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WESTPORT, Conn. A year and a half ago, Doug Scott took on the boys varsity basketball coaching job at Greens Farms Academy. To describe his talent cupboard as bare would be an understatement. The team had just finished a 1-14 FAA season. The best player from that squad had transferred out before Scott arrived.
Since then, to say that his talent situation has changed for the better would also be an understatement. In the past few months, Greens Farms has hosted dozens of college coaches and scouts checking out six different GFA players as likely college players.
When I got the opportunity here, I thought we had the recipe to build something special, Scott said. We have one of the best academic-boost schools in the area. That is hard for any recruits parents to resist. The school also has its own train station. That really broadens the area from which we can recruit from. We have a first-class gym, a tremendously competent athletic director and an enthusiastic and supportive administration and faculty. It gave me reason to have high hopes. But I did not, in my wildest dreams, think that it would turn it around this quickly. If I dont win some games with this crew, I am firing myself!
The returning cast features Brian Comey, a 6-6 senior co-captain from Westport. He has already committed to play next year at Kenyon. His classmates include Will Pavlis (Fairfield), Wills Rooney (Darien) and Christian Papic (Darien).
The junior class includes the Dragons 6-foot, 9-inch center Sean Obi of Greenwich, an All-Fairchester Athletic Association league choice last year. The other juniors include Darien transfer Patrick Ryan, co-captain Hunter Eggers of Greenwich, Van Barnet (Ridgefield) and Scottie Deutsch (Southport), who came up from last years junior varsity team.
Sophomore Matt Tate, a transfer from Greenwich, takes over as the teams point guard. Kam Mickens (Bridgeport) is also back from a promising freshman season last year. Zach Baines of Stamford could make a huge impact as a freshman. Another new face is seventh-grader Tremont Waters (New Haven), who recently won The Most Likely to Win a Division 1 Scholarship award at the prestigious 5 Star Basketball Camp.
Scotts biggest concern this year is trying to get the team to gel quickly. Our opening stretch is brutal. Starting next Tuesday against St Lukes, we play five games in eight days, Scott said. All on the road, including three buildings that no Greens Farms team has ever won in. Getting so many new teammates on the same page, running schemes that theyve never run before, is always difficult. Trying to do it against this level of competition, in this short of a time frame, will be a special challenge. But as I am telling the guys, in order to put together a truly special season, we need truly special challenges to overcome. We have that opportunity.
Greens Farms' schedule is available on the the team's website.
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