Youth basketball shoots for development in the Tri-town

Youth basketball season has begun in the Tri-town and the Old Rochester Bulldogs third and fourth grade youth basketball team traveled to Wareham to hone their skills in hopes of one day playing for the high school team.

The game, played Sunday, Jan. 4 was a “new experience” for many of the kids, according to head coach Patrick Reedy because it is their first season playing together.

“We’re really trying to build for the future,” Reedy said.

Despite how new basketball is to many of the kids, Reedy said he is already seeing growth one month into the season.

“They’ve taken to instruction really well and they’re coming together as a team and supporting each other which is very good to see,” he said.

So far this year, team members William Boucher and Levi Soares said they both “love basketball.”

“It’s a good sport and I liked winning our first game,” Levi said.

When not playing in their own games, both said they sometimes go watch the Old Rochester Regional High School games and hope to play for the school one day.

“We just have to keep practicing and practice everyday,” William said.

The high school is coming off back-to-back state championship appearances under the 2024 coach of the year Steve Carvalho. Reedy said while high school is many years away, developing his players to maintain the high standard at the high school is one of his goals.

“These kids have grown up watching those teams the past three or four years and idolizing those kids so the goal is to develop them for the future,” Reedy said. 

In order to help that development, Reedy said he has the team learning the basics of basketball, like how to dribble and pass, but more important building team chemistry.

“This is the same group of kids they’ll be playing with through high school so developing team chemistry is very important,” he said.