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03/25/2017 12:00 AMIn the scope of a singular season, the Guilford boys’ basketball squad notched another double-digit win total, while earning SCC and State Tournament berths this winter. In the grand scheme of things, the Indians further demonstrated why they’re a burgeoning program and basketball community that’s building toward an even higher plateau.
Head Coach Jeff DeMaio and the Indians finished with a record of 15-5 for the recent regular season, earning home games in both the SCC and Class L state tournaments. In the first round of SCCs, Guilford took a 55-50 defeat to Fairfield Prep. Then as the No. 8 seed in states, the Indians hosted a pair of matchups and recorded a 71-54 victory over Platt in the first round—marking Guilford’s first State Tournament win since 2003. Guilford then took a 79-67 loss against Windsor in the second round to finish at 16-7 overall.
Coach DeMaio said the Indians accomplished a lot by continuing to establish themselves as a force in the SCC this year. He added that the ride was an enjoyable one for the team and its fans.
“We looked at our schedule this year with the new [divisions in the SCC] and we didn’t want to put a certain number of wins on it, but we knew we could win a number of games and we did. We wanted home SCC and State Tournament games and we got that. It was a very satisfying season. But we still have that desire, knowing we could’ve went further, and want to go further in the years to come,” said DeMaio. “Any time you can set goals and attain them, it’s a fulfilling year for not only us, but the whole community. We consider ourselves a program, not a team, that hopes to remain competitive in the years to come.”
Guilford remained in the SCC Hammonasset Division this season, but was grouped with several new tenants in Fairfield Prep, Xavier, Cheshire, and Sheehan. The Indians sharpened themselves for the playoffs by facing some tough regular season adversaries and showed great character by beating some of the SCC’s upper-echelon squads.
“We had some moments this year when something special happened. We had a big road win versus Xavier, 48-47, which was a big spot for our guys on the road versus a traditional Class LL powerhouse. Any time you sweep your rival Hand, which is something we haven’t done since I’ve been here, it’s big, especially for the seniors. The level that we played at against high-quality opponents, it shows a lot about where the program is now and where we hope to be down the road,” said DeMaio. “Also, looking at the overall culture here and how our crown looks for a game in our gym, it’s a huge accomplishment having that support.”
Senior guard Jordan Krause displayed the deepest dedication for the program while serving as the Indians’ lone captain this winter. Guard Nick Zoarski, guard/forwards Ben Cousins and Ben Levy, forward Johnhenry Andrus, and forward Greg Sullivan rounded out Guilford’s six-man senior class. Coach DeMaio said that all of his senior athletes understood their roles in the lineup and played a big part in helping the squad’s younger talent develop.
“When you look at what Jordan has done for the program, beyond the career he had for himself, it’s so impressive. He had a huge year and was the leader of our team in many ways,” DeMaio said. “Each of our seniors had a different role. We had a lot of younger guys that played a lot of minutes, yet the seniors were a huge part of the team.”
For the Indians’ varsity team awards, Krause was named Guilford’s Most Valuable Player, Levy took home the Sportsmanship Award, and sophomore center Ian Slattery was selected as the squad’s Most Improved Player. For those same distinctions on the JV level, junior guard/forward James Hyman won the Sportsmanship Award and sophomore guard Ryan Costanzo was named the Most Improved Player. Krause and junior center Noah Rubino both earned All-SCC Second Team honors, plus Krause and Sullivan were named New Haven Tap-Off Club Scholar Athletes.
The Indians are saying good-bye to great group of six seniors, but the good news is that they have plenty of underclassmen who earned their varsity stripes this winter. Consequently, the experience factor is something that looks to bode well for Guilford in the 2017-’18 campaign.
“Even as soon as the season is over, you are always thinking about next year,” Coach DeMaio said. “Our schedule remains the same. We do return a ton of people with a lot of experience, so we again will have high expectations for the program.”
From the Sidelines
After having missed the SCC Tournament in 2011, 2012, and 2013, Guilford qualified for the league draw for the third time in the last four seasons this year.
The Indians finished fourth in the SCC Hammonasset Division with a mark of 3-5.
Guilford’s five losses all came against divisional foes in Fairfield Prep, Sheehan, and Cheshire.