The Metrowest tournaments have come to an end and with it another season for Holliston Youth Basketball.  Queue up ‘one shining moment’ and your inner Jim Nantz as the Panthers had some amazing moments in this year’s playoffs.  The playoff run was led by our youngest athletes with all 4th grade teams making their respective final fours including a place in the championship game for our 4^th grade boys (‘red’) team.  Placentino will be hanging the banners shortly.  As Dick Vitale would say they were diaper dandies as we get another 4 years to watch them go after that championship.  The youngsters really showcased their talents with 4^th graders Winnie McHugh and George Taylor dropping 12 points each.  5th grader, Gwen Rosen, ripped an amazing 19 rebounds and 4th grader Jesiah Varghese had 11 rebounds.  Great job athletes.

We would be remiss if we didn’t close out the season with a shout out to our Holliston Youth Basketball President, Jason Cooper.  He’s cringing reading this, but a huge debt of gratitude goes to Jason for his dedication to the basketball program in Holliston over this past year.  From Basketball Madness to revamping the 3^rd/4^th grade girls’ program to assisting the town in helping to offer a Youth Unified Basketball option (with kudos to Mark Frank, Holliston Recreation Director…Thank you Mark as well!) to just name a few – Jason has gone above and beyond.  Thank you, Jason!

Lastly, thank you so much to Doreen Martel and the Holliston Reporter for publishing our weekly summaries.  It is very much appreciated.  Also, thank you to our fantastic Holliston Youth Basketball sports reporting department for all their great recaps over the season.   

Let’s go Panthers!

4^th Grade Girls (Red) 

The 4th Grade Girls (Team King) had an awesome weekend, winning two playoff games! Their first match-up was against Arlington.  Holliston came out on top with a 22-12 team victory with an outstanding offensive performance by Winnie McHugh with 12 points!  Josie Brower, Millie Guellnitz, Brooke McGrath, and Maggie Mulik also played great defensive games!  The team moved on to play Waltham on Sunday in a tight battle.  Holliston won the game 15-14 as Lennon King hti the go-ahead free throw with just 30 seconds left to play.  It was another solid defensive performance for the Panthers with Millie Guellnitz, Winnie McHugh, Josie Brower, and Bella DiPippo each grabbing multiple rebounds.   Izzy Bartels, Brooke McGrath, and Maggie Mulik also played hard-nosed defense and tied up a bunch of loose balls.  The girls will advanced to the Final Four this past weekend in Foxborough!  

The Holliston Girls 4th Graders (Team King) ended their season against a tough Dedham team in the tournament semi-finals.  Eventually winning the championship, Dedham proved to be tough competition for the Holliston girls who never backed down.  It was a physical battle that took place in the form of diving on the floor for loose balls, rebounding, and tough defense.  While Holliston’s shots didn’t fall on Saturday, their tenacity and toughness were overtly evident.  The girls have so much to be proud of this season. Their success will not be measured by wins and losses but rather by their significant growth as basketball players and as a team throughout the course of the last 4+ months.  Beyond any skill development, the coaches are most proud of this group for their impressive work ethic, consistent effort, sportsmanship, positive attitudes, and willingness to lift one another up at all times.  Huge shoutout goes out to all of the players for an awesome season filled with fun and to their parents for unwavering support from start to finish.  Congratulations to Josie Brower, Izzy Bartels, Maggie Mulik, Bella DiPippo, Millie Guellnitz, Lennon King, Winnie McHugh, Sonia Szabatura, and Brooke McGrath!  And a big thanks goes out to the Assistant Coach of the Year for the 4th Grade Girls Team who practiced on Court 2, Crystal Bartels! Can’t wait to see everyone back on the court next season!

4^th Grade Girls (White)

Recap for 4G-Holliston (Wing)-D4B:

The Holliston 4th Grade Girl’s experienced two amazing playoff games.  The team’s first playoff game vs. Bellingham was an exciting win for the girls as they walked away proudly winning 17 to 4.  Each and every player put in 100% the entire game and played some good solid basketball. 

The team’s second playoff game vs. Sharon was another feel-good win, 21 to 12.  Again, everyone played strong and hard both offensively and defensively. It was a fun and exciting game to watch and really helped boost the girls’ confidence. 

After two great wins, the team faced Seekonk this past Sunday in the semi-finals and unfortunately, did not move on with another win. The girls played a great 1st half, but lost steam in the 2nd half of the game. Seekonk really took advantage of our team’s fatigue and stepped up their game, allowing them to outscore us in the second half.  Holliston lost 16 to 25 and was upset with the final outcome but should still be proud of how far they came in the playoffs. 

Even though these 4th grade girls struggled to win many games during their season, their hard work and dedication to the game of basketball came through strong in these playoff games, allowing them to make it all the way to the championship bracket. 

I hope everyone continues to have fun with basketball in the of season and look forward to seeing these wonderful girls next year for another awesome season of basketball! Thank you to all of the 4th grade girls’ parents, friends and family that came to support and cheer on our girls at all of their games. Your enthusiasm and dedication are much appreciated.

5^th Grade Girls (Red)

Holliston 19, Newton 21.

The magic of playoffs served up a tough loss for Holliston – ahead and then suddenly behind; the time on the clock was not in our favor. After a tremendous season and effort by this team the last 34 seconds of the year were played out.  Charley Marcuard’s first quarter points helped contribute to the team’s high energy – showing off our well executed plays and rebounding skills. The first half held a big opportunity for Holliston, Lauren de Vlaam had a fantastic game with rebounding and her first steal of the season. Gwen Rosen scored over 4 buckets and a foul shot in the first half for a total of 9 points, helping secure a decent lead. Ruby Smith helped Rosen with a backdoor bucket, smooth offensive skills were showing, and the kids knew it. The second half started with Kendall Hanlon stealing a key pass off of a Newton player to start up a power battle. Aarya Sharma and Sam Baweja continued to show promising defensive skills and rebounding, passing off to Rosen, Hanlon, and Ellie Brown for a breakaway offensive dance. Rosen had a terrific game – the rebounder of the game they had over 19 rebounds, 4 steals, and 9 points. Ellie Brown continues to churn out keen eye contact with her teammates and smooth passing.  Item of note, one of the missing voices and key players Becca Lindros was on the DL after playing hardball with a shark in the Gulf of Mexico, she was on the bench providing motivation to her team. This team had a year of tremendous growth and will continue to lead Holliston’s Basketball program, just wait to see what the 2024-2025 season brings. 

5^th Grade Girls (White)

The Holliston 5^th Grade Girls White team finished the season with a hard-fought playoff loss to Milton, 25-15.  In the Monday morning press conference, the players kept their remarks focused on the team’s Assistant Coach, Thea Sochanek.  Coach Sochanek spent countless hours in and out of the gym coaching the kids, organizing team activities, and in her spare time, volunteering as HYBA’s Uniform and Spirt Wear Coordinator.   The players and parents are grateful for Thea’s dedication to these kids.  The team saw incredible growth this season and the head coach was extremely proud of every one of them.  Long live the 2023-2024 5^th Grade Girls Holliston White Team:  Ailla Howden, Emma Sochanek, Bridget McAuley, Ryckie Reichheld, Brooke Sawicki, Emma Whitehead, Brianna Cooper, Cora Mcgillicuddy, Molly Starr, and Mary Toohey.

6^th Grade Girls (Red)

The Holliston 6^th grade girls (red) team traveled to Ashland to take on TVL rival, Westwood, in the 1^st round of the playoffs.  The tournament directors couldn’t have pitched two more evenly matched teams for the opening round battle.  The lead kept passing back and forth throughout the game.  The girls fought hard but ultimately lost the contest 26-23.  A late run by Westwood helped to seal the victory, but these Panthers have a long memory and will be sure to come back strong next season.  The team was led by Danika Do Rosario who scored 12 points to go along with 2 steals.  Ella Bennet had a great game with 7 points and 2 rebounds.  Addy McAdams led the team in rebounding with 5 and added 2 points.  Audrey Mancuso was strong again with 2 points and 2 rebounds.  Despite the loss the coaches could not be prouder of the entire team.  The aforementioned players as well as Mia Malvey, Avery Palma, Aahana Kulkarni, Gwen Miranda, Louisa Bigelow and Jackie Schiavoni were amazing teammates, and we cannot wait for next season to begin – which is called the summer so don’t make plans.   

Huge thanks go out to Katie Malvey and Jacque Miranda for all their help coaching the girls over this season as well as Steve Bigelow scorebook and scoreboard extraordinaire.  This season doesn’t happen without your dedication and expertise.  Also, thanks to the parents (and grandparents) who filled the stands each week. Your enthusiasm and support for the team was amazing!

6^th Grade Girls (White) 

Playoff Game 1 (3/3) – (W: 17-15) 

Holliston travelled to Bedford to take on Winchester for their first playoff game. The play was fast and basket for basket. At the half, Holliston was down by 2. Holliston came in with fire during the second half, and with 1 minute to play, the score was tied at 15. Holliston went up by 2 points with little time left, and for the last 30 seconds kept Winchester from scoring. The team cheered, congratulating one another over a phenomenal victory over a team seeded above them. All players contributed to the win. Points came from Domenica Bellamy (2), Kennedy Black (4), Sophya Teixiera (5), and a game-high from Lindsay Haynes (6) and game-high rebounds (4). Elle Lessard was on her game with defense, contributing steals and turnovers. Many players contributed to solid defense down to the wire – Mila Szabatura, Chloe Roche, and Selah Tetrault.  Lindsey Walsh was on her game with offense, driving the ball with control and looking for completion of strong passes. It was a true team win. 

Playoff Game 2 (3/8) – (L: 12-32) 

After the win against Winchester, Holliston travelled to Mansfield to take on #1 seed, Bedford. The opponent came out strong, fast, and with eyes on a quick win. The first half went Bedford’s way, with the score 4-22 at the half. The second half was a different story. Holliston gained 8 points and held Bedford to 10. Although Bedford won, Holliston stayed in the game until the end, with points coming from Kennedy Black (1) with 4 boards, Domenica Bellamy (2) with four boards, Sophya Teixiera (6), and Lindsey Walsh (2 – her first basket of the season and a phenomenal one at that!). With a knee injury, Mila Szabatura cheered on her teammates from the side. Elle Lessard was reliable with her game high steals, while Lindsay Haynes and Selah Tetrault converted multiple Bedford possessions to jump balls. Chloe Roche played solidly all around with a very strong passing game and excellent game sense. What a season it was for this team, and what fun it was to have the opportunity to coach them all. See you all in the fall!

7^th Grade Girls (Red)

The seventh-grade girls, team red, drew a tough seed in the Metrowest playoffs, landing a #9 seed requiring a play in game.  The girls traveled to the Dana Barros Center Friday night for a matchup against a Natick team that had a very successful season.   The girls stepped up to the challenge by coming out strong, securing an 8-2 lead after the first quarter.  Team defense was the focus throughout the game as it aligns most with the character of the team.  Holding Natick to 10 points in the game, Holliston secured the win, 32-10.  The defense was supported equally by all 10 players.  Natick didn’t have an answer for Holliston’s full court press and their aggressive traps were what secured the game.  Offensively, Mackenzie McDonald scored 12 points and Emerson Harrington scored 10.  Chelsea Dufault led the team with 8 rebounds and Riya Yedugani and Mackenzie McDonald had 7 each.

The team’s ability to celebrate was short lived as they traveled back to the Dana Barros Center the following night.  Saturday’s game was against the #1 seed, Ashland.  The girls gave it their all leaving it all on the court, but they just didn’t have the size needed to matchup against Ashland’s post player.  They had some success with the full court press in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the first half deficit, resulting in a 33-21 win for Ashland.  Although it would have been fun for the girls to continue on in the playoffs, their learning curve has been tremendous this year and they should be congratulated for their hard work, teamwork and sportsmanship.  Job well done Brooklyn Lessard, Caroline Coughlin, Chelsea Dufault, Emerson Harrington, Emma Arsenault, Mackenzie McDonald, Olivia Kerchner, Riya Yedugani, Sedona Cicciarella, and Shamili Potturi.

8^th Grade Girls

The Holliston 8th grade girls entered the playoffs against Natick.  They came out on top thanks to their tough defense and disciplined offense 38-15. Lucy Mancuso (16 points, 9 steals) teamed up with Mia Faletra (10 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals) at the top of the pressure defense to create fast break points. Skylar MacDonald’s smart play at both ends of the floor was also instrumental in the win, forcing turnovers and making smart passes to keep the offense running. Gianna Sgarano was dominant on the boards with 10 rebounds to go along with her 6 points. Lily Ingoldsby and Drew Andreola sparked the Holliston defense, disrupting the Natick point guard and grabbing key steals. 

In the next round, Holliston faced a strong Northboro team, dropping this one in a heartbreaker 32-30 to close out their Holliston Youth Basketball careers.  Lucy and Gianna were dominant in the first half on the defensive end of the floor in steals and rebounds.  Corinne Bailey grabbed 12 rebounds while anchoring the middle of the defense. At first, the team struggled at the offensive end of the floor.  Sasha Wang came off the bench setting solid screens to free up her teammates. Mia Faletra came alive in the second half dropping 12 of her 16 points in the 3rd quarter, to go along with 10 rebounds for the game. Keira Brannigan worked incredibly hard on both ends of the floor. However, all good things must come to an end… 

Coach Meredith Faletra would like to thank assistant coach Jason MacDonald. Jason’s basketball wisdom (and wit) has been a key to the growth of this team.  A huge shout out to Team Manager Extraordinaire, Sarah Ingoldsby for her support keeping the book and making sure every game operated smoothly.  A big thank you from the team to all of their fans including parents, grandparents, siblings and more, and to those who helped with the clock and stats, especially Evan, Alex, and Anthony.   And thank you most of all to the girls! It was great to see the growth of Sasha Wang, the team’s most solid screener and Drew Andreola with her soft shot and skilled passing. Lily’s heart, knowledge, and discipline lifted the team, while Gianna’s aggressiveness fired up her teammates. Keira and Corinne’s athleticism and moves to the hoop are strong and are signs of great things to come. Skylar’s all-around game and leadership have continued to develop over the years. The dynamic duo of Mia and Lucy – their skills and determination were dominant and evident in every practice and game.  It’s been an honor to be with these girls for so long, some since kindergarten.  Treasure the memories of Holliston Youth Basketball! You have learned a lot about who you are and who you want to be as basketball players, teammates, and developing, awesome young athletes and people.  You are ready! “Holliston on 3…1,2,3, Holliston!”

4^th Grade Boys (Red)

The Holliston 4th grade boys (red) team took to the playoffs with a number 1 seed in division 7 and hopes of a deep playoff run. The boys opened against Milton at a neutral site in Hopkinton. From the tip off, it was apparent that both teams came to play but that the Holliston defense was going to make themselves known. Early scoring by Harrison Cirillo and Max Cohen put the boys up early, but the shooting got a little cold in the second quarter and Holliston went to the half with only a 9-7 lead. The story of this game was the third quarter defense. Both Harrison and Max got a couple buckets to stretch the lead, but it was the defensive tenacity that shut out Milton in the third. The now 7-point lead proved to be unsurmountable, and the boys took the victory 17-11 and moved into the second round.  

The second round moved to the Dana Barros center in Stoughton for a weekday tilt against Parkway.  Right from the jump this game was never in doubt. George Taylor smashed out of his scoring slump netting 12 points and nifty and 1. Ronan Ohja (2), Konnor d ’Anjou (4), and Sam Wagner (4) each contributed some baskets and some tremendous defense. But Yamori Richardson’s 3rd quarter, 8-point performance is what sealed the deal and the boys moved on with a 43-28 victory.  Round three saw the boys travel back to the Dana Barros Center for an early Saturday morning game against Bellingham. The boys were fired up to get some revenge for an earlier season loss. George Taylor got a few early buckets (6 pts) to lead the first half scoring, but the boys fell behind and entered halftime with their first deficit of the playoffs 11-10. Scoring did not come easy in the third with Harrison Cirillo getting the only 4 points. Bellingham added to their lead and the Panthers entered the fourth quarter down 19-14. In the fourth quarter the defense locked down Bellingham, shutting them out. The defense

from all players specifically Max Cohen, Yamori Richardson, Sam Wagner, Emerson Vail, Ronan Ohja, George and Harrison. Some nifty scoring as well led to a 9-point quarter putting Holliston up 23-19 with a minute or so to go, and the boys held on to make it to championship game!

The Championship game was a very early 8am game at the Dana Barros center the next morning against Bridgewater. Though it was early the boys came to play! Pre-game Max Cohen and Quinn Duffy showed off some nifty hairstyles and everyone, including the crowd, was ready for this game. Some advanced scouting provided by Coach Gum of the 4 th grade boys white team showed that this team liked to take and make three pointers. Our pregame conversation, once again, focused on our defense and stopping the deep the ball. The boys took this to heart and went out there and held this team to 0 three pointers!  This tough, hard-nosed defense was not expected early by Bridgewater. This coupled with some early buckets from Harrison and George, had Holliston up 12-7 after 1. The lock down D was a full team effort this game due to some early foul trouble by some key players. Trevor Lyskowski put in some key early minutes, playing exceptional D, and pulling down some great rebounds. Max Cohen took the team’s best player and made him work every time he was out there for every scoring opportunity. This tough defense along with scoring from Yamori Richardson and Konnor d ’Anjou opened up an even larger lead putting the boys up 24-17 at the half. The early foul trouble came back to haunt the boys in the third quarter, and even though they played some tough D, scoring was hard to come by and the game went into the fourth quarter tied at 31. Fatigue and foul trouble played a big part in the fourth quarter. Two plays worth mentioning were Harrison Cirillo hit the team’s first three pointer of the year in the fourth quarter and Yamori Richardson flew out of no where to block a shot that still has not landed yet! However, the boys could not hold on in the end and dropped the game 45 – 38.

All year these boys defined the word team. Whether it was at practice or a game, they always pulled for each other, worked hard, and had fun. Harrison Cirillo, Max Cohen, George Taylor, Trevor Lyskowski, Sam “big time” Wagner, Konnor d ’Anjou, Quinn “MVP” Duffy, Neel Lele, Ronan Ohja, Yamori Richardson (and his dad), and Emerson Vail. The coaches could not be prouder of your hard work and dedication.  Next year let’s go out there and get that championship!

4^th Grade Boys (White) 

After winning its final regular season game of the year, the 4th grade boys were hoping for a playoff run, and they delivered! 

The first round game was against Dedham and was back-and-forth the entire game.  Holliston pulled out the victory 25–21.  The leading scorer was Jesiah Varghese with 6 points and he snagged a season high 11 rebounds.  Lucas Zhang had 3 huge steals and played tough defense the entire game.  Ayen Hemaratne had 4 points and 2 steals, Andrew Levasseur had 4 points, 2 steals, and 4 boards.  Cade Burke had 2 steals and a big board, Jake Looney had 5 boards, 2 steals, and 3 points. Grady Gum and Jack Donahue both played great defense and both had one point each and multiple rebounds.  Tyler Crean had 3 points along with 10 rebounds.  After a hot start with 3 quick points to begin the game, Darian Harris unfortunately took a hard fall and ended up fracturing his wrist.

Holliston went into the next round of the playoffs without Darian Harris and faced a huge Parkway team.  Holliston took the lead early but could never pull away.  Late in the game Parkway pulled within three points, but Holliston was able to avoid turnovers and pull out the victory 31–27.   Tyler Crean had another big game with 10 points and 7 rebounds.  Jesiah Varghese had his second big game in a row with 8 points, 3 steals, and 6 rebounds.  Jake Looney made a huge impact with 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals, two of which were late in the game.  Lucas Zhang and Cade Burke played scrappy defense, forced multiple jump balls, and set some really good picks throughout the game.  Ayen Hemaratne had 4 points and 2 steals.  Shalm Kollu played outstanding defense on Parkway’s big man.  Jack Donahue snagged 4 rebounds and had a really nice assist.  Grady Gum played great defense, had 4 boards, and scored 1 point.  Andrew Levasseur had 2 points and 9 big boards.

Holliston advanced to the semifinals against an extremely polished Bridgewater team.  Although Holliston kept it close in the first half, only down six points, Bridgewater’s sharpshooting (five 3-pointers) was just too much and beat Holliston 36-22.  Holliston‘s scoring was evenly distributed with Grady Gum, Jake Looney, Tyler Crean, Andrew Levasseur, and Jesiah Varghese all with 4 points.  Ayen Hemaratne chipped in 2 points.  Jack Donahue pulled down a couple rebounds and played excellent help defense when the quick Bridgewater guards were able to get to the rim.  Lucas Zhang also played pesky defense and forced a jump ball.

Although the boys were disappointed to lose, they were proud of the remarkable improvement they made individually and as a team during the season.  Congrats on a great season boys!

5^th Grade Boys (Red) 

The Holliston 5^th grade boys (Red) lost a tough battle to Framingham in their opening game of the playoffs, ending the team’s season.  The game was close through the first half (14-16) but a cold shooting streak in the second half let Framingham break away and ultimately win 32-21.   The boys controlled the court for much of the game, putting up 11 more shots than Framingham and keeping the rebound battle even, despite being a much smaller team.  11 out of 12 players on the team got a shot and a rebound during the game.  Scoring leaders were Teddy Miller (10) and Declan Aldrege (6).  Ty Looney and George Floeckher each added a bucket and contributed 7 and 10 rounds, respectively.  Tommy Ogoreuc rounded out the scoring with a free throw as the team tried to mount a comeback.  The team was very aggressive and active on the boards and some players had their season high rebound totals including Paul Antony (7), Anderson Langlois (6), and Will Finneran (3).    Connor Lydon and Timmy Klaus didn’t have huge numbers on the stat sheet but had a positive impact for the team with the highest +/- among their teammates.  Wyatt Chamberlain and Jacob Snow played some key minutes and battled hard against some much bigger Framingham players.  Overall, it was a tough way to end it, but a true team effort to finish the season.  

5^th Grade Boys (White) 

The Holliston 5th Grade Boys team (White) closed out their season with a 32-29 loss to 13th seed North Quincy at Quincy Catholic Academy on Friday night. Fourth seeded Holliston led until the 4th quarter. Despite the final score, the coaches could not be prouder of how the team played and represented Holliston. The future of Holliston basketball is bright with the character these players showed in a tough environment. 

Ryan Baker led Holliston with 14 points. Cole Dennison had 5 points and Logan McDonough had 4. Owen Jacquet, Joe Sgarano, and Austin Cordero each had two points. Donovan Vail had a big steal and David Blackerby cleaned up on the boards. Cooper Lisi, Owen Callahan, Oliver Bennett, and Max Metivier played tough defense to help Holliston protect their first half lead. Holliston finished the Metrowest season with an 8-5 record. 

Coach Joe Sgarano would like to thank the team and parents for making this season so enjoyable.  A special thank you to Assistant Coaches Scott McDonough, Bryan Blackerby, and Sean Jacquet and to Jose Cordero for running the scoreboard during home games.  

6^th Grade Boys (Red) 

The Holliston 6th Grade (Red) Boys lost their playoff game against Lincoln Sudbury by a score of 43 – 27.  From the outset, it was a tough game for the boys as they struggled to get into a rhythm from start.  Overall, the boys had a fantastic season, winning 12 games (including preseason) and losing 4.  The boys played so well they had a chance to play “up a division” a few times doing exceptionally well.  More importantly, the boys showed fantastic development of character.  Over the course of a long season there were many moments that presented themselves where one of the players had to provide encouragement to others. Sometimes, they provided a needed push to another player to dig down deeper.  They grew together and, at the end, they were genuinely happier to see one of their teammates succeed than themselves.  The continued development of these character traits and leadership skills made it a very successful season for all.

6^th Grade Boys (White)

7th Grade Boys (Red)

The Holliston 7th Grade (Red) Boys team entered the playoffs as a 9 seed and opened with an upset over neighboring Bellingham, 42-39.  The boys were in control most of the game and fought off a late comeback effort by Bellingham.  Everyone contributed in this game, it was a lot of fun to watch.  It was a nice balanced attack on offense.  William Hayes led with 8 points.  Sam Israel continued his late season sharp shooting with 6 clutch points.  Ben Furey (6), Chris Baker, Eli Boggess, Charlie Bowser and Tristan Snyder each dropped 4, and  Marcus Burian, Jack Firmani and Quinn McErlean each had a bucket as well.  Orson Daniels was a beast on the boards and Andrew Ferguson played the reliable defense and rebounding that kept us going all season.  

Advancing to Sunday, we faced the #1 seed, where unfortunately our season came to a close.  Ashland was a formidable opponent, and we fell 56-40.  William Hayes led the offense again with 13 points, Andrew Ferguson was on fire dropping 8 of his own, Sam Israel and Charlie Bowser each had 5, and Quinn McErlean (4), Chris Baker (2), Jack Firmani (2) and Eli Boggess (1) rounded out the offense.  While disappointing to end the season, the boys took solace knowing that we improved dramatically this year and became a very tough team in our division.  We finished 7-7 on the season, but most of the games were within a couple points and easily could have been 10-4 with a few more bounces our way.  We were a very strong defensive team and everyone could be relied upon for a clutch bucket.  The boys should be as proud of themselves as the coaches are.  We are already looking forward to next year and high school after that…Holliston will be a force to be reckoned with!

7th Grade Boys (White)

It was another remarkable basketball season and playoff run for this group of boys, their coaches, and parents.  In the first round of the playoffs, showcasing how far we’ve progressed as a team, the 7th grade boys (white) defeated Northboro 39-36; a gutsy measuring-stick win against a very physical basketball team that had beat us 2x previously this year.  The next day, the Panthers defeated Milford 36-33, a game in which came down to the very last shot, with clutch 4th quarter performances by Jake Miranda and Cam Baker to seal the win against a division 5 opponent (foul shots matter!).  But sadly, all seasons must come to an end, and our season ended last Thursday with a loss to Walpole, 23-16, the Panthers one win away from advancing to the final four in the playoffs.  For the second season in a row, the boys had a miracle playoff run that energized the team, coaches, and parents – and for that we are all grateful.

Our team achieved so much this year; finishing the season with a record of 12-3, winning our division, and advancing to the third round of the playoffs (beating high performing division 5 and 6 teams in the process).  Despite this, as their coach, I am more proud of the fact that each and every week our kids displayed defense, intensity, and heart.  They gave 100% of their effort on the court – intensity displayed through full-court pressing for entire games, diving for loose balls, grappling for jump balls, and fighting for rebounds against kids twice their size.  Our defense was on display in our February Westboro game; after being down 0-8 after the first quarter, our press-defense let up 0 points in the second quarter, enabling us to outscore our opponent 30-16 the remainder of the game.  And for the 7 boys that played a much (MUCH) bigger, and final-four-bound, Dedham team, facing difficult spectators and still keeping the game close, I’ve never seen a bigger display of heart.

I would like to thank the boys that newly joined our team this year; Aaron Javier, Colton McGrath, Jake Miranda, and Nathan Chiantera; you added so much to our team from day 1.  For the boys that were the foundation of this team last year; James Negri, Zach Ennis, Ben Rebello, Charlie Peterson, Vinny Lima, Nick DiPippo, Achyut Pingali, Liam Forbes, and Cameron Baker, you set the bar of team-based-play that this year’s team built upon – it has been incredible to see each of you develop these last two years. The 2024 season starts in 8 months and we all cannot wait to see what this team does next year!

8th Grade Boys (Red)

The 10th seed in Division 3 Central Holliston 8th grade boys (red) team opened their playoff run with a first round win over 7th seed Needham 42-35. The boys showed their focus coming from behind as they entered the fourth quarter down by 4. They were convinced that this was not the end of middle school basketball for this close-knit team.  Highlights of this game included a 21 point 4th quarter in which 5 players scored.  Anthony Faletra (16 points, 9 rebounds) and Nick Flannery (12 points, 9 rebounds) went a combined 9 for 12 for the game from the foul line. Nate Howell and Grayden Vaughm were both a presence in the key, always playing smart offense by freeing up teammates with screens and being in the right place all the time under the hoop and at the other end in help defense.  In addition, Gavin McGann hit a very key 3 pointer down the stretch.  Onto the next game… 

The boys advanced to the next round of their playoff bracket with an upset overtime win over number 2 Medfield, 53-49. This was a game the boys (and their parents) will remember always. They were a 10 seed playing a 2 seed. They were nervous, but they were mentally tough and ready for this challenge.  Connor McDonough stepped up his game with strong moves to the hoop and clutch plays at both ends of the floor. He finished with 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 steals. Rookie Nayan Alluri grabbed a key steal and two key buckets to lift his team on the scoreboard and in spirit. Jacob Lawendi played tough defense to disrupt the Medfield offense and grab a couple of steals along the way. The strength and skill of Nick (19 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks) paired with the game-sense and grit of Anthony (12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals) were instrumental in the win.  In the waning seconds of regulation, the boys found themselves, however, on the tail end.  They strategically fouled the strong Medfield players.  With 8.7 seconds left and down 48-46 in regulation, Anthony came across the key to grab the rebound on a missed free throw.  He pushed the ball through multiple defenders the length of the floor and hit the top of the key sending a bounce pass to Jack Whitten on the left wing.  Jack buried a picture-perfect jumper as time expired. (Coaches – think of a 3 on 2 drill to perfection.) Overtime! The boys were not willing to let up in the least and were keyed in, and they handily outscored the Medfield Warriors 5-1 in overtime to come out with a win and memories to last a lifetime. 

The playoff run and Holliston Youth Basketball came to an end against Dedham (who incidentally went on to win the whole division) 47-30 on Friday night. Nick, Anthony, and Connor led the team in points and rebounds, but this whole team went down fighting.  Every player gave their all.  Max Colletti stepped up on the court early to play some key minutes while Nick encountered some early foul trouble. This one tough game will not define our boys because of the numbers on the board.  They went out and played together at a high level and as teammates.  What more could we ever want for our kids?

The team would like to thank all of the family and extended family who have traveled near and far to support them in their season.  Coach Meredith Faletra would also like to thank the assistant coaches Cory McGann and Scott McDonough. It’s been a lot of years together!  Scott’s enthusiasm for the game and Cory’s attention to detail (including writing all of the game writeups except for this one this year) have been essential elements that make this team tick. She would like to thank all the willing scoreboard operators and scorebook keepers throughout the year, especially Nat Vaughn as well as “the girls” Mia, Lucy, and Keira.   And a huge thank you to the players, many who have been a part of this program for nine years.  Max Coletti’s half court shots, Jacob Lawendi’s game sense and persistence, and Nate Howell’s aggressive and smart post play were all impressive. Nayan Alluri’s Rookie of the Year season was fantastic. Gavin McGann’s three pointers and Jack Whitten’s tireless,game-changing defense were noted by all. Grayden Vaughn’s basketball IQ and Connor McDonough’s fundamental soundness at both ends of the floor lifted their team in ways not always acknowledged by a stat sheet.  Anthony’s court sense and calm leadership on the floor, along with Nick’s outright dominance in all areas were evident game in and game out.  The chemistry on this team grew throughout the year.  The love of the game was evident in each practice and game.  The support of one another was honestly touching to watch.  All the coaches were proud of the development of each player and their growth as a team. These boys will never play together as a whole group again as they have through their time in Holliston Youth Basketball, but they will always remember these times together and the lessons they have learned.  I know I will. 

8th Grade Boys (White)

The Holliston Boys 8 th Grade White team (#5 seed) finished their season with a hard-fought loss to Southboro (#4 seed) last Friday night at Ashland High School. Holliston was down 21-13 at the half and was not able get any closer before losing 47-30. Holliston was led by Colin Doherty’s 13 points. Brady Hastings and Will Dietrich each chipped in 4 points. Alex Cataldo had another excellent rebounding game and added 9 points. Bradyn Cotting and Jake Rosenfeld had strong defensive games. Holliston had an outstanding season. Coach Doherty commented: ‘I was really proud with how hard the boys worked and how much they improved during the season individually and collectively. It was a fun group to work with!’.