Hawks eye postseason return despite inexperience

Gone are five seniors – including four starters – and two players who received All-State recognition from a team that reached the Class M quarterfinals a season ago. That group takes with it roughly 70 percent of the scoring and 70 percent of the rebounding from a 12-win squad that was good enough to earn the No. 7 seed in the postseason last March.
It would be easy, then, for the suddenly inexperienced Hopkinton boys basketball team to lower expectations this winter.
Those who remain in the huddle, though, aren’t picking through a list of excuses just yet.
The Hawks return a trio poised to take the leadership mantle this year, and Jake Nichols – the lone returning starter, on the verge of a potential breakout season – and teammates Steve Bower and Will Hatch spent the summer working together with one focus in mind: Continuing what has become something of a Hopkinton tradition.
“The three of them understand. I talked with them this spring and said, ‘We’ve got a couple of streaks on the line, one being that we’ve been in the tournament six years in a row and another being we’ve gotten by the first round six years in a row,’” Hopkinton coach Dave Chase said. “All three of those guys figured it out. I wasn’t trying to create any pressure, I was just saying, look, if you take it for granted that this is where we are going to be, you are going to be the team that isn’t going to get there.”
There are certainly a lot of obstacles standing in Hopkinton’s way. Chase must integrate a host of new players into the rotation while dealing with perhaps Class M’s most challenging schedule, all while trying to fill the void left by the aforementioned graduations.
In order to compete the Hawks must undergo something of a facelift, transitioning from a team content to work in the half-court to a squad that looks to push the tempo.
Perhaps the most stabilizing factor is the presence of Nichols, who emerged as a legitimate threat as last season wore on. The senior swingman boasts a 6-4 frame and solid range on his jump shot, as well as the ability to slash to the hoop and mix it up on the boards.
He was Hopkinton’s third-leading scorer last season behind All-State teammates David Brandt and Dave Wood, topping 10 points per game, but appears poised for a superlative season as his role in the offense increases. He has gained attention from coaches around the state, and one local website ranked him as a player to watch and potential candidate for Class M player of the year.
With Brandt and Wood gone, though, his emergence isn’t going to sneak up on anybody.
“He’s a 6-4 leaper who can score,” Chase said. “[But] he’s not a secret. Everyone knows who he is. So what’s going to happen when he’s double-teamed: Is he going to make his teammates better, or is he going to force things.”
Bower figures to see his role increase significantly, as well. He will split time between the point and shooting guard positions, and Chase credited him as the team’s leader, referring to him as Hopkinton’s “glue.”
Hatch returns as the third member of the tri-captain group, adding some veteran leadership and scrappiness to the Hopkinton lineup.
Wood’s graduation left a large void in the paint, much of which will be filled by the return of Tom Johnson, who played at Hopkinton two seasons ago before transferring out last year. He returned to the Hopkinton district this year, and at 6-4 and 225 pounds provides an imposing presence in the lane. He and Nichols could team to form a strong inside-outside duo that will force the opposition to pick its poison.
Junior Jay LeBlanc and Oakley Garlow will see the majority of the minutes at the power forward spot, Chase said, with LeBlanc figuring to be a key contributor on the boards. Sophomore guards Billy French and Jimmy Angell make Hopkinton that much more athletic, while freshmen Frankie Beane and Jay White round out the roster. Beane will see time at the point guard position, while White adds depth to the backcourt.
Chase was forced to adapt his offensive strategy to his new lineup – most notably increasing the focus on the fast break – but the veteran coach also said this team is among the better shooting squads he’s had in recent memory, with a handful of guards that can bury shots on the perimeter.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the spotlight on defense, long a calling card in Chase’s program. With an athletic and speedy group, Chase figures to keep the pressure on as he has throughout his tenure on the Hawk sidelines.
“One thing I can guarantee is we are going t play defense,” Chase said. “I guarantee you are going to know we played you when we’re finished with you.”
That will be critical in guiding Hopkinton through a brutal schedule. Hopkinton faces defending champion Conant twice, perennial power Campbell twice, Raymond and Mascoma, and also must tangle twice with Class M newcomer and former Class I tournament team Stevens.
“Of the top 10 teams, I have 12 games against them, and that’s going to be tough,” Chase said. “But, all that means is if we do make the tournament, we’re going to be tournament-tested. My major hope is we are starting to peak by the end of the season and we’ll make it tough for somebody.”
Those tests begin Friday, when Mascoma comes to Hopkinton for a challenging season opener. Chase isn’t concerned with the outcome of that game so much as he is the finish line this season, as Friday’s showdown is merely the kickstart to what he hopes will be a successful campaign, despite the roster short on varsity experience.
“The way I’m looking at it right now is we are not going to win the championship on December 19,” Chase said of the opener. “But if we can get better every day, by the time March gets here hopefully we’ll be in a situation where we’re making the tournament. We just have to focus on every day trying to learn.”