Before the nation was shocked by a global pandemic and national lockdown in March, the 2019/20 Friars boys varsity basketball team was taking care of business. Led by Head Coach Sal Lagano in his 18th year, the Friars finished top of the CHSAA table with a .650 winning percentage and a record of 21-6 before falling in the State Semifinals. We now find ourselves in the beginning months of 2021 still facing Covid restrictions in order to play high-risk sports, like basketball.
In a better light, all winter sports are finally back and our boy’s varsity basketball team started Friday, Feb. 12th, nearly 4 months late. With a varsity roster that could not be more different than last year. This year’s team consists of 6 Sophomores, 7 Juniors, and only 1 Senior, contrary to last year’s team which had 3 Sophomores, 3 Juniors, and 9 Seniors. This season will be filled with players trying to find their place on the roster and squeezing into Coach Lagano’s system, all within a much shortened 12-game season plus league playoffs.
According to Coach Lagano, “Our best asset last year was our team chemistry, selflessness, and willingness to practice even after games.” With such a young team, it would make sense that the basis of a Friar championship run will be the rapid development of the newest players into mature and mentally stronger players.
Some returning players such as Senior Guard Jared Barker and the Junior guard tandem of Dakari Thomas and Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt will most likely be plugged in as captains and role models for the 12 new players joining the varsity team. Coach Lagano himself said, “the attitudes and commitments of last year’s senior captains Andre Snoddy and Louis Stallone have been passed onto former teammates Thomas and Gaines-Wyatt.”
Thomas and Gaines-Wyatt had very important roles on last year’s prolific team and now have the chance to step up into the space left by Snoddy and Stallone, who averaged 20 ppg. and a near double-double separately last year during their league title run.
With the length and safety of this season already in question, we all have more questions that will be on our minds as we watch the Friars play each week during this rushed season. COVID testing, fans, and will each team make it through the season? St. Anthony’s has chosen to test their players weekly to keep them safe, the league ruled no spectators for the year in any sport and this young team will definitely be able to handle this tough catholic league but with some growing pains.
The Friars have unlimited potential for the length and success of their season, and Coach Lagano is seemingly ready to put the work in and fight it out until the end. As stated before, the well timed and quick development of the sophomore players is imperative for Friar’s success this year. Coach Lagano says about the Sophomores, “I am sure all of those individuals will begin to show maturity, toughness, and a positive attitude to compete at this level.” One thing that would have help with this issue was a summer season, which Coach Lagano said the lack of has delayed the expected development of new players.
This year’s boys varsity basketball team is looking as promising as ever, the spark of youth coming to the team this year, proper development of the new players, and upperclassmen leadership, this year is set to be an exciting one for the Friars.
Eamon Bevan is a freshman at St. Anthony’s High School in his first year writing for Friar Scoreboard. He was a member of the JVB Soccer team and is involved in several clubs including Franciscan Youth Ministry.
