When discussing the 2023-24 boys basketball season, the two local programs everyone seems to want to talk about are Pioneer and Greenfield. 

It’s easy to see why. Greenfield reached the Western Mass. Class C championship game and qualified for the state tournament, where it won two games before being knocked off by Maynard in the Round of 16. Impressive as that was, the Green Wave were able to do that with their three leading scorers — Jon Breor, Caleb Murray and Caleb Thomas — all being sophomores. Now a year older and with its core back, Greenfield looks like a team that will be tough to beat this winter. 

Now slotted into Division 4 for state tournament alignment, the Green Wave have their eyes on bringing some hardware back to Nichols Gymnasium. 

“We are really working hard,” Greenfield head coach coach Angelo Thomas said. “We have big expectations this year. We have the whole team back and we have a couple guys that were on JV last year who will be getting significant varsity minutes. I have big expectations for this group. We have a team that can do some stuff this year. We want to win Western Mass. and make a state run in Division 4.” 

Pioneer enters the season with similar aspirations. 

Just like Greenfield, the Panthers also bring back their top three scorers from last year — juniors Brayden Thayer and Kurt Redeker and senior Josh Wood — a trio that helped Pioneer win a talented Hampshire League South, take home a Western Mass. Class D championship and win three games in the Div. 5 state tournament before falling to Maynard in the quarterfinals. 

Some teams may have been caught off guard with how well the Green Wave and Pioneer played last year, as their young cores developed quickly and led to success. Nobody will be walking into Greenfield or Northfield this winter thinking they’ll have an easy game, and managing those expectations is something Panthers head coach Scott Thayer has been preaching to his team. 

“Everybody is saying we’re going to be this and that, where we have the majority of our roster back, but every team is different,” Thayer said. “When you go from a sophomore to a junior, physically you start to mature and mentally gain more of a voice and a knowledge of who you are. People think you can just take the group you had, make them a year older and continue on where we left off last year. That’s not the case. This team needs to develop an identity and develop what it's goals will be. We feel comfortable having our core back but there are a lot of unknowns still.”

Avoiding complacency is a big message Thayer is sending to his Panther squad, which opened their season last week with an 85-40 triumph over Renaissance. 

It’s not hard to see the talent Pioneer has back. Taking things one game at a time, building a new identity and coming together as a unit are what will help Pioneer build off of what it did last year. 

“The hard work, determination, all those cliche things, they have to come in and do,” Thayer said. “We have to avoid complacency and thinking we’re where we need to be. We were an ascending team last year trying to climb up the mountain. We have to enjoy that but we’re telling the kids ‘don’t feel like you're starting at the top of the mountain.’ That’s a recipe for an ascending team and when you do that, you end up rolling down that mountain much faster than you went up it. We have to have that mental focus, stay humble and be hungry for success.”

Creating competition within the program is another way to make sure the players don’t rest on their laurels.

Thomas said all 12 players on the Green Wave roster are capable of starting on any given night. Like Pioneer, the talent the Green Wave have will give each team on their schedule headaches. Pushing them to be the best version of themselves and realize what they can be is Thomas’ job this season.

“I know what the potential for us is,” Thomas said. “We’re really looking forward to this season. We’ve had some super intense practices. I could roll out the ball, be nice and tell them what they want to hear but that’s not going to get us to where we want to be. I am going to step up my intensity. I’ll do it in a fair way but if we want to get to where I think we can get, they need to be pushed and know their expectations. Everyone has to get it, one through 12 on the roster.”

Greenfield and Pioneer aren’t the only teams with big aspirations this winter. 

Mahar and Frontier each reached the Div. 4 state tournament last year and return rosters that have experience and talent that will compete each night in what is shaping up to be another beast of a HL South along with Drury, Hopkins and Lenox. 

“It’s an excellent league,” Mahar coach Chad Softic said. “Pioneer and Greenfield deservedly will get a lot of attention based on last year and what they’re returning. I think the rest of the league will be tough. You will have to show up night-in, night-out. That’s the way you want it.”

Over in the Hampshire League North, Athol has reached the Div. 5 state tournament each of the past two years and has a group that should be in the mix to win the league.

Mount Greylock, which won the league the last two years, lost a good chunk of its roster to graduation, opening the door for the Bears. Teams like Turners and Franklin Tech are also aiming to compete in what should be a wide open league. 

“I’m very optimistic,” Athol coach Brian Patria said. “The program is heading in the right direction. Losing in the Western Mass. tournament left a sour taste in our mouth. They have a goal to get back. We’re there to make a run at Western Mass. In the meantime to get there, the Hampshire League North is wide open. We’re going to work as hard as we can to win that. Those are good team goals to have.”

Here’s a closer look at each team: 

Athol

COACH: Brian Patria

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Hampshire League North/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 12-9, lost in Div. 5 prelims

ROSTER: Ethan Bacigalupo, Hayden Barrieau, Angel Castillo, Ray Castine, Logan Cormier, Colby Goodwin, Ben Kearney, Caleb Leblanc, Landon Mallette, Aaron Ouellet, Dom Pope, Jameison Vincent

OUTLOOK: The Bears were knocking on the door of the Hampshire League North in Brian Patria’s second year running the team, finishing in a tie for second in the league. Expect Athol to be in the mix for a league title again this winter. 

Castillo and Goodwin are captains who Patria will lean on for leadership this winter. Castillo returns as Athol’s floor leader at point guard while Goodwin is a workhorse and the player Patria said is the best defender on the team. Kearney was a bucket-getter for the Bears last year, a versatile player who can score from all levels of the floor. 

Castine will be Athol’s big man while Bacigalupo will be asked to step up for the injured Cormier to open the year. 

Ouellet is coming off a stellar football season and his length and athleticism are things Patria is looking forward to working with. Vincent, Leblanc, Pope, Barrieau and Mallette will compete for minutes off the bench. 

Franklin Tech

COACH: Ryan Roberts

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Hampshire League North/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 6-14

ROSTER: Robert Belval, Cam Candelaria, Benjamin Dodge, Anthony Gallo, Alex Knapp, Tyler Lafountain, Dylan Cullen, Jack Gancarz, Levi Halla, Caleb Johnston, Josiah Little, Brayden McDonough, Gabe Mota, Jamie Muniz

OUTLOOK: Roberts takes over for Tim Artus as the Eagles’ head coach, and he coached the Greenfield JV team last year. 

Roberts will be tasked with replacing guard Ty Sadoski, who led Tech in scoring each of the past two seasons and averaged 21.4 points per game a season ago, as well as second-leading scorer Noah Ausikaitis. 

Belval is the top returning scorer for the Eagles, with Mota, Little, Cullen and Dodge all players expected to see big minutes.

Franklin Tech opened its season with losses to St. Mary’s (60-25) and Mount Everett (60-27) in the Eagle Holiday Classic. 

Frontier

COACH: Josh Morse

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Hampshire League South/4

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 10-11

ROSTER: Jack Carey, Sasha Dragicevich, Nico Fasulo, Kaisac Yath, Owen Babb, Christopher Hannum, Garrett Dredge, Alex Ellis, Tatsuya Goodrow, Luke Howard, Max Millette, Rowan Modestow, Caiden Manning

OUTLOOK: It was a slow start during Morse’s first year with the program, but he was able to get the Redhawks going in the right direction down the stretch, winning four of their final six games including their final two to finish with a .500 record and qualify for the state tournament. 

Expect Frontier to build off of the finish from last year. 

The Redhawks’ calling card last winter was their size and that starts in the middle with junior Babb, who scored 9.1 points per game a season ago. Millette, a sophomore, missed the opening of last year with an injury but came on down the stretch, while Fasulo is an athletic scorer who Frontier will rely on this winter as Morse’s young Redhawk squad looks to continue its development while competing for a spot in states. 

Greenfield

COACH: Angelo Thomas

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Hampshire League South/4

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 15-8, lost in Round of 16

ROSTER: Petru Cojocaru, Jacob Blanchard, Ollie Postera, Jon Breor, Caleb Thomas, Caleb Murray, Krish Patel, Erik Martineau, David Jung-Hernandez, Aiden Holliday, Grayson Thomas

OUTLOOK: It all starts with Breor, Murray and Caleb Thomas, who helped key the Green Wave’s success last year. 

Breor (14.6 PPG) brings size and skill inside, Murray (10.9 PPG) is a point guard who can score and distribute while Thomas (11.7 PPG) is an athletic scorer on the wing. 

Blanchard, Cojocaru and Postera are the Greenfield seniors who will have roles this winter, Jung-Hernandez is a sophomore who grew to 6-foot-7 this year and is a player the Green Wave coaching staff is excited about while eighth-grader Grayson Thomas, Angelo’s son, is someone who can help right away with his shooting, basketball IQ and passing.

“We have the pieces,” Angelo Thomas said. “We just have to put it together. If we play our roles, understand what we can and can’t do and we’ll be fine.” 

Mahar

COACH: Chad Softic

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Hampshire League South/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 11-10, lost in Div. 4 prelims

ROSTER: Will Barnes, Lucas Isrow, Caleb Rodriguez, Carmichael Thompson, Marshall Ames, Derek Collins, Jayden Delgado, Jayden Dicato, Daniel Finch, Malaki Grummell, Lian Lopez-Baez, Luan Lopez-Baez, Morgan Softic 

OUTLOOK: Size, depth and athleticism will be the calling card for the Sens this winter. 

Mahar, which moved to Div. 5 from Div. 4, will look different than it has in past years. Look for the Senators to push the pace and use their athleticism to create easy buckets offensively. 

“It’s not going to look like the typical Mahar halfcourt team,” Softic said. “It’s something I’m going to have to let go of. It’s not that we can’t be disciplined but you have to give the kids the leeway to have some creativity.” 

Morgan Softic and Isrow are reasons why Mahar wants to play more tempo, as Softic looks to utilize the speed and athleticism of their two guards. Delgado does a bit of everything from the three spot, Barnes is a long athlete at the four while Ames will replace Connor Sluder at center. 

Collins is a player who can bring offense and shooting off the bench while Lian Lopez-Baez and Finch are versatile players off the bench. 

Pioneer

COACH: Scott Thayer

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Hampshire League South/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 20-4, lost in Div. 5 quarterfinals

ROSTER: Hugh Cyhowski, Noah Gamache, Gavin Gammell, Jackson Glazier, William Glazier, Alex McClelland, Kurt Redeker, Romello Rios, Brayden Thayer, Braeden Tsipenyuk, Josh Wood, Judah Glenn

OUTLOOK: Thayer (14.8 PPG), Wood (14.2 PPG) and Redeker (12.7) are the Panthers’ big 3, each capable of carrying the load offensively on any given night. McClelland and Gammell were key role players last year and will once again be important cogs for Pioneer. 

Cyhowski started at center last year and brings size inside. As will Gamache, who bring energy and physicality. Tsipenyuk has made a jump and looked impressive in the preseason.

“We just have to control what we can control,” Thayer said. “It’s going to be a fun journey. Where it ends up we don't know. We have some kids who have improved and we like the pieces we have.” 

Turners Falls

COACH: Gary Mullins

LEAGUE/DIVISION: Hampshire League North/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 2-18

ROSTER: Cam Burnett, Caden Williams-Senethavisouk, Jackson Cogswell, Branden Truesdell, Brayden Sloan, Kessick Beck, Joey Mosca, Deven Sloan, Dylen Richardson, Kainen Stevens, Alex Quezada, Brody Girard, Trent Dobias, Davian Bala 

OUTLOOK: Mullins, the longtime Thunder coach, will be searching for scoring after Logan Addison and Levin Prondecki — his two leading scorers from last year — graduated. 

Truesdell is the top returning scorer and is a player Mullins said is showing promise thus far. Cogswell is another player who has shown promise while Mosca and Burnett are experienced seniors Mullins can rely on. 

Brayden Sloan and Bala are young players who have impressed. Turners is continuing to build its program, with nine freshmen and nine sophomores playing between the varsity and JV team.