The Boothbay boys basketball team will look to use size to improve on last year’s 5-13 record that saw them fall one spot short of making the playoffs. The Seahawks placed 12th out of 16 teams in Class C South, with the top 11 advancing to the postseason.
The boys program graduated five of the top seven scorers from last season, including Tyson French, Aidric Canada, Spencer Wenners, Braden Davis, and Maddox Cusumano. Second leading scorer Simeon Bates is back, along with Peyton Barter, who tied for sixth best as a freshman.
While offense is important toward a winning formula, head coach Dan Hallinan thinks his team needs to focus on another key aspect of the sport in order to make it back to the playoffs.
“The key to success this season will be finding our identity from a defensive standpoint,” said Hallinan. “We have a young group with only three seniors, but they are eager to learn and implement our system.”
Hallinan expects that Bates, a senior guard/wing/forward, and Barter, a sophomore point guard, will join 6’6” senior forward/center Harry Hinckley as the key impact players on the team.
This year the Seahawks have another tall, strong player in junior Aiden Locke, a football lineman who is expected to help Boothbay win battles in the paint.
“Our size is a strength of the team this year,” said Hallinan.
Hallinan has named Barter, Hinckley and Bates the captains of the team this year.
Other returning varsity players include Ethan Clark, Lessie White, Chase Carver, and Chase Licursi. The seven new players to the varsity roster include Spencer Wood, Thomas Hennessey, Aiden Jewett, Myles Murray, Cale Rogers, Locke, and Alex Ross.
Hallinan will be supported again this season by JV coach Ed Crocker and assistant coach Kevin Ames.
The Seahawks will open the regular season at home with a game against Lisbon on Friday, Dec. 5.
