Fast Break - 7-15-14

- Hats off to Jim Wardwell's Bay State Magic Elite 9th grade girls team. After failing to finish in the top four of the division-one state tournament earlier this AAU season, BSME bounced back to win the division-one NATIONAL championship, knocking out top MA teams along the way. In addition to being crowned National Champions, they also played up an age level at the GymRat Challenge and won that tournament. Quite a bounce back by the number one team at that age level - for now.



- MPC Elite boys 11th grade team captured the D2 National title over Who Got Game from Ohio, 67-65 earlier this week in Florida. MPC, coached by Mike Vaughan, held a three point edge with seconds to go in regulation before a ricocheted ball landed in the hand's of a WGG player and he netted a 3-pointer to put the contest into overtime. This would have been an appropriate time for MPC to fold as WGG grabbed all the momentum, but the even keeled local squad maintained composure to earn MPC a national title.

- Nobody is going to beat the Bishop Feehan girls' basketball team in the Mass Premier Courts summer league. They are too stacked. There will be no amazing story about the freshmen team beating the varsity team in the championship this summer. In their regular season meeting, the varsity team strong-armed the class of 2018 by the tune of 61-26 spanking.

- Congrats to Dan Nagle for landing the girls' varsity job (in addition to a history teaching gig) at Worcester Academy. In two years at Bellingham, Nagle compiled a 33-12 record and guided the Blackhawks to back-to-back state tournament berths after years of mediocrity. Prior to Nagle's arrival, the Blackhawks last made the state tournament in 1999. The next coach at Bellingham will have a loaded roster and just be the preseason favorite to win the TVL.

- It's about damn time someone hired Rick Patch. This North Attleboro native and former Seekonk boys basketball coach was recently hired as the East Bridgewater varsity girls coach. What a steal. Patch has been waiting patiently for an opportunity to guide another program and I wouldn't bet against him leading EB to the state tournament in year one and for years to come. He is one of the most enthusiastic motivators and successful coaches in the area. He also runs one of the best camps in the area for girls or boys. www.coachpatch.com.

- Let's give the guy a shot, but the North Attleboro hire of Derek Herber was - for lack of better words - bizarre. Given the depth of available coaching talent in North Attleboro with Rick Patch, Chris Perron, Dan Damish, Matt Forbes all connected to NA hoops in some capacity, the choice of Herber was certainly out of left field. I'm not sure if Herber can coach hoops and bring the Rocketeers to the next level, but I do know one thing: he's honest. http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/06/02/north-attleboro-loses-track-title-when-coach-reports-error/RqhTrUVsCt2XevDDsQPMpL/story.html

- Speaking of North Attleboro, how about the Honey Badgers 9th grade girls team this season? They won the MA D1 state title, Gym Rat Challenge in Albany and finished third at D1 Nationals. Sometimes I take a step back and remind myself, "Wow... They're all from NORTH ATTLEBORO." What a group they are. If North Attleboro had a stable environment on the girls side, maybe they would have all stayed at NAHS.