By LIAM O’BRIEN
Waltham Times Contributing Writer
One of the brilliant aspects of basketball is that sometimes a team’s offensive prowess does not always translate to victories.
It’s on the defensive side of the ball where games are won or lost.
This is where the Waltham boys basketball team will center its focus heading into the 2024-25 season. The Hawks enter the year dedicated to instilling some tenacious defensive principles after graduating nine seniors from last winter’s squad.
“Scoring is one thing that is hard when you don’t have experience,” head coach Mike Wilder said. “We have tried to focus more on defense because in order for us to compete, our games will need to be a little more low-scoring than what we’ve previously been able to do. I’ve spent so much time thinking what the best defensive strategy will be for this team.”
The upstart Hawks will be looking for a number of contributors to take the next step in their development coming off of a season in which the team won the most games in program history, including a win over Natick High School in the MIAA Division 1 state tournament.
Senior point guard Zach Jeanphilippe is the one returning rotation player and will be assuming a leadership role as the team’s floor general.
The shotmaking will come from senior captain Matt McDonald and senior Jace Meader, while the offense expects to receive a jolt from sophomore Jack Tamburro, the leading scorer on last year’s freshman team.
“This is the first team in a while where we just don’t have as much experience,” Wilder said. “It presents new challenges which are kind of fun. I’m excited about the challenge of taking a team that might not have as much experience and seeing what we can do.”
Wilder expects the starting lineup to be rounded out by senior Andrew Zinda.
“Andrew, Matt and Zach, at least they have experienced what a tournament feels like and what winning games feels like,” Wilder said. “That culture we have created will hopefully allow them to see that we expect to win even if we don’t have a lot of experience. Those five guys and anyone that can join that crew will help.”
Helping to push the youthful group forward will be the dedicated Waltham faithful, who are expected to turn out in droves for the Hawks opening game on Tuesday, Dec. 17, against Weston High School. It will be the first game for the team in the new high school and the program has plans to honor the legacy of the previous gymnasium in the process.Longtime Waltham High history teacher Jack Cox, who retired last spring after more than 40 years at the school, will be taking the ceremonial opening tipoff before the game begins. A 1972 WHS graduate, Cox took the opening tip-off in the first game at the old high school while playing for the team. Tossing the tipoff up for Cox will be former head coach Joe Cacciatore, who won more than 300 games with the school before retiring in 2015.
“Just a way to say that we are representing decades of Waltham basketball to kick this thing off,” Wilder said. “We are trying to bring in a ton of fans that night.”
Thanks for reading! We are a reader-supported nonprofit newspaper. If you value our reporting, please support The Waltham Times through a tax-deductible gift.