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( Dec. 7, 2023 ) It was clear during the first week of practice that the boys basketball team has raised expectations and taken a more serious approach to the upcoming season, set to begin Tuesday at home against Bourne.
“I think practices have been really good,” coach Willis Ferreira said. “We’ve got some good leadership. Guys are taking it as serious as we’ve taken it in a long time, so I’m happy for that. A lot of these guys a couple years ago couldn’t do that mentally.”
There has been a notable shift in experience for the Whalers this season, with eight seniors, including three of last year’s regular starters, and a deep bench.
Last year the Whalers finished the regular season 12-7 and suffered a one-point loss to Georgetown in the opening round of the Div. 4 state tournament, losing in that round for the second-straight season.
“We’ve got to take it to another level. Getting to the tournament is not good enough. We’ve got to start winning some games in the tournament,” Ferreira said.
Seniors Carlos Aguilar, Jack Halik and Jayquan Francis all return from last year’s starting lineup, and Ferreira said the trio will be forced to carry the team at times. Seniors Chris Simpson and Dwayne Martin, along with sophomore Ethan Jarrett, will also provide a scoring threat at the offensive end.
“Overall I like the depth of the team and the quality of it,” Ferreira said. “I think we have some really good pieces, we just have to get better in a few areas. We’ve got to stop turning the ball over, we’ve got to make foul shots and easy layups. Then defensively we’ve got to be better.”
The Whalers will face a loaded schedule this year, as non-league games include a pair of games against Bourne and a road contest with Millbury, who both finished the regular season last year with 17 wins and played each other in the elite eight of the Div. 4 tournament.
Nantucket will also face a talented Martha’s Vineyard three times this season, as the schools will have their usual games on their respective islands and travel to the mainland Jan. 14 for a game at the TD Garden as part of the Andrew James Lawson Foundation Invitational Tournament.
“Nothing’s easy for us this year. That schedule is as hard as we can get, and we did that for a reason,” Ferreira said. “We’re going to be in close games every night, so we’ve got to find a way to close out games.”
The Whalers open the season with home games Tuesday against Bourne and next Thursday against Dennis-Yarmouth.
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