BY CHARLIE ADAMS, THUNDERBOLT SPORTS MEDIA
With the 2021-22 seasons now in the rear view mirror, now is a great time to look back at both teams’ years and highlight some of the big stories and key moments that defined these teams’ campaigns.
IMAGE: Naz Milien '23 led the boys' basketball team in scoring during the 2021-22 season, while Kathy Hernandez '22 was one of the best pure point guards in the state.
Starting Up
The boys led off the season with a solid 19-point victory over East Greenwich, led by Naz Milien’s 16-point game on the back of four 3-pointers. Despite losing their next game to still -undefeated LaSalle, they bounced back and won four straight games, including both of their games in the Cranston East Holiday Tournament. Sitting at 4-1 (2-1 in D-1), and averaging 67 points per game, the team looked ready for the turnaround season the program desperately needed.
The Lady ‘Bolts started off similarly through their first five contests. After dropping their first game to an experienced West Warwick squad, they strung together three strong wins. Despite dropping the final game of their holiday tournament to their cross-town rivals, they were still in good shape, sitting at 3-2 on the season. Led by their big three of sophomore Mya Jimenez, senior captain Kathy Hernandez, and the newly transferred junior Aydan Gulliver, all averaging between 10-15 points per game, they showed some great promise for what was to come.
Turning Point
Five games into the season, each team sat with positive records entering 2022. Celebrating the new year, both teams seemed to say, “New year, new me”, although to differing results.
The Boys’ Skid
It’s hard not to look at the January 6th game against Woonsocket as where it all started to go downhill for the boys’ team. A varsity player testing positive for COVID-19 and contact tracing resulted in six players, including 4 of their 5 best 3-point shooters at that time, being ruled out. Not allowed to reschedule, East was forced to scramble together a roster, stopping the JV game at halftime and calling up five players to fill the gaps.
In a game that seemed doomed from the start, East fought back from a large deficit to come within four points in the fourth quarter. However, destiny was not with them that night, as Connor Chambers was called for a charge on a play that would’ve certainly resulted in cutting the deficit to just two points. After that call, Woonsocket closed the game out at the line, 64-47.
Following this loss, East fell into a deep rut. Giving up more points, and scoring less, they lost seven straight games before beating North Kingstown 55-40. The team that once was 4-1 had fallen to 5-8 (3-8 in D-1).
The Girls’ Streak
Following a loss to a strong Juanita Sanchez team that placed them at 5-4, the girls turned a corner. They won five games in a row, but they weren’t just winning. They dominated. Through this streak, they outscored their opponents by an average of 23.4 points per game, including a near 40-point beat-down of Prout in which they led 43-6 at halftime.
Unfortunately, the girls’ streak was ended by then-undefeated Rogers High School, but they were still 10-5 on the season and looked very good as they geared up for the final four games before playoffs. Playing three straight games without Gulliver threw the team out of sync, and despite grabbing playoff wins in both the Divisional and Open State Tournaments, the Lady ‘Bolts never found the same crispness they had earlier in the season.
Winding Down
It was a tale of two sides of a coin between these two teams this season. The girls qualified for their divisional playoffs, finishing with an overall record of 13-10 (10-7 in Division II). After knocking off Chariho in the opening round, they went down at eventual Division II champion Juanita Sanchez, 54-27. Given Juanita Sanchez’s place in the state Final Four, that loss is hardly unforgivable.
The Lady ‘Bolts qualified for the state open tournament (Rhode Island's version of the NCAA Tournament) for the first time since 2017 and ran Toll Gate out of the gym in an opening round contest, 58-32. Hernandez had a career night with 29 points, including seven 3-pointers in the blowout win.
Their season came to an end in the Sweet Sixteen, playing well but losing at the Division I champion and #1 overall seed, North Kingstown, 66-38.
It was the opposite for the boys, who finished 5-15, winning just that lone game against North Kingstown since their COVID-19 outbreak against Woonsocket.
Milien finished as the leading scorer for the boys with 13.5 ppg. Connor Chambers was named First Team All-Division I-D, while Milien and Donnell Williams were named to the second team.
For the ladies, they were led by Gulliver’s 13.2 ppg, and had Jiminez named First Team Division II-B, Gulliver and Hernandez named to the second team, and Thamia Perez named to the third team. Hernandez and Jiminez were later named to the Division II third team, while Gulliver was an honorable mention selected.
What Went Right
Not much, at least for the boys’ team. Of course, there were some highlights, especially during the first five games. They played good, aggressive defense, trapping the ball carrier at half-court and forcing turnovers. They were even doing well with offensive rebounds at the start, and got strong bench support all season long.
The girls also brought aggressive defense, running a full-court press right from opening tip-off at times. Their big three brought the majority of the scoring, but the rest of the roster did their part. Seniors such as Trinity Saab and Perez have stepped up at times to make big shots and contribute off the ball. Credit also has to go to the freshmen on the team. Many of them, especially Bella Dupret and Jadah Johnson-Scott, played significant minutes and have key roles for this team. All of these freshmen come from the AAU program founded by Coach Jhamal Diggs. Being able to work on basketball with some of his players year-round has had to be huge for the team and the strides they have made.
What Went Wrong
The boys had a lot of struggles this season, beyond winning games. They were consistently out-rebounded and frequently turned the ball over. They had subpar shooting, both from the free-throw line shooting 58% on the season, as well as inside and around the paint. Made free-throws and layups would have kept the ‘Bolts in several of their games, possibly changing the outcomes of their closer losses.
The girls had a solid season and probably maximized their potential for this season. Other than their late season stumble, the Lady ‘Bolts beat the teams they should have and were a step behind the upper echelon of the state.
Looking Ahead
Looking to next season for both teams, they should be in good shape as they’ll be keeping the majority of their rosters. The boys’ team will keep all their guards besides Ruben Figueroa; however, they are losing their top three big men (Chambers, Williams, Jack Neville). The girls team is in a similar position, losing Hernandez, Saab, Perez, and Bethanie Jean-Phillipe. They will have Gulliver for one more year and her quest to reach 1,000 career points, as well as Jiminez for another two. The experience gained by their freshmen class, especially Bella Dupret, should be invaluable for the team moving forward.
The future is bright for both teams and, although the girls may be closer to glory, the boys have shown glimpses of what the future holds. The boys’ junior varsity team’s performance this season should excite any Thunderbolt fan. They’ve got explosive scorers in Lorenzo Flores and Jaden Quiamco, talented 3-point shooters who will look to take their game to a higher level next season.