New coach leads to same old success for Hudson basketball
By Ken Powers Community Reporter

Hudson - A new coach has led to the same old success for the Hudson High boys basketball team.

Under the watchful eye of Frank Budriewicz, the Hawks entered play this week 6-3 overall, 3-1 in the Mid-Wach C League play and riding a three-game winning streak.

Budriewicz has taken over on the Hudson bench for Bill Hurley, who retired following last season after 10 years as the Hawks coach. Budriewicz was the Hudson junior varsity boys basketball coach during Hurley's time as head man.

"Things are coming along," Budriewicz said. "We're putting things together, starting to play more consistent. We're making progress."

The Hawks' 15-man roster is a bit misleading. It features 10 seniors, but only a few saw even a little varsity playing time during the previous two seasons.

"It's the price we're paying for the success we've had the last few years," Budriewicz said. "With guys like David Opp and Cam Knights and Matt Santarpio and Nick Ghiloni on the team the last two years there just wasn't a lot of meaningful playing time for a lot of other guys. Even this year's seniors that played last year, Chad Dyer, Mike Wood and Matt Jacobs, they've already played more this year than they did all of last year."

All three start, Dyer at shooting guard, Jacobs at center and Wood at forward. Rounding out the starting five is sophomore Anthony D'Amico, who plays point guard, and junior Nick DiBlassi, who serves as a second shooting guard in Hudson's three-guard off ense.

Dyer and DiBlassi are each averaging between 18 and 20 points per game.

Other seniors on the Hudson roster are reserve centers James Reed and Joe DeMarco, twin brothers Chris and Evan Alphonse (who both play guard), Kyle Woodbury, who is the backup point guard, and reserve forwards Ethan Casucci and Lou Orsatti.

Rounding out the team is junior forward Jodi Callahan, sophomore guard James Scovil and freshman Jack Sprague, a point guard who splits his playing time between the varsity and junior varsity.

Jacobs, Wood and Reed serve as the team's tri-captains.

"We're working on being patient on off ense," Budriewicz said. "That's been a struggle for us so far. We haven't been consistent with that. Early on we were having games where we'd score 17 points in the first half and 47 in the second. Lately we've been much better about coming out and playing our style from the opening minute to the final whistle."

Budriewicz said the season, thus far, has been a learning experience for everyone involved. As he is learning his way as a first-time head coach, the players on the team are doing the same either playing varsity for the first time or playing significant minutes for the first time.

"We're all kind of feeling our way along," the coach said. "For me it's been good, but there's been an adjustment because there are a lot of things at the varsity level that require your attention that a junior varsity coach doesn't have to bother with."

As for Hurley, he's not really gone: he serves as a scout for Budriewicz and the two talk almost daily.