Much like the NFL on Thanksgiving, NBA basketball has become synonymous with Christmas Day. But here on Cape Ann, it’s what’s happening in the immediate days after the holiday that should have high school hoops fans salivating in anticipation.
Beginning Wednesday, Rockport High will compete in the Cape Ann Savings Bank Tournament on their home court. The Vikings are slated to take on Excel Academy at 6 p.m. in the opener, where a victory will thrust them into the tourney finals against the winner of Pioneer Charter and Boston United.
That title game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. tip on Thursday, with the consolation game running at 2 p.m.
“We haven’t played Excel before, but I’ve got some film on them from a game earlier this year and it should be a good matchup for us,” said Rockport head coach Phil Whitley.
Fresh off a thrilling 3-point victory at Pentucket — Rockport’s first such win over their Cape Ann League counterparts in recent memory — the Vikings will enter the tournament with a 2-1 overall record.
Whitley is extremely pleased with where his team’s at this early in the season, especially considering many of his players were on the golf or soccer squads in the fall and really hadn’t picked up a basketball until tryouts.
“Most of our guys are three-season athletes and historically we kind of come to the party late in the year and hit our stride in January,” said Whitley. “So it’s a great thing that we’re 2-1 heading into the tournament and looking for a pretty good season ahead of us.”
Junior captain Josiah Whitley, the coach’s son, is a name to watch for the Vikings. He hit seven threes in the down-to-the-wire win over Pentucket and according to his father, “is starting to heat up.”
Soccer standout and senior captain Ed Merz, who scored 20 goals this past fall, is a gifted athlete whose skills translate beautifully to the hardwood.
“He had a great game defensively for us against Pentucket; he’s a super fast guard and really does a lot of good things on the basketball court,” noted Whitley.
The healthy return of senior captain Brooks Slingluff has provided a big boost as well. A starting forward, Slingluff suffered a herniated disc and had back surgery last winter before appearing in the Vikings’ final two games of the year. This season, he’s back at full strength.
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Over in Gloucester, the Fishermen will once again host the BankGloucester Holiday tournament and open up against conference rival Danvers Thursday at 7 p.m. The Falcons got the best of head coach Adam Philpott‘s squad in a season opening win, 57-46, on December 12, so the Fishermen will undoubtedly be looking for some revenge.
With their young, vastly inexperienced varsity roster, Gloucester has yet to find the win column through three games. But they’ve been been uber-competitive in two of them as well as the opening half against Salem before the Witches ultimately ran away down the stretch.
Fishermen junior captain Charlie Amero remains a player to keep an eye on. A lengthy wing, Amero is supremely talented offensively with the ball in his hands and is due for a breakout performance.
Danvers, meanwhile, is off to a strong start in the Jabari Clarke era. In addition to the win over Gloucester, the first-year head coach has helped the Falcons top Winthrop (62-39) and Prospect Hill (74-42).
Danvers’ new-look group is full of athletes who have prided themselves on the defensive end and helped generate some easy looks offensively. They have shooters, too, with guys like Zach Calabro and Kevin Ahearn showing off their range early on this season.
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It may not be a tournament clash, but Wednesday’s bout between Peabody and Manchester Essex should be a great one. In particular, I’m looking at the matchup between Tanners’ standout A.J. Forte and Hornets’ star Cade Furse. Both currently lead their team in scoring and are two of the best two-way guards the area has to offer. That battle is set for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off in Manchester.
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Following an exhilarating 54-52 win over New York Military Academy on Sunday, Dec. 17 in a holiday tournament in Connecticut, Pingree will enjoy a lengthy holiday layoff before returning to action on Saturday, Jan. 6 at Holderness.
Led by Division 1 prospect Ray Cuevas of Ipswich, the Highlanders are off to a strong 5-2 start against stiff competition.
“We’ve had a schedule second to Alabama, who’s played three top 20 teams already. We’ve done virtually the same thing over the past month or so,” Pingree coach Steve Gibbs said with a chuckle.
A bug swept through Pingree’s roster earlier this season, which made things even more difficult for the hopeful NEPSAC Class B qualifiers. They’ve also lost starting guard Matt Theriault to a hamstring injury, while Villanova-bound football star Chris Colby reinjured his hand and is out for the season. In one game against Wheeler, an 87-84 double overtime loss, Pingree was down to just six rotation players, yet battled until the bitter end against a talented opponent.
With Cuevas enjoying a stellar start (he’s averaging about 25 ppg. through 7 games), the Highlanders have been able to weather the storm and are hopeful to get healthier upon their return to the court.
“When you watch Ray and his ability to not only score the ball but incorporate his teammates, lead his team on both ends and be able to take out the other team’s best player, it’s just something to marvel at,” said Gibbs. “He’s helped us have an outstanding first chapter of the season. There’s no doubt in my mind that there’s going to be a flurry of activity (in terms of Cuevas’ college recruitment) in the next month or so.”
Senior captain Charlie Lynch, a 6-foot-6 scorer, has also played extremely well. He scored 27 points against Groton Academy, is rebounding with authority, and has served as a perfect last line of defense and rim protector. Fellow senior captain Hudson Weidman was one of the Pingree players that missed time with an illness, but will certainly play an important role at both ends of the court throughout the season.
Sophomore guard Drew Mullaney has stepped up in the absence of others, taking on a starting role while Theriault works to return. Mullaney is averaging three triples per contest and, according to Gibbs, “brings a certain level of intensity and a real competitive fire” to the team.
In addition, junior guard Jack Murphy has enjoyed some big moments, including a game-winning 3-ball against St. Marks.
“He’s shooting I think 44 percent from 3-point land and is averaging 10 ppg.,” said Gibbs. “What happens is Ray gets doubled and he finds Jack, and he’s just been sensational in those situations.”
Contact Nick Giannino at NGiannino@gloucestertimes.com. Follow him on x/Twitter @NickGiannino_SN.