Byline: Jim Wilson
COLUMN: HIGH SCHOOLS
OXFORD - Oxford High coach Al Greenough has been waiting a long time to make the Clark Tournament.
During his years as a standout player at West Boylston, his teams never qualified for the Clark. When he took the reins as coach at Bay Path, he did so knowing vocational schools aren't eligible to play in the Clark. After three seasons as the coach at Oxford, Greenough's teams never had enough wins or enough luck - the Pirates lost a coin flip for the eighth seed two years ago - to qualify.
This year Oxford earned an invitation, but the Pirates will have to play Greenough's alma matter in the first round.
"I've been going there as a fan to watch the Clark since I was 4 years old, and it's kind of ironic the first year we qualify to go to the Clark as a team, we have to face my old school," Greenough said. "It's a unique situation."
Greenough graduated from West Boylston in 1986 and for his last two seasons as a Lion, Paul Constantino was the West Boylston junior varsity coach. Constantino took over the head job in 1989 and has been there ever since, guiding the Lions to the top seed in the Small Schools bracket three years in a row and winning the tournament last year.
"I have an awful lot of respect for (Constantino) and how he's built his team," Greenough said.
Greenough inherited a senior-laden team in his first season with the Pirates in 2005, but Oxford lost that coin flip for the Clark. It turns out that close call motivated his younger players.
"Ever since that moment, those sophomores have had it in their minds that eventually before they graduated they wanted to get there," Greenough said. The Pirates, who haven't played in the Clark since 2004, earned the No. 8 seed this year with an 11-8 record. That spot pits them against West Boylston (17-1) and its star forward Michael Dziczek, who is averaging 17.4 points per game.
"He's one of the best players in Central Mass.," Greenough said. "He's 6-foot-6 and he can play inside and outside, and that presents a lot of problems."
The Pirates have the size to match up with the Lions, but Greenough is more concerned with the speed of West Boylston's guards - 5-foot-4 senior Michael Chevalier (10.3 ppg) and 6-foot junior point guard Ryan McKernan - on the spacious Kneller Center floor.
"The quickness they possess at the guard positions, that could create some matchup problems for us," Greenough said. "A lot of their kids go overlooked as they have some very talented players and they like to run and they get out there on the break. If you're not prepared for that, they're going to get up and down the court on you."
Oxford has a weapon of its own in senior forward Mike McDonald, who Greenough said has matured as the season progressed.
"He's averaging about 16 points a game and he could probably get more than that on certain nights, but he's really developed into a team player and a leader," Greenough said. "He's looking for a lot of other guys on the team now because he's realized a lot of the other teams are looking to stop him first."
Greenough has enjoyed watching 6-foot-6 senior center Joe Piscitelli turn into a strong player. Piscitelli is averaging about 10 points and 10 boards per game, and Greenough is hoping he can handle Dziczek.
John Burke averages about 11 points per game and Greenough said he is one of the smartest players he's ever coached, a prototypical player who does the things that don't show up in the box score. Sophomore point guard Matt Bixby was thrust into the starting role last year, but Greenough said he has improved each game.
If - and that's a big if - Oxford can contain Dziczek, the Pirates will still have to contend with 6-foot-3 junior Shane Sampson and 6-foot-1 senior Eric Rosiello in the West Boylston frontcourt. Greenough's Pirates are hoping their experience in the SWCL East, a six-team conference in which four teams might qualify for the postseason, will help.
"Every game was a battle this year and the kids played hard, so we had to play that kind of basketball ourselves," Greenough said. "We're not a team built on scoring, that's for sure. We're defense-oriented and on good nights we hold teams to the 40s and 50s. If we can do that Sunday, then hopefully we'll have a shot."
Greenough admitted it will be a little strange to finally step on the court for a Clark game and see the blue and white West Boylston uniforms on the other side.
"My whole life I've always considered myself a West Boylston Lion, and I've followed them ever since I moved out to Charlton and started coaching at Oxford," Greenough said. "But for one night I'll definitely be bleeding orange and black."
NAME: OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL
ART: PHOTOS
CUTLINE: (1) Oxford is concerned with the speed of West Boylston's guards, including 5-foot-4 senior Michael Chevalier, right. (2) Oxford will have its hands full with West Boylston star forward Michael Dziczek, who is averaging 17.4 points per game.
PHOTOG: T&G Staff/JIM COLLINS