Success and the city
BCL entrants seek another state crown
DIV. 2 BOYS HOOP
The Boston City League has been a dominant presence on the Division 2 scene in recent years as New Mission (three) and Brighton (two) have won a combined five of the last seven state titles.
A pair of BCL teams in the South are hoping to muscle into championship territory.
O’Bryant reached the South finals a year ago and return All-Scholastic forward Rivaldo Soares as well as guards Dasonte Bowen and Sana Dahaba. TechBoston has title aspirations of its own even though Johnny Williams jokes that he has a team full of guards. Those guards happen to be darned good as Walter Dew-Hollis, Shamar Moore, Shamar Browder, Lyron Bennett and Kervonne White-Hall join talented transfer Maurice Works.
New Mission moves into Div. 2 South for the first time and will have a new coach to lead the transition. Former East Boston coach Malcolm Smith assumes the reins from Cory McCarthy and he will lean on forward Abdul Teslim to help guide a youthful roster.
Hanover is another team that moved around, coming up to Div. 2 after winning the Div. 3 state title last year. All-Scholastic forward Matt Delahunt and guard J.P. Landry are the most experienced returnees.
Whitman-Hanson won its second straight Div. 2 South sectional championship and returns forward Sean Leahy and Jacob HansonBartlett. Scituate has a pair of football stars, Abel Lopes Jr. and Aidan Sullivan, in the backcourt along with center Matt Brey.
Foxboro should be in the hunt for the Hockomock Davenport title as guards Brandon Borde and Joe Morrison return. Canton is trending in the right direction as guards Devin Foster and Jake Verille are back with forward Tony Harris.
In the North, defending state champion Brighton will look to forwards Quincy Taylor and Jerrod Clark along with guard Johnny Ortiz. North Andover is expecting big things from guards Jake McElroy and Chim Ogwuru, while Malden Catholic returns forward Chris MacDonald and guard Kendrick Jean Francois.
Arlington is a team many feel could burst the BSC monopoly. Sophomore guard Bensley Joseph headlines a strong backcourt that includes Dom Black, Nick Karalis and Ben Wasco, while James Gascoigne is the top returnee up front.
Belmont relies on guard Danny Yardemian and forward Tomas Donoyan, while Winchester returns guard Liam Fitzpatrick. Melrose’s top returning player is forward Dylan Vienot.
A pair of traditionally strong Middlesex Liberty teams that struggled a year ago are primed to turn things around.
Reading is banking its hopes on guards Matt Panacopoulos and Matt Mulvey, while Woburn has all-league performer Matt Juko, Ryan Ludwig and Bishop Fenwick transfer Isaiah Cashwell-Doe in its backcourt.