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04/06/2017 12:00 AMAfter missing the bulk of his junior campaign with an ankle injury, Mike Gagliardi wanted to make the most of his senior year with the North Haven boys’ basketball team this winter. Mike’s effort both on and off the court was evident throughout the season, earning him the Most Improved Player Award for the Indians.
“It means a lot because it really shows no hard work goes unnoticed. Last year, I missed most of the season with a broken ankle and didn’t get to contribute. It really made me feel good that everyone noticed how much I improved, so I could do my part for the team,” Mike says. “Last year, it was hard to watch, because I wanted to be back out on the court so bad. With my ankle, I was cleared about eight games into the season, but had to go through physical therapy, which took forever. I rushed to come back and kept on tweaking it, so it was just a mess.”
However, the 2016-’17 campaign went much more smoothly for Mike, who featured a balanced stat sheet by averaging 6.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game for North Haven. As a team, the Indians were struggling with a record of 5-9 entering the home stretch of the regular season, but they won their last six games to make the playoffs—an accomplishment that means a lot to Mike.
“It meant a lot because a lot of people counted us out. No one really thought we’d get back, but we went on a six-game winning streak to get into the tournament,” says Mike. “We then held our own and showed people we deserved to be there.”
Justin Falcon, who recently completed his second year as head coach of North Haven boys’ hoops, describes Mike as the ultimate competitor and says that he worked tirelessly while displaying great determination throughout the campaign.
“Mike showed so much heart. His effort at every practice and in every game was evident to everyone watching. Mike led by example,” says Falcon. “His effort every day earned him his time in games. Vocally, he was an advocate for being good teammates and always having good energy. Mike hated to lose more than he loved to win.”
Mike knew that diving on the floor, boxing out for rebounds, and hustling up and down the court would earn him minutes for North Haven this year. Mike did all of those things, while always believing that his team would find a way to succeed.
“I think I make the greatest impact with my hustle and ability to keep chasing the play, not give up on the ball. For example, this year, in the last game against East Haven, when the ball was rolling out of bounds, I dove for it and knocked it inbounds for us to score,” he says. “Like I said, my hustle, people took after that. They were going along with the play and I think I have a good energy for the team. Everyone stayed up, even though we were down, and nobody gave up on the game.”
Mike has played basketball since he was in 5th grade, and he’s gone through a few positional changes throughout his career. Mike ultimately became a guard, although he’s learned the skills to play every position on the floor.
“When I was younger, I used to be a center, but transitioned into being a guard. It was difficult at first, but luckily, I was never an awful dribbler,” he says. “Getting by people took time to get used to. Being quicker, faster, and stronger with the ball really took some time. I always had help with my teammates.”
Aside from basketball, Mike is also a doubles player on the North Haven boys’ tennis team. Mike appreciates how he’s picked up that sport and knows it’s something he can play for many years on a recreational level.
“I played with my friends before and it’s just a fun sport you can play your whole life,” says Mike. “The team is a positive team and nobody gets down, so the fact the energy is like that, tennis will always be fun for me. It makes me want to play it even more.”