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12/29/2023 02:53 PMHeading into the season for any team with an entirely new starting lineup is hard at any level, but the Guilford Grizzlies boys’ basketball team, determined to push back this obstacle, has made a smooth transition so far this winter.
After losing eight total seniors from last year, including all five starters that produced two All-Conference players, the 2023-2024 Grizzlies are off to a 2-1 start this season, under Head Coach Jeff DeMaio.
Returning players for Guilford who are expected to step up and lead the team this year are seniors Lucca Rivera and Jaco Corso, the only two seniors on the roster. Rivera is the captain of the team, and is expected to utilize his knowledge and experience to help guide his younger teammates.
Guilford opened up its season with a 60-38 loss to the Xavier Falcons on Dec. 14. The team had a good first half and had a 29-23 lead at halftime, but suffered a second half meltdown, in which they were outscored 37-9. Following the loss, DeMaio expressed that consistency will be the key moving forward as the Grizzlies hope to punch their ticket to the postseason on the hardwood.
“Xavier is very tough, well coached, and very disciplined,” said DeMaio. “We played a solid first half in which we led 29-23, however, the second half was a very different story. We failed to execute, and Xavier was very efficient on offense. We need to play 32 minutes each game night.”
In the Xavier game, Rivera led the team with 11 points and five rebounds, with junior Noah Young adding eight points and four rebounds.
Two days later, the Grizzlies proved their resiliency and responded to the season-opening loss with a 65-52 victory against the Portland Highlanders on Dec. 16. The Grizzlies were propelled again by strong performances from Rivera and Young. Rivera scored 25 points, grabbed five rebounds, and dished four assists, while Young had 17 points and seven rebounds.
While trying to maintain that level of consistency that DeMaio coveted, the team carried over the success into the next week, as they defeated the Branford Hornets 60-45 on Dec. 22 before Christmas break. Rivera set a season-high for points with 36, and junior Jake Hedge was effective down low, recording nine rebounds.
DeMaio shared that the primary reasons for Guilford being able to pull out the two wins were their ability to step up on the defensive side of the ball, and getting good looks at the basket on offense.
“We came out very strong vs. Portland, and we hit some shots which always helps,” said DeMaio. “The same is true with Branford. We made some shots and defensively, we are starting to get a little bit better, but there is still much work to do on the defensive end.”
While the goal for any team is to make a deep playoff run and to stack up well against fellow conference foes, DeMaio additionally hopes to see his players give 100% effort no matter what, and to not take their feet off the gas.
“We keep the same goal each year for our program,” said DeMaio. “The goal is to qualify for both the SCC and state tournaments, which takes eight wins. We try to stay focused, to keep things simple, to work hard, and to improve everyday.”
Guilford will have a lengthy break from their win against Branford until their next game against Cheshire, an intermission which they hope to keep their skills sharp and not forget about the end goal. The next contest for the Grizzlies will be after the New Year, when they face Cheshire on the road on Tuesday, Jan. 2.
Long breaks can sometimes prove to be detrimental to a club as they try to get back into the swing of facing live competition, however, DeMaio is confident his team will be focused and ready to attack a long and rigorous stretch of contests in the early days of 2024.
“We took three days off: 12/23, 12/24, 12/25,” said DeMaio. “We then have some time to add some wrinkles into our offensive sets, and to watch some film. We come back with six games in 10 days from 1/2 to 1/12, so we need to be ready.”
Guilford Grizzlies 2023-2024 Regular Season Results and Schedule
Dec. 14: Xavier 60, Guilford 38
Dec. 22: Guilford 60, Branford 45
Tuesday, Jan. 2: at Cheshire at 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 5: vs. Hillhouse at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 9: vs. Jonathan Law at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 10: at Wheeler at 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 12: at Sheehan at 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 18: vs. Wilbur Cross at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 23: vs. Daniel Hand at 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 26: at Branford at 7 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 29: vs. Cheshire at 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 2: at Hillhouse at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 6: at Jonathan Law at 7 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 8: vs. Sheehan at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 13: at Xavier at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 14: at Platt Tech at 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 16: at Wilbur Cross at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 20: at Abbott Tech at 6 p.m.
The Guilford Grizzlies boys’ basketball full team roster is comprised of seniors Lucca Rivera and Jaco Corso; juniors Anthony Cerino, Noah Young, Zachary Young, Max Freeman, Metages Ivy, Liam Cain, Jake Hedge, and Quintin Gray; and sophomores Patrick McGowan, Carter Gagnon, Andrew Voytek, Max Steffen, Finn Matlosz, Cameron Forester, and Wesley Tandler.