The stage is set for the Holbrook Boys Varsity Basketball team as they enter the 2022-23 MIAA season.

They’re almost 9 months removed from a playoff loss in the second round against a well balanced Baystate Academy team.

Offseason Recap

High School basketball isn’t always an easy ride for smaller schools. With Holbrook being a much smaller school in a very competitive division you find many players leaving to further their academic and athletic careers. In years past we’ve seen many young players like Duane Thompson, Jamari Robinson, and Winston Legentus depart from Holbrook Basketball. During this offseason, Holbrook lost rising star and a key rotational bench player in Shamar White to CATS Academy in Braintree.

With White’s departure from Holbrook came one more bump in the road for the 2022 season. Daveon Scott (Sr. G) went down with a complete ACL tear during the 2022 football season after awkwardly landing on his knee, in a week 2 game against the Atlantis Charter Tritons. Scott’s injury and White’s departure were the two key losses for this Bulldogs team.

With the Bulldogs not having many holes to fill in their lineup or roster, they still made efforts to strengthen their core.

New Additions

After a 1 year stint with the Blue Hills Warriors, Cameron Campbell (JR.) has returned to Holbrook to fill a big 6-man role. The 6’2 Small Forward played a key role for the Blue Hills Warriors starting lineup last year.

Notable key additions to the roster include Tyler Davis (Sr.) and Marquis Dobay-Lindsay (Sr.).

Key Returners

The Bulldogs retained all of their starters from last year with notable names including Owen Burke (Sr.), Armani Perkins (Jr.), Malachi Desire (Sr.), and Allen Brown (Fr.).

Chuck’s Predictions

This Bulldogs team easily looks like one of the best in the Mayflower League. With an aggressive and lethal offense that includes 3 great shooters in Armani Perkins, Owen Burke, and Allen Brown. In a win against Diman last year, Armani Perkins dropped a season high of 37 points. And if that wasn’t enough offensive firepower, Owen Burke dropped 30 against South Shore Voc-Tech in mid-December. Even with all of this offensive magic, team chemistry and DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE is what wins the Bulldogs games. With a couple of 2 point and 3 point losses last year, the Bulldogs can not afford to do the same this year. With the Bulldogs finishing last year’s regular season (11-8) the MIAA power rankings did not do them any favors matching them up with a team that was 3 hours away. The Bulldogs need to capitalize on offense and maximize their defense in order to have a successful season. They opened their season at Calvary Chapel on December 9th, which came to be the same team that snapped their six game winning streak last season. The Bulldogs also lost both games against Calvary Chapel last year.

If the Bulldogs can remain consistent on both sides of the basketball and that includes limiting turnovers this can be a very successful and winning season. The schedule includes many tough games and opponents with notable teams being Bishop Connolly, Wayland, West Bridgewater, and Diman.

My ceiling for this Bulldogs team is most certainly 16-5 and my floor is 12-9. Securing a playoff spot will not be a challenge. And easing through the first two rounds shouldn’t be, either. Anything beyond that is surely up in the air.