Bishop Guertin's Brad Holler tries to pass the ball.
Getting nine high school basketball players to show up for what amounts to an exhibition game during the heart of the summer is just short of a miracle.
Getting 18 of them to show very well could be one.
The later has been the case for Bishop Guertin boys coach Jim Migneault for most of the team’s summer games in the BST Southern Division. In the Cardinals’ most recent game, only nine players could make that week’s matchup against Milford at Rivier College, but that wasn’t a surprise to Migneault.
“We had some football players who are at a camp,” he said. “That’s seven kids right there. I had one kid who had a root canal. What did we have, nine? That’s the lowest total we’ve had. We get our kids here, we get participation, we’re working.”
While most of the other teams are getting a couple of their key returning players, allowing younger players to play with guys they might not have an opportunity to play with, BG is getting ready to improve on a season where it reached the Class L semifinals.
“I think we’re getting ready for the season,” Migneault said. “That’s what we’re here for. We’re working on things.”
Like a zone defense, which Migneault wanted to put in against Milford just to see how his players would react.
“I liked it,” Migneault said. “We’re going to be pretty good. Now we’ve got 18 kids trying out for 15 spots. I don’t say you have to come out. But if you don’t, and those other kids are, you may fall behind them. There can’t be any arguments over it because they’re here working.”
Could they compete?
A matchup of the defending Class I champion, Milford, and a semifinalist from Class L, BG, would pack the house at either gym. During the summer, it’s fun to see.
“But it’s still fun,” Milford’s Jamie Holder said of being the only returning Spartans starter in attendance. That’s what I want to do (play during season). We’re familiar with some of them.”
“They could compete in Class L,” Migneault said. “The difference between L and I, when I’ve gone to watch, L is a little more physical. Class I is a little more finesse. They’re very talented kids, so they’d definitely compete. They work hard, so they’re going to be good.”