inside. Not only is there a talented seasoned veteran at every forward position, but there is also a back-up ready to come in without the team missing a beat.
The Rebels can run a power frontcourt about 6-foot-5 across the board against monster teams, or can go small and quick, or with a combination of the two. Players will get frequent breathers, forcing seven-man rotations to catch up, and will be able to give away fouls inside without worrying about players fouling out.
Starting at center for the second year will be 6-foot-5 senior Captain Derek Hand, who is even broader and stronger than he was last year. Hand was an almost certain double figures on the boards, and the second half of the season started gaining confidence in his shooting touch. With the offense balancing out more toward the paint, he will get more looks than last winter.
Hand will be backed up by 6-foot-4-inch senior Rory Quinlan, an excellent low-post scorer who was a stud for two years on the jayvees while waiting his turn. He’s listed as a back-up, but don’t be surprised to see him more in a rotation that could have him alongside Hand.
“We’ll put those two guys together against big teams, and we can be pretty successful inside,” says Coach St. Martin.
Back at power forward is senior Captain Chris Cameron, just off an outstanding year at wide receiver. Cameron at 6-foot-3 led the squad in rebounds last year, and does a great job of crashing the lane on offense as well. He is also surprisingly quick on defense, filling the lane nicely when the opposition is trying to score.
The scariest part of the frontcourt is how improved 6-foot-4 Ryan Terp is after a great summer. Terp could become the Rebels’ version of Larry Bird – or more in Walpole terms Matt Wolff – with his corner treys and passing eye, plus better than average ball handling for a big man.
The third very athletic big man back is 6-foot-3-inch Mike Gallivan, fresh off an outstanding soccer season. Gallivan has an even better three-point range than Terp and could step right into the same role, as well as filling many others.
A big boon – literally – to the frontcourt is 6-foot-5 lacrosse goalie Brian Merrigan, who went out for the hoop squad in his senior year and made it easily despite the competition. He will compete for minutes, however, with 6-foot-4 Ryan McGuill, up from the jayvees, and Jerry Meneide, a 6-foot-2 quick forward who transferred to Walpole from Southeastern Regional Vocational. Talk about the rich getting richer.
“We actually benefited from the kids on the football team getting off to a late start and not being there the first week,” admits St Martin of the Super Bowl victory. “We’ve had a chance to see what these other guys can do and Merrigan has been great, McGuill has played great in the preseason games, and Jerry has shown he can play both guard and forward.”
There’s no secret the question mark in Walpole is the backcourt after Cabral went off to play for dad Rico at Mt. Ida College. He and Johnson were a huge part of the offense, drilling timely shots throughout the year. Cabral was the squad’s leading scorer and Johnson the leading assist man.
The reins are now turned over to junior point guard Ryan Izzo, the first guard off the bench last year, Joe Rogers and senior Captain Chris Ferro from a large cast that includes Marven Toussaint, Matt Flanagan, Anthony Conway and Pat Falvey.
The most intriguing of the two-guards is 6-foot-1 senior Toussaint, who did his best impression of Michael Jordan in the double-overtime loss to Dorchester Education Complex in last year’s tourney. A near quintuple double by Toussaint included 15 points, 15 boards, seven steals, seven assists and seven blocks, and there is more where that came from.
Fortunately there is also a solid three-point range from both him and Flanagan, who had a late call-up from the jayvees last winter and responded by burying treys.
If opponents pressure the ball, and they surely will with the graduation losses, then a combination of guys who can hit from long range and a lot of receptive and able hands down low could offset the strategy.
Both Izzo and Ferro have a lot of experience now, and should respond well to increased roles. Izzo, the top defensive backcourt player, won’t even have to worry about scoring with all the weapons around him. Neither will Rodgers, the 6-foot point guard who will start, possibly alongside Toussaint.
Conway, a junior, could be intriguing as he brings what many players on defense hate – a left-handed shot.
“He was on jayvees last year, but I think that people will know him by the end of the year,” says St. Martin of Conway.
People will also know the Walpole Rebels by the end of the year, especially the frontcourt. This team is too good not to make a name for itself.
Read “Chairmen of the boards” on the Wicked Local Walpole website
Comments are closed.
