Who is the current boys basketball Player of the Year?
Ryan Lanigan: There isn’t a right answer to this at this point as there are a handful of players that could fit this mold. Attleboro’s Tim Walsh, Sharon’s Jimmy Fritzson and Brian Mukasa, and Franklin’s Chris Rodgers all have genuine shouts at being considered here but I have to go with Mansfield point guard Rocky DeAndrade at this point. DeAndrade isn’t among the top five scorers in the league, but he has one of the most complete skill sets in the entire league. He’s currently a top ten scorer in the league at 16.3 points per game and adds to that with 6.4 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 2 steals a game. He’s the clear leader for the Hornets on the court and when you can find him off of the court he’s the leader then too. It might sound silly to point out two free throws in this discussion, but with teammates struggling at the line in the fourth quarter in the midst of a Franklin comeback, DeAndrade calmly sank his two free throws at the TD Garden with the crowd buzzing. Even in games when he hasn’t been his best – against Sharon for example – he seems to be the one making that play in the big moment, whether it be a steal or a big rebound.
Josh Perry: This is a tough one to answer because it seems to be about defining the concept of Player of the Year. If it is about being the most valuable to your team, someone like Sam Larson or Tim Walsh would definitely be a strong contender. Also, it is difficult because there are a number of players on Mansfield that could cancel each other out with Michael Boen, Ryan Boulter, and Rocky DeAndrade all worthy. At this point in time, I am leaning towards the league’s leading scorer. Jimmy Fritzson is capable of dropping 30 every time that he steps on the court and has started to pull away as the league’s best pure shooter (with due respect to Boulter and OA’s Ryan Carney). He helped lead the Eagles through the early portion of the season while Brian Mukasa was struggling with his shot and he has helped put Sharon on the brink of a league title.
Which Hockomock team has been the surprise team of the year?
Lanigan: I think it has to be Attleboro at this point. After a disappointed 8-14 campaign last season, the Bombardiers stand at 10-5 right now. With Tim Walsh coming back for his senior season, you knew that Attleboro would be competitive but his supporting cast has really stepped it up. Senior EJ Santarpio is a top 20 scorer in the league this season and Brandon Clark and Stanley Beaubrun have both stepped up big time in what has been a resurgent year in all sports for Attleboro. Another team has to be King Philip, who only won four total games last year, have already eclipsed that this year. Jimmy Layman has proved he can take control of a game and their size – Mike Pergola, Erich Ryan, James O’Brien to name a few – has really helped them beat teams on mismatches.
Perry: Attleboro probably gets the nod for this simply by being the first team to upset the Mansfield machine this season. Tim Walsh (17.6 ppg this season) has been his typical scoring presence, but the Bombardiers have managed to find other players to pick up the scoring slack on nights that Walsh is being contained. EJ Santarpio has become a scoring threat on the post (averaging over 12 ppg) and role players like Brandon Clark have had big games to lift Attleboro to wins. The Bombardiers had plenty of experience coming into the season but I don’t think even Coach Houle expected a 7-3 start in the league.
Hock 5 First Team - Lanigan G – Rocky DeAndrade, Mansfield G – Jimmy Fritzson, Sharon G – Tim Walsh, Attleboro F – Chris Rodgers, Franklin F – Michael Boen, Mansfield | Hock 5 First Team - Perry G – Rocky DeAndrade, Mansfield G – Jimmy Fritzson, Sharon G – Tim Walsh, Attleboro F – Chris Rodgers, Franklin F – Ryan Boulter, Mansfield |
Lanigan: They haven’t exactly been surprising on how successful they’ve been, but Mansfield’s Michael Boen and Foxboro’s Cam Seeley have both stood out for their teams in ways many might not have expected. For Boen, he has adapted to a new role that sees him guarding and backing down some of his opponent’s much taller players. It hasn’t fazed him one bit though, as he not only hasn’t backed down, but he has thrived for the most part in the role. His ability to play on the perimeter and down low has become tough for defenses to match up with. He’s averaging 11.8 points and 10.4 boards per game (and 2.1 steals per game) for the Hornets and has been a vital part to their success this year. As for Seeley, I mentioned in the preseason not to be surprised one of the breakout stars this season and I think that’s exactly what he’s been. He currently leads the Warriors in scoring and has been a very strong presence down low on both ends of the court for Foxboro. He isn’t afraid to play with an edge either and has been the one to make the big momentum plays – a dunk or a block – when needed.
Perry: Sharon’s Jordan Mello-Klein has been a revelation in his sophomore season. He is averaging nearly 15 points per game and has become the all-important third scorer to help take the pressure off of Fritzson and Mukasa. He is also benefiting from Mukasa’s ability to get into the lane and draw defenders. Coach Jackman said earlier this season that Mello-Klein would start for just about any team in the league and it is hard to argue with that sentiment considering his consistency through the opening 13 games.
At this point, which team will be going the furthest in the tournament?
Lanigan: Based on what I said in the beginning of the season, not much has changed. When Mansfield is hitting their shots, they’re very hard to stop no matter who they’re playing. Division 1 South will never be a cake walk and this year is no different. I didn’t mention Taunton in the preseason but at this point, if they are fully healthy and are playing at a high level, they are going to be a very tough team to beat. Sharon has the best chance of the Division 2 teams in the Hock, and like Mansfield, when their shots are falling – and they just added another weapon in sophomore David Roelke – they are very tough to beat. Franklin is turning a lot of heads – even with the loss to Mansfield – and they could be a team that makes a run in the Central, similar to Milford last year.
Perry: I was going to say Franklin in D1 Central just to be different (and they are a legitimate threat to win that sectional), but it still comes down to the team that was the preseason favorite. Mansfield looks a little worn out in the past few games but if Coach Vaughan can find some rest for his starters (DeAndrade in particular) to get ready for the war that will be D1 South, the Hornets remain a threat to make a repeat trip to the DCU Center. Sharon is also a legitimate threat in D2 but the Hornets have shown over the course of the season to be the top team in the Hock.
Which team is going to surprise people the rest of the season?
Lanigan: I don’t think when you look at their record that they’re going to surprise anyone but Taunton has somehow been covered up by the shadows of some of the other teams in the Kelley-Rex. One could certainly make the argument that they have the best defensive guards in the league with Gerald Cortijo and Cory Green and they boast another strong scorer in Shaq Davis. They have seen spurts of getting one player back, but then missing another. Their three big men – sophomore Marcus Santos-Silva, junior Matt Midouin and senior Truly Kenku – combine to create one of the top frontcourts in the league. They have solid contributors like Jesse Machado, Jordan Galloway and Tommy McLean and when they can put it all together, can compete with any team in the league.
Perry: Foxboro seems to be clicking at the right time of the season and has won three of its last four games and all three were against divisional rivals. This will be a very tough week for the Warriors with both of the league leaders on the schedule, but then there is a stretch of potentially winnable games that could see the Warriors take control of second place in the Davenport and if Cam Seeley continues to play the way he has over the past few games, then Foxboro could be a tough out come tournament time as well.