On Tuesday, December 17, Scituate High School boys’ varsity basketball team kicked off its regular season at Marshfield High School, suffering a stinging 21-point loss. This marked a new beginning for boys’ basketball and head coach Matt Poirier, as this year’s team is likely to be much different than previous years.
Last year’s varsity team experienced a heartbreaking loss to Sharon High School in the Elite 8. The team included 11 seniors, leaving essentially an entirely different team for this season. Only three current seniors played significant minutes for last year’s team, so numerous spots were open for other seniors, juniors, and even talented underclassmen.
“Senior leadership is crucial for this team because of how young it is. This may be the youngest team that I will be around during the 19 years that I have been at Scituate. Underclassmen will need to step up because we will likely lack the depth that we have had in years past,” said varsity assistant and JV head coach David Jordan.
Last season, two freshmen (now sophomores), Chrysto Brown and Jack Novak, practiced with the varsity squad and even got some varsity playing time. Along with other underclassmen, they will likely have to play big minutes to contribute to the team’s success. “I’m very excited for this season, to hopefully step up into my role and play more important minutes than last year,” Novak stated.
Senior captain Joey Burke played with the two last year, noting, “I’m confident that the younger guys will be able to step into their roles and contribute to our team this year.”
Burke has been a varsity player since he was a sophomore, so he understands what Brown and Novak’s expectations are this season.
Burke is leading his team and the future of Scituate basketball, remarking, “Setting an example for the younger guys on the team this year will only help them become great leaders for future teams and help the future of this program.”
Gates Middle School social studies teacher Matt Poirier has been the team’s head coach since 2000. Two seasons ago, he surpassed 350 career wins. He and his coaching staff have led Scituate basketball teams into the playoffs in the past that have not had high expectations; this may be one of those years.
“I think that we have one of the best coaching staffs in the state, and I and the rest of the team believe that they will do their part in preparing us for a different season than years past,” commented Burke.
A Scituate native, Poirier played basketball for Scituate High School, graduating in 1984. Priding himself on a consistent approach to the game, Poirier noted, “I watch film every day, 365 days of the year. I have done that for decades. I do this to be better at what I do, coaching. I ask my players to do the same–to shoot the ball across the full year to be better at what they do. The work is either done or not, and it will reflect.”
Poirier has always had a distinct play style for his teams: to play fast and loud–to run the other team out of the gym. When asked about his outlook for this year’s team, he responded, “Play fast, fatigue and confuse opponents, and most importantly, make shots throughout the game. The team that has the most fun always wins. If we have more fun than the other team, the rest will take care of itself.”
“Our goal is to simply surprise people, to prove that anything is possible if you believe in yourself,” Jordan said.
This year’s team may be young, but they have already shown flashes of great potential. The team is currently ranked 17th with a 4-4 record; however, their schedule has been challenging: Their January 8th loss to high-ranked North Quincy (8-1) was well-played.