Twins on a Mission
Mitchells have Titans in mix again
If it was your first time seeing
New Mission zip up and down the court, running sets and scoring at the speed of light, you would be forgiven if you thought you were seeing double.
It’s not an optical illusion. It’s just the twins.
Identical twins Charlie and Charles Mitchell are the engine that powers a Titans program that currently is the envy of every boys team in Division 2 — check that, the defending Div. 2 state champions might well be the envy of every program in Massachusetts after winning two state titles in the past three years.
And the 5-foot-8 seniors are the No. 1 reason. Charlie handles the rock and is the team’s verbal leader while Charles plays the role of assassin, cutting down opposing defenses with a quickrelease shot that can quiet even the loudest crowds.
Raised by their mom in a single-family home in Roxbury, the twins represent everything that is good about high school basketball in the city of Boston.
“Everywhere they go, people look at their stature, and by the time they figure what kind of impact they have, they realize that these guys can play some basketball,” New Mission coach Cory McCarthy said. “I think they are two of the most underrated kids that we’ve ever had at New Mission. They have discipline, but most importantly, they have brought a lot of pride to our program. Folks who never respected us respect us now because of them.”
A basketball journey, which began on neighborhood courts before really taking off while the twins were at Tobin Middle School in Roxbury Crossing, turned into a dream when they suited up for McCarthy and New Mission. As a freshman, Charles played an instrumental part in the Titans’ run to a state championship while Charlie excelled on the junior varsity team until his promotion to the big club before his junior season.
“As soon as we walked in the door, coach Cory was waiting for us,” Charlie said. “He is a serious dude, but we have learned a lot. We’ve learned about family, playing as a group, discipline. Basically, we learned everything.”
Added Charles: “Cory is always there. He makes us work hard on and off the court.”
There have been ups and downs — Charles has dealt with injuries the past two seasons — but through it all, they continue to have each other’s backs.
It is a bond that is unbreakable. Call it a twin thing.
“We’ve answered the question if we are twins about 100 million times,” Charlie joked. “Most people don’t have this, but to me, it is no big deal. We tackle this world together.”
On the court, the twins are poetry in motion, utilizing a dynamic that wreaks havoc on unsuspecting opponents.
“(The connection) comes naturally, but also through hard work in practice,” Charles said. “Charlie knows where I am going to be, and I know where he is going to be.”
Where the Mitchell twins and their teammates are right now is not surprising. New Mission is 11-5 after Friday’s game and should be considered the favorite to be playing for another state title next month.
However it ends, the legacy Charlie and Charles Mitchell are leaving behind has garnered the admiration of the city as well as the respect of those who have coached against them.
“It’s hard to simulate what they can do because they are all over the court,” St. John’s Prep coach John Dullea said Jan. 27 after the Mitchell twins torched the Prep for 41 combined points in a loss. “They are a great duo, and Massachusetts basketball is going to miss them when they leave.”
The end is coming. But until then, you’d be wise not to bet against Charlie and Charles Mitchell and New Mission.
Andover girls on roll
What a difference a year makes. Following a season marred by injuries and inexperience, the
Andover girls program is playing with a refuse-to-lose attitude. The Warriors came into the weekend riding a 14-game winning streak.
“The girls have all really stepped up and contributed,” Andover coach E.J. Perry said. “We have depth, and we can play nine girls on any given night.”
The return of Herald All-Scholastic Alyssa Casey — she missed her junior year with a broken foot — has been a bonus. Casey, who scored her 1,000th career point last month and is the leading scorer in the Merrimack Valley Conference (23 points per game), has powered a front line that also features talented senior Jillian Webber (who missed the first six games of this year with an injury).
“It is nice to have Casey and Webber back playing together,” Perry noted. As sophomores, the duo led Andover to a Div. 1 North title. “The great thing about them is that they are both high-energy with positive outlooks. They keep the younger girls focused, and they both are welcoming with their leadership style.”
The development of promising youngsters such as guards Taylor Landry, Gia Bramanti, Aisling McMahon and Sarah Sullivan, as well as forwards Brooke Hardock and Meg Zalanskas have helped the Warriors to leave last season in the rearview mirror, while also setting up Andover as the team to beat in the race for the MVC Large regular-season title.
The goal is to be in top form when the state tournament begins.
“From a coaching perspective, I want to iron out the rotation for the playoffs,” Perry said. “Our next goal is to win the league title, and then we will go a day at a time to maintain and build for the tournament.”
Triton back in playoffs
For the first time since the 2000-01 season, the Triton boys will be dancing in the state tournament. The Vikings punched their ticket to the Div. 3 North sectional with a 62-45 victory against Cape Ann League foe
Masconomet on Jan. 31. Congratulations to coach David Clay and his players.