Beacons basketball is back and ready to roll after an early exhibition game against Harvard, an NCAA Division I program. The Crimson crushed UMass Boston with a final score of 107-58 after the Beacons kept it close for about five minutes. With that being said, their competitiveness was there, crashing hard on the glass, covering tightly and forcing turnovers; they didn’t shy away from Harvard’s immense size and talent.
A new season means a new roster and the Beacons have just that; they debuted their fresh starting five, full of returning players. Head Coach Jason Harris went with a backcourt of sophomores in Davon Sanders and Raphel Laurent; Connor Walden, a senior, at center; fellow senior Carson Meczywor at the three; and back after missing much of his freshman season with an injury, was Cameron Perkins.
Raphel Laurent, the Little East Conference’s reigning Rookie of the Year, picked up right where he left off, scoring a team high of 19 points and hitting some tough shots including three from outside. Laurent landed just 10 made three pointers last year. While exhibition games don’t count toward his record, his 3/7 shooting would have been a career high.
Cameron Perkins struggled in the first half after hitting the contest’s opening three, then turned it on a bit in the second. He showed a lot of what he did last year before his injury, getting to the cup and, as a result, ending up at the free throw line. At 6-foot-5-inches, he’s a bit undersized playing in the paint, but his footwork, ability to move and mid-range game make up for it. Having him back will be a huge boost for the Beacons against the LEC — just maybe not a team like Harvard.
There wasn’t just one, but two former Rookie of the Year winners starting their sophomore seasons in this game. Robert Hinton was the unanimous Ivy League Rookie of the Year after tying the Ivy League record of eight times winning Ivy League Rookie of the Week. Hinton looked the part; he hit all of his first eight shots and finished with a game high of 21 points in 23 minutes. He’s a fast and fluid guard with a big 6’5 frame who can slash and shoot — the Beacons had no answer for him.
It was hard to come up with answers for a lot of the Crimson’s pieces, including freshman Kenan Parrish, who is 7 feet tall and 260 pounds, 5 inches taller than the tallest Beacon, Conner Walden at 6-foot-7-inches. Parrish was 5/6 and earned six shots at the stripe in 15 minutes.
The Beacons won’t have to face a team like that again this year, most likely, but might be better for having done so. An exhibition against a team like Harvard pushed them, and it’s good to be pushed early. It will help them figure themselves out, from their rotation to how they want to play.
Their rotation seemed undecided, as expected, as they welcome a roster riddled with newcomers. While UMass Boston’s starters are all familiar, regardless of some in new roles, the Beacons have nine new faces on the team. Steven Cordero, a junior transfer from Keene State, stuck out the most of their new cast. He scored six points in 10 minutes against Harvard, along with a steal and a couple of rebounds.
Their roster is younger, less experienced, but exciting and talented. They opened their season for real on Saturday, earning a 76-67 win against Curry College at the Clark Athletic Center.
