The Cathedral boys’ basketball program has long been overshadowed by its female counterpart.
The Cathedral girls three-peated as Division 4 champions last winter, their seventh title in nine years. Meanwhile, the boys’ program, which entered the D4 tournament as the 21st seed, was bounced in the round of 16.
But when you peer down the Cathedral boys’ bench, you’ll spot a highly qualified coaching staff seeking to shift the culture.
Second-year coach Tyron Boswell is a former assistant at Rhode Island under Dan Hurley, now a two-time national champion at UConn. Boswell has coached at the high school, prep, junior college, and Division 1 ranks.
This season, former Rhode Island stalwart Jared Terrell joined the staff. A 1,754-point scorer at Rhody, Terrell appeared in 14 games with the Timberwolves in the 2018-19 NBA season.
Eastern Mass. boys’ basketball: Players of the Week for Jan. 7-13
Boswell coached Terrell in the AAU ranks from eighth grade through high school, then again when he joined the URI staff ahead of Terrell’s junior season.
“It’s a surreal moment to be like, ‘Wow, I get to do this with someone who’s like a son or a nephew to me,’ ” said Boswell.
The staff also includes Jeff Cannon, a former All-American coached by Boswell at Roxbury Community College, who went on to earn a Division 2 scholarship at New Haven, and Mykel Derring, a former state champion at Brighton and Division 1 player at Merrimack.
“There isn’t a better staff out there. No way,” said Boswell.
Born and raised in Boston, Boswell has built his staff with intentionality.
“I hire like-minded people who are from the community. Representation matters,” Boswell said. “Young players have to believe in who’s teaching them. When they see coaches who’ve been successful and genuinely care, they push harder — not just in basketball, but in life.”
Ranked 18th in this week’s Globe Top 20, Cathedral is off to a 6-1 start — a leap from a pedestrian 11-8 season a year ago.
The biggest difference has been the intensity and attention to detail at practices. Boswell, like Hurley, places a larger emphasis on practice than anything else.
“He instilled in me what hard work looked like as a coach,” Boswell said of Hurley. “Practices were harder than games. The same way you see him practice at UConn is the same way he did at URI. It was just grittier.”
The program is run like a college team. Weightlifting, film sessions, college sets, and an in-depth scouting report ahead of every game.
“The way we prep, it just feels like a college system,” said junior guard Gino Davis.
A few weeks ago, the Panthers were invited to attend a Boston University men’s basketball practice.
The biggest takeaway: “I feel like it’s the same thing we do in practice,” said senior guard Dimitri Mendes. “Their attention to detail. They take no plays off.”
That attention to detail has been incredibly important to Cathedral’s strong start. The Panthers have won four games by 4 or fewer points.
The Panthers take pride on the defensive end, aggressively pressuring the ball handler, not allowing middle penetration, and helping the helper. They buy into the idea that defense leads to offense, prefering to exploit teams in transition.
“Anybody on the team can go get a bucket. But it’s like, what are you willing to do on the defensive end?” said Mendes. “We’re a fast team, and not a lot of teams are going to be able to keep up with us.”
Cathedral has been led by Davis (16 points per game) and Mendes (14 per game). Senior Aiden Burris, a North Quincy transfer, classmates Z’Yarh Brown, TraVaughn Williams, and freshmen Jahmari Harrell and James Cannon have provided key contributions.
The Panthers, who struggled to find postseason success in Division 4, have now made the jump to Division 3. Unfazed by the competition that awaits them, they firmly have their sights on raising a banner.
“We talk about it every single day. We manifest it every day. We’re going to win a state championship,” said Mendes. “But everyone has to fall in line. The bike can’t move if one leg of the chain is broken. So everyone got to stay locked in and play their role.”
Courtside Chatter
· Sunday’s Greater Boston League matchup between Medford and visiting Somerville at Cousens Gymnasium (Tufts) will be free to the public, with donations accepted to the Somerville and Medford food pantries. The boys’ game tips at 1:30 p.m. after a girls’ matchup starts at noon.
“Getting a chance to compete in the Tufts Classic means everything to our kids,” said Somerville coach Mark Antonelli. “Growing up a few blocks away, Cousens Gym wasn’t just a building, it was a place you dreamed about competing in. To step onto that floor wearing your hometown colors, in front of family, friends, and people who helped shape your love for the game, is incredibly special.”
· Central Catholic senior captain Javi Lopez became the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,505 career points after dropping 33 in a 67-60 win over BC High Sunday . . . Beverly senior Jacob Klass hit the 1,000-point mark in Friday’s 67-59 loss to Salem, then led the Panthers to a bounce-back win with 31 points and six assists Tuesday against Gloucester. Salem (6-0) took down the NEC leaders behind 25 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 steals from junior Elian Rodriguez, who is closing in on 1,000 points himself. Nate Lane (13 points, five rebounds) and Matt Kenney (11 points) had key contributions and Cesar Mesa Castillo hit a clutch 3-pointer.
· Attleboro coach Mark Houle topped 400 career wins Friday with a 75-51 victory over Hockomock rival and defending Division 1 state champion Franklin.
Games to watch
Friday, No. 13 Beverly at No. 10 Masconomet, 7 p.m. — Coming off a loss to No. 4 St. Mary’s on Monday, Masconomet will try to get a signature win.
Friday, Plymouth South at Hanover, 7 p.m. — The leaders of the Patriot Fisher division look to take control of the standings.
Sunday, No. 6 Attleboro at No. 8 Bishop Feehan, 6 p.m. — Crosstown rivals meet in a big-time nonleague clash featuring two of the top skilled forwards in the state in Attleboro’s Ladainian Rodrigues and Feehan’s Brody Bumila.
Monday, No. 2 Bridgewater-Raynham at No. 9 New Bedford, 6:30 p.m. — The Whalers are coming off a big week with two wins over ranked opponents and look to avenge their sole loss in a home game against the Trojans.
Tuesday, Lawrence at No. 1 Central Catholic, 7 p.m. — The Lancers could come into this MVC rivalry bout on a hot streak if they can extend their five-game win streak with a home win over No. 5 Andover on Friday.
Correspondent Nate Weitzer contributed to this story.
Sign in to read the full article.
Sign in with Google