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Easties Eager to Hit the Court

Last year, the East Haven boys’ basketball team used a tight rotation in which only five or six players typically saw the floor on a given night. With just one player having graduated from that team, plus a bunch of new athletes in the fold, Head Coach Ricky Narracci is looking for the Yellowjackets’ newfound depth to guide them to a successful season.

Senior guards Nick Furino and Ian Reynolds will be leading East Haven as the team’s captains this winter. Furino and Reynolds are both returning starters from last year’s squad and have been playing for the Yellowjackets since their freshman seasons. Coach Narracci said that both captains bring their own style to the court and are exemplary leaders for the team.

“They’re both very dependable guys on the court and off the court. Both get it done in the classroom. They’ve been starting for a couple years now,” said Narracci, whose team went 4-16 last season. “Nick has really come on and had a fantastic year last year. Ian has the ability to really shoot the ball, which every coach loves. He has really improved over the offseason.”

Joining Furino and Reynolds in the starting lineup is senior point guard Alias Ford, who has also been with the team since his freshman year. Coach Narracci called Ford the Easties’ best athlete and said that the team tends to play well when he has a big game.

Junior guard Shea Carasone will also be back in the Yellowjackets’ starting lineup. Narracci said that Carasone came on strong last year and showed a lot of potential during the second half of the season.

Alongside those returning starters, East Haven is welcoming a few football players who are coming back to the basketball team as seniors. Trey Garea, Alex Duarte, and Larry Mingione—who were all named senior captains for the football team—are returning to the hardwood this winter. Garea is slated to be a starter for the Easties.

With COVID-19 altering high school sports across the state, Coach Narracci felt that it was crucial for East Haven to add some extra depth for the 2021 season.

“We’re really excited about this year. We’re going to be deeper. We got a few football kids that didn’t play basketball as juniors. They’re going to be back this year, and it’s going to add to our depth,” Narracci said. “We played so well at the end of last year and had so much momentum into the spring and summer. You have to be ready to be flexible with quarantines. That’s why it’s important to have depth this year.”

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) recently announced that basketball teams could begin practicing on Jan. 19 and play games as early as Monday, Feb. 8. However, the Yellowjackets will be holding virtual meetings for the next week before starting up practice on Monday, Jan. 25.

The CIAC’s winter sports plan states that basketball teams will play a maximum of 12 regular-season games, after which conference tournaments will be held in place of state tournaments. While Coach Narracci doesn’t know exactly how East Haven’s regular-season schedule or any potential postseason tourneys will look, he expects the Yellowjackets to play every game like it’s their last and show everyone in the Southern Connecticut Conference just how good they can be.

“We don’t know what the league tournament is even going to look like—if it’s going to be one tournament or if it’s going to be broken into divisions,” said Narracci. “We were really looking forward to the State Tournament this year. We thought we had a chance to really post a solid record and get a high seed in the Division IV Tournament. Last year, even with just four wins, we could have knocked off any team in the division. We were excited for that opportunity.”

Last season, Coach Narracci had to call in some alumni to play defense in practice, because the Easties didn’t have enough bodies. Now, with a great deal of depth and veteran leadership, Narracci feels confident that there won’t be nearly as many growing pains for his team this year. Narracci wants his team to carry over its momentum from the second half of last season and for his athletes to focus on the details when they’re on the court.

“Continue on where we were in the second half of the year. Our shot selection was an issue in the first half of the year. We turned that around,” Narracci said. “Rebounding as a group will be a lot better this year with the kids being a year older and a year stronger. Taking care of the ball and getting the free throw line is always key. Coming in and paying attention to details. The kids have confidence, and everybody is excited to play.”

With four out of five starters returning and some fresh faces in the mix, the East Haven boys’ basketball team is aiming to considerably improve on last year’s record and become one of the better clubs in the area. After many of his players saw their spring and fall seasons get canceled, Coach Narracci wants to make sure that the athletes on the 2021 edition of the Yellowjackets enjoy the time they spend together playing basketball.

“Given everything that has happened in this past year, I want them to enjoy this experience. You’re not going to get it back. Sometimes in life things get taken from you in a moment’s notice,” said Narracci. “Really appreciate the time you have with your teammates and coaches, putting on a uniform and representing your school. It’s going to look different and feel different, but it’s something they’re still going to remember. Don’t waste any opportunities.”