By Russ Waterman
MaxPreps.com
Boston Trinity Academy, fresh off a 60-41 victory over 2008 NEPSAC Division 2 champions Providence Country Day (R.I.) to win the Buckingham Browne & Nichols Holiday Tournament, is far more than a whisper now in the Bay State prep ranks.
The Lions, 2008 National Christian School Athletic Association tournament champions and defending Massachusetts Bay Independent League champions, had a 27-2 record last year and are 11-0 at the start of the new year.
"With our first seven I think we can compete with anyone at the non-prep level," fifth-year head coach Rick Linet said of the independent college preparatory school that opened its doors in 2002 and is located in Hyde Park.
Backing up his assertion about the squad's competitive level are wins posted this year over Masters, Thayer and Buckingham Browne & Nichols. Last year after winning the MBIL title, the Lions were seeded sixth in the D1 NEPSAC playoffs and were very competitive against St. Luke’s in a first-round loss..
But the school is not a basketball 'factory' despite its rapid climb.
"This school has an excellent reputation," Linet said. "All of our graduates take high-level college prep courses and must take four advanced placement courses by their senior year. It takes a lot of hard work and there is no slack given to a student-athlete."
Linet is a familiar figure in local hoops circles. He played at Framingham High School before moving on to Clark University. Earning his master's degree in social work and becoming a public school teacher, he returned to his high school alma mater to launch a coaching career before landing at Boston Trinity Academy.
The Lions have a mixed bag of talent from the local and international ranks and their core lineup of four juniors, two seniors and a sophomore could make them much better next year. Many have also been solid contributors on AAU squads.
"We press and run and like an up-tempo game but we also can pound it down low as well and can shoot the three," Linet said. "We have had one game where one player scored over 20 points and we usually have so much balance that we end up four to as many as six in double digits."
In the win over Providence Country Day, Lutheurson Bonheur had 13 and Gvodzen Vukojevic had 11 with three teammates each recording 8 points.
Local players include burly 6-7, 230-pound post player Kadeem Wint of Dorcehester, senior "gym rat" guard Aaron Johnson of Roslindale, senior point guard and floor leader Eliot Delorme – a transfer from Charlestown – and sophomore Bonheur, a swift slasher and excellent defender from Hyde Park.
Then there is the international contingent made up of juniors. Veljko Lukic of Serbia is a versatile 6-7 swing player with range to the three who can play any position in the backcourt. Vukojevic (Switzerland) is a 6-8 post with an ability to post up and drift outside while Kai Neimisto of Finland is a 6-3 swingman and excellent outside shooter.
"We look to defend our MBIL title and prepare for the NEPSAC playoffs if we are invited," Linet said.
Upcoming games include a road encounter against Brimmer and May on Jan. 9 and games at the BABC Martin Luther King Prep School Holiday Tournament at Chelsea High School. Home games and practices are at Mansfield Sportsplex.
Girls Basketball: Bishop Feehan Wins Without Lepley.
Amy Lepley, a 6-1 guard from Bishop Feehan who has verbally committed to Holy Cross, is spending her senior year on the bench following a season-ending knee injury against Attleboro in mid-December.
Lepley averaged 22 points and 10 assists per game last season.
Yet the Shamrocks (6-1), attempting to win their fifth straight Eastern Athletic Conference girls title and eighth in the last nine years, still are a formidable Division 2 force. In a non-conference 56-52 home win over Division 1 South Kingstown (R.I.), Jenna Roncarati had 13 points and 7 rebounds and Gina Calvanese and Kaitlin Hill added 12 and 11, respectively for the hosts.
The Rebels rallied from a 16-point third quarter deficit by causing six straight turnovers to tie the score twice after a 13-0 five-minute run in the fourth quarter. But three blocks in the final 1:10 by three different Shamrock players preserved the win.
"It's going to take a total team effort now because Amy is such an incredible player," Bishop Feehan head coach Mike Deady said. "But I am glad we played such a good team as South Kingstown because we will have to learn how to win games against good opponents without Amy.”
Deady noted Roncarati will definitely play a major factor in the team's success.
"Jenna is the best local athlete I have ever seen," Deady said of the 5-10 senior forward headed to Providence College on a soccer scholarship.
Boys Basketball Notes
* Sabis International (Springfield) Charter School recorded its fifth straight victory, 51- 44, behind 20 points from Kemali Bey and 15 by Andre King.
* With six three-pointers by Justin Young and 16 points each by Archie Allen and Eugene Turner, Lynn English remained undefeated (6-0) with a 75-71 victory over Lynn Classical. The Bulldogs, with wins over St. Mary's and Lynn Tech in the Boverini Christmas Tournament, now has conquered all three of their Lynn opponents. Jerrell Byrd led Classical with 19 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.
* Host Groton-Dunstable got all the points it needed from Ryan Romich, Cam Wilcox and Mike Silinonte (41) to remain perfect at 6-0 after its Crusader Christmas Tournament championship win, 45-40, over St. Bernard's (Fitchburg).
Russ Waterman covers Massachusetts and Rhode Island for MaxPreps.com. He may be reached at rwathoop3@aol.com.
