Bourne stands alone: Final Cape Cod High School Boys Basketball Rankings

In a word, the 2024 boys basketball season is probably best described with "parity."

I say this because outside of the Bourne Canalmen, who reached the MIAA Division 4 State Title game following a one-loss regular season, and never lost on Cape Cod, the rest of the teams took turns beating each other.

That's a positive in my eyes. It shows how widespread the talent is both individually, and as a team. All nine teams featured below qualified for the State Tournaments, with four of the teams reaching at least the Sweet 16.

This year brought multiple 1,000 point scorers, multiple league titles, and plenty of playoff success.

Presenting the final 2024 Cape Cod Times Boys Basketball Rankings:

1. Bourne Canalmen (23-2)

The Canalmen did everything but win a state title in what was a dominant overall season. On this side of Sagamore Bridge, no team was able to beat them, with Monomoy coming closest during Bourne's postseason run. The Canalmen tore through their regular season schedule, winning a league title, and finished 19-1 with just two of those wins coming by less than ten points, and the only loss coming to Division 3 state finalist Old Rochester. They entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the MIAA Division 4 State Tournament, beat No. 34 Roxbury Prep in their opening win, outlasted No. 15 Monomoy in overtime, bounced back to beat No. 10 David Prouty by 25, and finally beat No. 6 Burke to reach the first State Championship game in over half a century. Though they lost the final to No. 1 Wareham, the Canalmen still set the program record for wins, and reached consecutive Elite Eight's for the first time in school history. Mike Dankert, Nate Reynolds, Leo Andrade, and Dom Quelle, were a powerful quartet that drove the Canalmen forward on both ends of the floor.

2. Martha’s Vineyard Vineyarders (15-7)

The Vineyarders' season wasn't always smooth sailing, but they came together when it mattered and won the Cape and Islands League Maritime Division Title. After a 3-2 start to the season, Martha's Vineyard reeled off wins in ten out of 11 games to firmly establish themselves atop the league. The Vineyarders were led by league MVP, senior Josh Lake, but had a balanced offensive attack that also featured Sam Zack, and Nate Story. Collectively, the trio helped the Vineyarders put up the most points out of any team not named Bourne. The Vineyarders averaged over 63 points per game in 2024. When it came time for the postseason, the Vineyarders were the No. 11 seed in the MIAA Division 3 State Tournament. They beat No. 22 Lynnfield in their Round of 32 matchup, before falling to No. 6 Medfield in the Sweet 16. 2024 marked the second year in a row that the Vineyarders reached at least 15 wins.

3. Monomoy Sharks (14-6)

Monomoy came dangerously close to pulling off one of the upsets of the entire MIAA Division 4 Tournament, when the No. 15 Sharks went on the road into a raucous Bourne High School gym, and nearly knocked the No. 2 seed out of the tournament. They took the Canalmen to overtime that night, ultimately losing 61-53 in the Sweet 16. It was an effort that showcased everything that head coach John McCarthy is about, and he was full of praise for his team after the game. Overall, the Sharks won 14 regular season games, and were led by a one-two scoring punch of Tamarr Washington, and Jackson Rocco, but also got steady contributions from players like Finn Hyora, and Jackson Morneau. During the Sharks' best stretch of the season, they won nine out of 11 games, and opened the season 11-3. Monomoy put up nearly 60 points per game this season offensively.

4. Upper Cape Rams (17-6)

The Rams came flying out the gates this season, going 7-1 to begin the year, with the only loss being a two-point defeat. Damin Tavares, Tyler Kutil, and Matt Nawoichik were all selected to participate in the Cape Cod High School All-Star game held on St. Patrick's Day, getting rewarded for their contributions on the court to help lead the Rams to the most wins they've had this decade. After posting 11 wins in 2022, and nine last season, the Rams blew past those totals, getting win No. 12 on Feb. 6, still with games to go in their season. When the dust was settled, the Rams stood tall with the second most wins out of any team on the Cape. In the postseason, the Rams were given the No. 33 seed in the MIAA Division 4 Tournament, and were matched up with No. 32 Cohasset in the Preliminary Round, where they lost 83-59.

5. Barnstable Red Hawks (14-6)

Barnstable head coach Alik Taylor always had his sights set on this season, knowing that he had a senior class with which he had grown with over the last few seasons. The Red Hawks regular season success proved him to be pretty good fortuneteller, as the Red Hawks raced out of the gate, opening the season 5-1, with the statement win of that stretch coming over Martha's Vineyard. The Red Hawks finished the year with 14 wins, nearly double last season's total of eight, and won the Cape and Island's League Atlantic Division Title. It's a dramatic two-year departure from Barnstable's winless 2022 campaign, and shows just how far the team came in a short amount of time. Gabe Pichardo was named the Cape and Island's League Atlantic Division MVP, while Kauan Desa, Ka'Ron Ford, and Evan Briggs all helped lead the Barnstable offense.

6. Nantucket Whalers (12-10)

Nantucket were led all season by a dynamic duo of Jack Halik and Jayquan Francis. The two provided a combination of interior, and exterior scoring, while Halik provided a unique defensive presence with his size on the Nantucket. Carlos Aguilar was another offensive weapon that helped lead the Whalers to 11 regular season wins, and the No. 14 seed in the MIAA Division 4 Tournament. The Whalers won their opening playoff game over No. 19 Carver, but were beaten in the Sweet 16 by No. 3 Monument Mountain. During the regular season, Nantucket posted a pair of wins over rival Martha's Vineyard, beat Barnstable, and beat Monomoy.

Honorable Mention: Dennis-Yarmouth Dolphins (9-12)

The Dolphins navigated a tough schedule, and were rewarded with the No. 24 seed in Division 3. The Dolphins dropped their opening playoff game to No. 9 Tantasqua.

Honorable Mention: Falmouth Academy Mariners (12-8)

The Mariners claimed the Cape and Islands League Lighthouse Division Title, led by league MVP, and 1,000 point scorer Nate Holmes. Sasha Kaplenko, and Drew Reeves were also steady contributors. The Mariners qualified for the MIAA Division 4 Preliminary Round as the No. 48 seed, and nearly upset No. 17 Maimonides School, but fell 63-62.

Honorable Mention: Sandwich Blue Knights (9-11)

Sandwich battled through several high intensity the end of their season to qualify for the tournament as the No. 37 seed in Division 3. The Blue Knights fell in the Preliminary Round at the hands of No. 28 Cardinal Spellman.

André Simms covers high school sports for the Times. Contact him at asimms@capecodonline.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @that1guyandre.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Here are the final Cape, Islands basketball rankings