Congratulations to the Saint James School basketball teams on another great season! We had 4 teams qualify for the State Tournament this year – an incredible accomplishment!
On Monday evening, we had our end-of-season banquet for the Varsity players and their families. We would like to thank ALL of our awesome coaches for volunteering their time and talents to our players.
VARSITY PROGRAM:
Coaching at the Varsity level especially can be quite a time commitment and we are so grateful for those that stepped up to lead our Sabers!
Our Boys Varsity Gold (8th Grade) team had a strong season, finishing the regular season with an amazing 20 wins, which includes a 2nd place overall finish in the MLK Tournament in January! The team enjoyed a 14–2 record in our league (1st place!) and a #1 seed in the State tournament.
We’d like to recognize head coach Jay Smith for all the time and energy he put in to coaching this great group of boys! Not only has Coach Smith coached for several years, but he has also mentored Christian Tjagvad, a 2021 SJS graduate, as his assistant coach for several years. Finally, a huge shout out to Chelsea Lowe, who has been with this group of players for several seasons. All three coaches played an important role in the team’s successful season, while ensuring they played the game with integrity and good sportsmanship.
Our Boys Varsity Blue (7th Grade) team also had a great season, with a league record of 10-6, which earned them a spot in the State Tournament! The coaching staff of Phil Miller, Steve Joyner, and Brett Thompson, who have been with these boys since the developmental program, were joined this year by Ray Martin, providing the boys with a great balance of experience, energy, and leadership. Together, they emphasized skill development, teamwork, and sportsmanship, helping their players continue to grow both on and off the court. The team showed steady improvement throughout the season, competing hard in every game. We are looking forward to another great year from this team and their coaches next year.
As previously detailed, our Girls Varsity team had a wonderful run this year, with an undefeated regular season that continued all the way to the State championship game, and earned them a spot in the New England Championships. Thank you to the coaching staff of Nate Fennimore, Timothy Burdick, and Josh Padilla – all first year coaches for SJS – for all the time that they have devoted to this season!
JV PROGRAM:
Our JV Teams also enjoyed their basketball seasons this year and were all led by amazing coaches who have laid a strong foundation for these players in the years ahead. A special shout out to our Girls JV Gold team on their 4-1 league record, which earned them a spot in the State Tournament!! Another huge Thank You to JV Girls Coaches (for both teams) Tim Devanney, Ken O’Hara, and Brian Lysik and for the boys team Adam Nielsen, Leo Palliardi, and Daryl Dwyer for making the season so fun and positive for our players! Whether it was offering encouragement during difficult moments or celebrating progress along the way, their support has made a lasting difference.
In keeping with tradition, we hosted a special luncheon for our JV players during school hours. Here are a few fun pics:
DEVELOPMENTAL LEAGUE:
Lastly, but certainly not least – THANK YOU to our boys developmental league coaches: John Callahan, Erik Copeland, Tim Devanney, Husnain Kermalli, and Matthew Leitao. Our Saturday League program, which also included our sister school, Saint Bridget, and Saint Paul School of Kensington this year, is a great way for students to learn the game and develop foundational skills in a fun atmosphere!
