Area Hoops

By Steev Riccardo

Greeting Sports fans! With High School basketball getting underway this week at area schools, I have spent some time in some of the local gyms and last week I swear I saw the ghost of Billy Herrion nailing jump shots over at Oxford High School.

These are the kind of daydreams you have when you find yourself looking at a banner that has Herrion’s name on top and way ahead of everyone else in points scored in Oxford history.

Herrion’s name is up on the banner as the all-time Pirate scoring leader with 1500 points almost 500 points higher than anyone else in the school’s history. He was a legend and every player that has played for Oxford has seen that name hanging on the banner for the last 35 years.

Of course the gym I was in was not the same gym that I witnessed the former Oxford star and now College basketball coach at The University Of New Hampshire drop in 47 against Bartlett in a classic 85-83 double overtime win during the 1975-76 season.  The old OHS gym was a mere 100 yards away.

Herrion’s first six years at UNH have yielded numerous achievements such as being fifth all-time on UNH’s wins list (70), second all-time in wins during a coach’s first five years at UNH, and only the second coach in program history to reach 50 wins in less than five full seasons. He previously coached at East Carolina and Drexel, where his squad went to three NCAA tournaments and also had an appearance in the NIT.

This year’s Pirates open their season Friday night at Shepherd Hill looking to continue where they left off from their 14-9 season a year ago.

In Danny We Trust: Lets face it whether the Boston Celtics and The Los Angeles Lakers are winning championships or not, all eyes are on them in the off-season every season to see what they will do. This season has been no different, in fact it is been more interesting than most.  It’s a shame that the Celtics were not able to get Chris Paul or David West, but they still did a great job of bringing some good bench players. The Lakers have met a similar fate unable to land Paul when a trade they though they had completed was vetoed by the league.

Back to the Celtics and Ainge, you have to like the moves they have made so far. I have always liked Brandon Bass. He is a very solid power forward who can score and rebound.  Keyon Dooling was also a nice pick-up. He is an excellent defender and can shoot threes and just plays an all-around tough style. Finally, getting Chris Wilcox added good depth to the frontline, which will also include first round pick JuJuan Johnson.

The Celtics open Christmas day at The Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks.

Tebow: I am not a big Tim Tebow fan, never have been, but his popularity continues to grow as The Denver Broncos continue to play well. Very curious to see how he does against an inept New England Patriot defense this coming weekend. You can help but think that game will be getting a pretty viewing audience.

Oxford High Boys Hoops Schedule
Friday December 16 at Shepherd Hill
Tuesday December 20 Tantasqua
Friday December 23 Auburn
Wednesday December 28 at Nipmuc
Friday December 30 David Prouty
Monday January 2 at Grafton
Wednesday January 4 at Leicester
Tuesday January 10 Northbridge
Friday January 13 Quoboag
Wednesday January 18 Southbridge
Friday January 20 Uxbridge
Tuesday January 24 at Bartlett
Friday January 27 Grafton
Monday January 30 Millbury
Saturday February 4 at Auburn
Monday February 6 at Uxbridge
Monday February 13 at Millbury
Wednesday February 15 Northbridge

Bartlett High Boys Hoops Schedule
Friday December 16 at David Prouty
Tuesday December 20 at Leicester
Friday December 23 Northbridge
Friday December 30 Quoboag
Tuesday January 3 at Blackstone-Milville
Friday January 6 Southbridge
Tuesday January 10 at Uxbridge
Friday January 13 at Douglas
Monday January 16 at Auburn
Wednesday January 18 at Grafton
Friday January 20 Millbury
Tuesday January 24 Oxford
Friday January 27 at Shepherd Hill
Monday January 30 Tantasqua
Thursday February 2 David Prouty
Monday February 6 Leicester
Thursday February 9 at Quoboag
Monday February 13 at Southbridge
Wednesday February 15 Worcester North

Shepherd Hill Boys Hoop Schedule
Tuesday December 13 Millbury
Friday December 16 Oxford
Friday December 23 at Tantasqua
Wednesday December 28 at Quoboag
Friday December 30 Auburn
Wednesday January 4 at Quabbin
Tuesday January 10 Leicester
Friday January 13 at Northbridge
Friday January 20 at Southbridge
Tuesday January 24 at Uxbridge
Friday January 27 at Shepherd Hill
Monday January 30 Grafton
Thursday February 2 at Auburn
Friday February 3 Shrewsbury
Monday February 6 Tantasqua
Wednesday February 8 at Leominster
Sunday February 12 Quabbin

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