As Recorder Area basketball teams have passed the midway point of their seasons, it’s a good time to check in on the scoring leaders in the area. 

Of course, scoring leaders don’t tell a full story as there’s a lot more that goes into the game of basketball than putting the ball in the basket. It is, however, the most important skill considering if you can’t score, you won’t win many games. 

On the boys side, scoring is up this winter. As teams last winter, Greenfield was the highest scoring Recorder team at 63.9 per game. Pioneer (59.1), Frontier (58.2), Mahar (57.1), Turners (48.3), Athol (48) and Franklin Tech (37.8) rounded out the team scoring leaders last year during the 18-game regular season. 

Heading into Thursday night’s slate, Pioneer is the top offense in the Recorder Area by averaging 71.5 per game through 10 games. Greenfield is second (69.4) followed by Mahar (58), Frontier (55), Athol (52.4), Turners (49.5) and Franklin Tech (39.2). The Redhawks are the lone team that hasn’t exceeded its average from a year ago, but only by a mere three points that can easily be made up down the stretch. 

Why is scoring up? One factor is the players that returned. 

Last winter 15 boys in the Recorder Area finished the season averaging over 10 points-per-game. Of those 15, 10 were underclassmen who returned this winter and another year older, their scoring totals have gone up. 

Pioneer’s Brayden Thayer — a 1,000 point scorer — was the top scorer in the area last year at 18 points-per-game and Thayer has the early edge to regain the title winter, as the senior is putting up 22.3 per game. 

Two other locals are also scoring over 20 per game. Frontier’s Max Millette is the catalyst of the Redhawk attack and is scoring 21.9 per game while fellow Panther Kurt Redeker is averaging 20.4 per game. Greenfield’s Jon Breor — another 1,000 point scorer — is fourth at 19.5 points per game while Green Wave freshman Grayson Thomas is fifth (18).

Turners Falls’ Jackson Cogswell (15.6), Pioneer’s Alex McClelland (15.3), Mahar’s Jayden Delgado (15.2), Greenfield’ Caleb Thomas (14.5), Mahar’s Derek Collins (13.5), Greenfield’s Caleb Murray (11.5), Mahar’s Marshall Ames (10.4) and Franklin Tech’s Gabe Mota (10.1) round out the locals currently putting up 10-plus per game, showcasing the depth of talent in the area. 

It’s a different story on the girls side. 

Scoring is way down for the Recorder Area girls teams. Last winter five of the seven area teams averaged over 40 points-per-game, led by Pioneer at 52.4 followed by Frontier (48.3), Greenfield (48), Franklin Tech (47.7) and Mahar (41.2). Mohawk Trail (35.4) and Athol (27.6) rounded out the local teams. 

Only Frontier is putting up a higher total per game this season going into Thursday night, with the Redhawks (58.8) the only Recorder Area team averaging over 40 per game. 

None of Franklin Tech (37.5), Mahar (35.9), Greenfield (32.3), Mohawk Trail (30.5), Pioneer (26.6) and Athol (22.2) are on pace to eclipse their scoring marks from last winter. 

While the Recorder boys basketball teams were led by underclassmen last year, the girls teams were led by senior laden squads. Seven players averaged over 10 per game last winter but just three returned this winter. 

Combine that with Frontier — the highest scoring team in the area — has a deep lineup and has been blowing teams out in the first half and just three area girls are currently scoring over 10 points-per-game. 

Mahar’s Hayden Comeau is pacing the field, scoring 13.6 per game. Frontier’s Addie Harrington is second (11.5) while Pioneer’s Kyler McClelland is third (10.1). Franklin Tech’s Hannah Gilbert — a 1,000 point scorer — is fourth in the area (9.3) while Frontier’s Harper Modestow (9.1) is fifth. 

Power Rankings

Here’s where the Recorder Area teams sit in the latest power rankings: 

Div. 4 boys: Frontier (No. 22); Greenfield (No. 24). Div. 5 boys: Pioneer (No. 1); Mahar (No. 11); Athol (No. 28); Turners (No. 42); Franklin Tech (No. 60). 

Div. 4 girls: Frontier (No. 9). Div. 5 girls: Mahar (No. 20); Greenfield (No. 24); Franklin Tech (No. 27); Pioneer (No. 39); Mohawk Trail (No. 42); Athol (No. 64). 

Div. 4 hockey: Greenfield (No. 17)