The North Branford boys’ basketball squad will be looking to replace three graduated seniors from last year’s team as it heads into the 2021 season. With two new senior captains leading the charge, Head Coach Cliff Yerkes wants the Thunderbirds to improve on the court as they enjoy playing the sport of basketball this winter.

Now that Mike Sitro, Bret Fee, and Josh Brigido have all graduated, senior guard Trevor Holzer and senior wing player Blake Pearson have been appointed as North Branford’s captains for the upcoming campaign. Holzer has been with the program for the past three years and played the point guard position for the T-Birds last season. Pearson entered his junior year as a JV starter and a varsity sub, but became a starter on the varsity team during the second half of the season, earning a larger role in North Branford’s ranks.

“Trevor has been in the program for three years. He played a lot of varsity as a sophomore. He’s a fiery point guard and he is a competitor. He takes a lot of pride with himself and the team,” Coach Yerkes said. “Blake was mostly a sub and a JV player last season until the last 10 games. He got a lot of valuable experience. He is a great kid and a tremendous student. He’s a very intelligent player.”

Fee and Sitro served as North Branford’s captains last year. Aside from their leadership, both athletes stood more than six feet tall, helping the T-Birds excel in the paint. As Coach Yerkes looks up to make for lost size on his roster, he’s been reaching out to athletes from different sports, including football, to try out for the basketball team.

“We aren’t going to be big. I am working on trying to get some different athletes to try out for the team, some football kids,” said Yerkes, whose team went 6-14 last season. “They have been saying they’ve been interested for years and, now with football canceled, they’re looking to get some high school competition in. They’re really good athletes, and they’ll help us this year.”

North Branford will also be bringing back sophomore post player Jack Meehan this year. Meehan saw some varsity playing time as a freshman, and Coach Yerkes described him as a confident defender and a player who doesn’t back down. The T-Birds will be also be returning sophomore guards Ben Stegina and John Onofrio, who each earned their varsity letter as freshmen. Coach Yerkes is expecting both Stegina and Onofrio, along with junior wing Ryan Monde, who saw varsity playing time last season, to have bigger roles in 2021.

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference recently announced that basketball teams can start practicing on Tuesday, Jan. 19 with games beginning on Monday, Feb. 8. Following a maximum 12-game regular season, conference tournaments will be held in place of state tournaments. While the schedule may look different than in years past, Coach Yerkes said that the T-Birds feel thankful for the chance to take the court.

“We’re thankful for the opportunity that we get to play. We have gratitude. We’re going to take it day by day, realizing that we can get shut down like that,” Yerkes said. “Every practice, every game these boys have could be their last one of the season. It’s a great life lesson to appreciate where you are and live in the moment.”

Coach Yerkes is hoping that North Branford can improve upon its shooting this season, while developing a more balanced offense across the board. Yerkes knows that the T-Birds need to have multiple scorers and manufacture baskets if they are going to be successful. Defensively, Yerkes wants North Branford to be ready to run and apply pressure no matter the opponent.

As North Branford looks to improve in these areas and on their overall record, Coach Yerkes wants his players to appreciate this season first and foremost. The T-Birds have seen how COVID-19 can affect athletics, and Yerkes wants them to use the season was a way to band together and have a good time.

“I want this to be fun. I want it to be enjoyable,” said Yerkes. “Obviously, we’re going to work at practice at being the best we can be, but we’re going to have joy playing the game and competing. I don’t want kids getting caught up in things that will add stress to their lives. I know what this is doing to high school kids. I want this to be a stress reliever.”