There may not have been much in the way of basketball summer leagues, fall leagues, captain’s practices or open gyms this year. For some teams, the preseason has consisted of just a few skills and drills practices with little in the way of scrimmaging or game-like situations.
For a while it looked as though a season wouldn’t happen. While there remains unanswered questions and some uncertainty, after endless planning Franklin County basketball teams take to the hardwood tonight for the first games of a shortened winter season.
“[Normally] we’d be a month and a half into our season now,” Mahar boys basketball coach Chad Softic said. “In that way it does feel like it’s been very quick. We’re just trying to make it fun, get the kids in shape. It’s my OCD as a basketball coach that I’ve had to put it aside. I can’t get caught up in all the little details, we’re just going to play basketball.”
As of Monday, Athol, Franklin Tech, Greenfield, Mahar, Mohawk, Pioneer, Turners and Hopkins Academy are all slated to compete in the newly-created Franklin County League. Frontier is currently on pause as the Deerfield Board of Health has not given the green light yet to competition against other schools.
Things have changed quickly in a COVID environment. Last week there were eight games scheduled for opening night, but due to multiple cancellations and postponements, there are now just four varsity games on tap tonight. Both the Greenfield boys and girls teams are taking on Mahar, the Hopkins boys are playing Pioneer and the Franklin Tech girls will square off with Athol.
“Everything can change at a moment’s notice,” Franklin Tech girls coach Joe Gamache said. “Some people are going week-by-week, others day-by-day, but we’re going minute-to-minute. Day in and day out, we’re just doing the best we can. We’re going to play to compete and win games but it’s mostly about getting the kids playing and getting them active.”
Each team is hoping to play an eight-game regular season, with one game against each opposing school in the “bubble.” There won’t be any MIAA sanctioned tournaments at the end of the season, so teams won’t be playing for a shot to make it to the Cage.
Instead, there is scheduled to be a single elimination tournament at the end of the season between all the teams. While there isn’t a state or Western Mass. title at stake, teams in the area are still planning to compete hard.
“We’re holding the same expectations for our team,” Softic said. “We’re not going to waste our time. We’re not going to go into the gym and not play our best. You can only control what you can control and we want to win and play Mahar basketball.”
For players looking to achieve individual milestones like joining the 1,000-point club, the shortened season isn’t ideal. Still, there are other goals to work toward, and coaches have said that their players are thankful to be able to compete in games, period.
“The kids set their own goals every year,” Franklin Tech boys coach Tim Artus said. “They’re competitive. They’re setting goals to accomplish things. Even if there’s no state tournament, for the seniors that’s a huge loss, but they’re still competitive people. If they see an opponent in front of them, they want to win. They want to play, they want to be in the gym but if we’re playing games, they’re going to compete hard.”
As to how the games will work, players will wear masks at all times, while also adhering to the safety protocols put in place by the state.
The limited preseason has been spent going through all the modifications with players, getting them into playing shape and used to running with a mask, as well as getting used to having a basketball back in their hands. For some players, it’s the first time they’ve been on a court since the season ended last March.
“The kids are doing a great job of being respectful and adhering to all the modifications and safety rules,” Softic said. “They’re getting used to the mask. I think they’re having fun, it’s just good to be competing again. It’s tough to maintain the intensity at practice without having a game to look forward to.”
With no fans allowed, this season won’t have packed, rambunctious student sections making as much noise as possible when the other team is shooting free throws. The play might be sloppy at first, there won’t be any under the basket sets to get easy buckets, and there won’t be any mystical postseason tournament runs to the Cage. There won’t even be any jump balls.
It may not look like the traditional game of basketball we’ve become accustomed to, but at the end of the day, teams will be playing games against one another and that’s better than nothing, according to coaches and players.
“Having the kids back in the gym, you can see them smiling behind the masks,” Artus said. “They’re doing everything they’re supposed to do, they’re buying in completely. Playing with a mask, it’s not fun for them. Running with a mask obviously isn’t their first choice, but if it’s a choice between wearing a mask and not being allowed in the gym, it’s an easy choice for them. They aren’t complaining and doing everything they’re told to do.”