No champs, but plenty of highlights: South Shore H.S. boys basketball top 10 rankings
The MIAA high school boys basketball season is still going, but the South Shore's season wrapped up on Saturday.
Five area teams reached the Elite 8 – Scituate, Norwell, BC High, Middleboro and Norwell. None were more shocking than Middleboro, which pulled off three upsets as a No. 38 seed.
Despite not bringing home a championship to the area, there were plenty of highlights among South Shore teams this winter. Competing in the MIAA for the first time, New Heights showed it belongs with the best. Mayflower League teams Avon, Holbrook and Blue Hills were small schools that made big impacts.
The South Shore League and Patriot League were filled with teams on the rise. With so much young talent set to return to the area next winter, look for this championship drought to be short-lived.
WHERE WE LEFT OFF: An up-and-down season: South Shore high school boys basketball rankings
WHERE WE STARTED: Norwell's No. 1: South Shore high school boys basketball top 10 rankings
On the bubble: Stoughton (12-11), Archbishop Williams (11-11), Carver (14-8), Avon (17-5), Middleboro (14-8), Hanover (13-8), Canton (15-8), Blue Hills (16-5)
10. Middleboro (14-8, bubble)
This No. 38 seed reached the Division 2 Elite 8 with three stunning upsets (No. 27 Reading, No. 6 Hopkinton, No. 22 Milford) before falling to Bedford. Senior and two-time SSL Sullivan Player of the Year Matt Youngquist led the way for the Sachems. He scored 37 points in a Sweet 16 win over Milford and dropped 41 on Randolph during the regular season. The window isn't closing for this group just yet. Juniors Jackson Davenport (12 points, 12 rebounds per game) and Ryan Marzelli (8 points, 4 assists per game) will give the Sachems a solid foundation next fall.
More: Milford boys basketball, Andrew Rivera nearly cap comeback against No. 38 Middleboro
9. New Heights (23-3, bubble)
The Phoenix showed they could compete in the MIAA. New Heights won a thrilling tournament game over South Hadley before falling to CMass powerhouse Millbury in the Sweet 16. The Phoenix went 10-3 against MIAA competition and 13-0 against charter schools. Sophomore Christian Dalton (averaged 17.5 points and 6.6 assists per game) is one of the most underrated players in the area. Senior double-double threat Khamari Gillings will be tough to replace. Look for this team to make even more noise in the MIAA next winter. Who wouldn't love to see New Heights take on Brockton High next winter?
More: Success of undefeated basketball teams has Brockton's New Heights Charter ready for more
8. Weymouth (15-8, 8)
The Wildcats defeated Barnstable in the Division 1 tournament before bowing out to Central Catholic in the Round of 32. Weymouth will graduate a loaded senior class that helped rebuild the program's reputation. Edric Louissaint was the fourth player in school history to reach the 1,000-point mark. Gill Dolan and Will Savage, both seniors, were also Bay State Conference All-Stars.
7. Holbrook (16-6, bubble)
It was a season filled with milestones for the Bulldogs. Armani Perkins scored his 1,000th career point early in the season and coach Rich Gifford collected his 500th career win late. After reaching the Division 5 Final Four in 2023, Holbrook reached the Sweet 16 this winter. Sophomore Allen Brown is on pace to score his 1,000th career point early next season.
6. Pembroke (14-8, 9)
The Titans lost some key players to graduation but still maintained a new standard of winning since coach Matt Vincenzi took over. Pembroke won a Division 3 state tournament game before bowing out to Taconic in the Sweet 16. Senior Matthew Delcore had a breakout season and finished second in the Patriot League in scoring at 19.6 points per game. Pembroke picked up solid wins over Whitman-Hanson, Plymouth South (twice) and Hanover.
5. Whitman-Hanson (16-7, 1)
The Panthers battled through injuries, peaks and valleys to still run away with a Patriot League Keenan Division title. After starting 1-2, W-H rattled off 12 consecutive wins. That streak was snapped with a three-game skid. The Panthers season ended with a loss to Burlington in the Round of 32. Senior Evan Yakanovis was named the MVP of the Keenan Division. Still, the Panthers return a lot. The Baker brothers (Caleb and Ryan) paired with Isaiah Bean Brittian make W-H the early favorite to repeat as league champs and be a contender in Division 2.
4. Abington (18-6, 5)
The Green Wave went 13-1 in league play to run away with the South Shore League Tobin Division title. Abington defeated Medway in the Division 3 Round of 32 before bowing out to top-seeded Charlestown in the Sweet 16. After starting 2-3, the Green Wave went 16-3 the rest of the way with marquee wins over Norwell and Middleboro. Senior Connor Pease, a walking double-double, was the Player of the Year in the Tobin Division. Sophomores Tyler Staiti and Kingston Maxwell are already two of the top guards in the area. It will be exciting to see what that tandem accomplishes next winter.
3. BC High (15-8, 6)
The Eagles fared well against one of the toughest schedules in the state and finished second in a loaded Catholic Conference. BC High won two tournament game before bowing out against state finalist Franklin in the Elite 8. Seniors Dan Civello (14.8 points per game, 7.5 rebounds, 3.1 blocks) and Ivon Yhomby (13.9 points, 3.9 steals) led the way. BC High's best wins came against Xaverian (twice), Mansfield, Central Catholic and Cambridge Rindge & Latin.
2. Scituate (20-5, 3)
In the first month of the season, the Sailors battled some ups and downs and started 7-3. Then Scituate reached high gear and went 11-1 down the stretch en route to winning a Patriot League Fisher Division. No. 15 Scituate stunned No. 2 Leominster in the Sweet 16 before dropping a heartbreaker to Sharon in the Elite 8. Michael Porter (17 points per game) led the way for this group and was the Fisher Division's MVP. Brian Good and Ryan Dunn were also hugely impactful seniors. Junior Rowan Glowac, a league all-star, is a building block heading into next season.
1. Norwell (20-3, 2)
The Clippers season ended with an overtime loss to Taconic in the Division 3 Elite 8. Norwell won the South Shore League Sullivan Division title in a very deep league this winter. The Clippers played the best 'team' basketball of anyone in the area. Nick Adams was the leading scorer at 13 points per game while Ronan Coffey averaged 12 points and 12 assists per game. Will Bostrom did much of the dirty work. All three are juniors, so this group has scary potential for next winter.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: South Shore high school boys basketball top 10 rankings
