MIKE WILKINSON takes a pass from Max Cusack before throwing a full-court pass to De’Ari Burton in the 2nd quarter of Wakefield’s win over Lexington on Tuesday night. Wilkinson finished with 16 points. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — The 2022-23 Wakefield High boys’ basketball team started their season with a statement: A 69-48 victory over the reigning Middlesex League champions on Tuesday night at the Charbonneau Field House.
Lexington and head coach/Wakefield High alum Reggie Hobbs Jr. rolled into town coming off a 17-3 season and without a loss to the Warriors since 2015.
The Minutemen cruised past Wakefield 69-34 last year, but despite all these odds stacked against them, the home team put the league on notice with a wire-to-wire victory, taking a 22-6 lead after blizting the visitors in the first quarter and securing a 39-20 lead at halftime.
“Good team win for our first game together,” said 2nd-year head coach Colin Halpin. “I thought our defensive intensity was there from the start.”
The majority of Wakefield’s scoring came from returning varsity players and a trio that could certainly qualify as a “Big Three” this season.
Junior De’Ari Burton had a game-high 23 ponts including 5 3-pointers. Senior captain Ethan Margolis had 18 points and senior captain Mike Wilkinson had 16. All three got their teammates involved as well as the Warriors combined aggressive and relentless defense with easy transition buckets and an unselfish offense.
“Our veteran guys did a great job leading the way for us,” said Halpin.
Burton (8 pts), Margolis (6) and Wilkinson (6) set the tone from the start in the first quarter getting to the rim and knocking down four triples between them. Wilkinson got the first basket just seconds in after junior Jackson McDermott tapped it to him in the frontcourt off the tip.
A Margolis 3 and a Burton 3 from the corer made it 8-1 as the Warrior defense started turning the Minutemen over and creating chances. A Wilkinson baseline fadeaway made it 15-4 and junior Connor Mauriot earned a second chance bucket on the offensive glass, 2 of his 6 points on the night, followed by another Margolis 3 and a Burton steal and coast-to-coast finish through contact to make it 22-6.
The Warriors combated a Lexington 2-3 zone very well, highlighted in the 2nd quarter by a corner 3 from sophomore Matt Beaver after a nice extra pass from Wilkinson.
Burton, a key rotational player as a sophomore last year, showed the hometown fans that he was ready for an All-Star-caliber leap this season with a step-back 3 that got the Red Sea student section hyped up. That forced a timeout from Lexington with the score at 34-13 and allowed a reality to sink in that this Warrior squad was on a mission.
Margolis continued his strong shooting with a 3 to start the 3rd quarter.
Senior Max Cusack later picked up a steal and got it to Wilkinson who fired a full-court pass to Burton for a layup and a 53-30 lead.
It was a great example of how connected the Warriors appear to be right from the jump.
“Communication and basketball toughness are two things we talk about constantly,” says Halpin. “It’s tough to play the right way without constant communication. And in our league, you better be tough.”
Freshman Jack Millward got some minutes to learn that fact in real speed and showcased his potential with a nice drive and kick to Burton for another 3, this time right in front of the Sea and Burton later created another look from beyond the arc and couldn’t miss, knocking it down for a 59-31 lead that the Warriors would maintain into the final quarter.
“There are some things we will need to clean up on our execution, but happy with the effort. It’s always good to open with a win,” said Halpin.
The victory showcased many things about this year’s team, perhaps none more than the fact that they have a rotation that will exceed 10 players, always a sign of a good team, especially if those off the bench embrace their role to their fullest potential.
“Depth is always important,” said Halpin. “It’s a long season and roles can change throughout. It also allows us to play many different ways.”
A deep rotation aside, the Warriors will still rely on their upperclassmen and captains to provide production and leadership.
“Our three captains (Wilkinson, Margolis and John Porter) along with our other seniors (Cusack, Ian Dixon and Nathan Delgado) have set the tone for us in practice. They know what is expected of them day in and day out. Each of them has their own leadership style – and they do a nice job of holding their teammates accountable.”
Together, those leaders have spent all offseason preparing themselves and their teammates to build on last year’s exciting run to the Div. 2 state quarterfinals, which included three victories and two wild upset wins on the road over Pope Francis and Pembroke.
“Last year’s run was fun,” said Halpin. “I think some of the older guys came back hungrier. Overall, I think the culture of winning at Wakefield High drives our guys.”
That culture was certainly evident in a game one win against a Div. 1 team that nobody expects the Warriors to beat year-to-year. Perhaps Dixon, Delgado, Cusack, Beaver and junior Declan O’Callahan all members of the Super Bowl champion Warrior football team, have brought the same mentality of taking on any challenger with confidence to their basketball teammates.
With that same hard work mentality, Wakefield won’t look ahead to the state tournament or any other potential successes along the way. That’s not a good strategy in a league as tough as the Middlesex. Instead, Tuesday’s win was just the first of many opportunities to leave it all on the court, every night.
“We don’t necessarily talk much about season goals – wins and losses,” said Halpin. “One of the things we talk about a lot is being one of the hardest working teams in the state – coming to practice everyday and playing for the guy next to you, checking the boxes on the little things and making sure we compete every day.”
If those goals can be accomplished, expect the Warriors, who were listed on the bench in the Boston Herald’s first preseason top 25 rankings, to be heard.