Now Jackson, a 6-foot-5-inch senior forward, is one of the more established pieces of a roster that has grown deeper with talented players transferring in over the past two years.
Josh Campbell, a high-flying 6-3 guard from Plymouth, led the Bishops with 18 points per game last season and has rounded out his game. Andres Espaillat, a reclassified junior guard from East Bridgewater who transferred from Rivers, is contributing at both ends.
And Archbishop Williams has several players who have been developing in the program, including sophomore point guard Julian Sustache (Easton) and senior point guard Charlie Conners (Dorchester), who missed most of last season due to injury.
For fifth-year coach Brian Holden, depth has been an asset during his team’s first 5-0 start since 2006, but selfless play has been the key.
“We have nine guys capable of scoring and capable of guarding different positions,” said Holden, who graduated second on the program’s career scoring list in 1990. “When you might not have a few guys shoot that well, you still have four or five other guys that are picking up that slack and that’s what’s happened throughout the first few games. It speaks volumes to us being unselfish.”
The sole newcomer this season is Tristan Rodriguez, a 5-9 guard from Braintree who has taken the Bishops’ on-ball defense to another level. Rodrigues set the tone in early practices and the opener against Bishop Fenwick, which helped the Bishops hit another level defensively in a 70-40 win over Cardinal Spellman on Dec. 16 — pulling away with a dominant second half after going into the break tied, 24-24.
“I think a chip has been [on his shoulder] all along,” Holden said of Rodriguez. “He’s just a pest to play against. He gets in your shirt and makes you work from baseline to baseline. As long as he remains disciplined, he’s a very good on-ball defender.”
Holden has had his alma mater on an upward trajectory for a few years. After going 12-7 during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, the Bishops started 4-1 last season and won their first state tournament game since 2015.
Now Archbishop Williams is a statewide contender in Division 3 and one of the top teams in the Catholic Central League. For players such as Jackson, the program has become a source of community.
“Archies has become a second family for us,” said Jackson as he prepared to watch his sister help the girls’ team to a 61-49 win over Scituate Thursday. “They’ve accepted me when nobody else would, and they’re helping me get to the next step of my life.”
Campbell is leading Archies with 18.2 points and 8 rebounds per game, and he’s shooting 58 percent from 3-point range, while only playing 21 minutes per game because of the team’s depth.
Archbishop Williams has had at least four double-digit scorers in all five games to start, with junior Tommy McDonagh averaging 8 points off the bench, senior forward Nate Pelton pitching in 9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, and senior captain Jack Solomon trading turns with Rodriguez as a defensive stopper.
Whether they’ve been with the program for four years, or joined last season, those nine players are showcasing their talents on both ends of the floor.
“It’s always fun to prove yourself,” Campbell said. “It might be hard in the first week or two, but the harder you work, the more you can make a name for yourself. When your teammates see how hard you work, then you get their respect, and that makes you closer as a team.”
Courtside Chatter
⋅ New Dartmouth coach Nick Simonetti has his alma mater flying up and down the court during a 6-1 start. With juniors Hunter Matteson, Adam Magower, and sophomore guard Aiden Smith leading the way, Dartmouth is averaging 74.4 points per game. Following a Southeast Conference tilt against New Bedford on Jan. 7, Dartmouth will dedicate the court to former 28-year-skipper Steve Gaspar, who coached Simonetti (2014) during a standout high school campaign in which he became a 1,000-point scorer. “That will be really special, because he was my coach for three years.”
Games to watch
Tuesday, Newton North at Worcester North, 7 p.m. — The Tigers made it to the Division 1 state final last year and are coming off an overtime victory over Catholic Memorial in the Garden City Classic, while Worcester North is widely regarded among the top teams in the state.
Thursday, Fenway at Burke, 5:30 p.m. — The Bulldogs (4-0) look like the top team in the Boston City League and will have a tough test from a Fenway squad that won four straight before losing to Cony High in Augusta, Maine, over the break.
Friday, Taunton at Franklin, 6:30 p.m. — This begins a huge two-game stretch for Taunton, with Mansfield on deck the following Tuesday. Junior Troy Santos is off to a red-hot start for Taunton and Franklin has tons of young talent.
Friday, St. Mary’s at Cathedral, 6:30 p.m. — The Spartans dropped their league opener to Cardinal Spellman, played three tough games in Florida, and got it done against Bishop Stang in their return to MIAA play. Reigning CCL co-MVP David Brown Jr. is still injured, giving Cathedral a very real chance to take down the defending D3 state champs.
Friday, Central Catholic at Andover, 7 p.m. — These teams met last Friday with Central earning a 62-50 win for third place in the Commonwealth Motors Classic. There will be no shortage of familiarity when they face off in an official Merrimack Valley league game this week.
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