Wareham Boys Basketball Going for First State Title in 13 Years
It's been quite a ride for the Wareham boys basketball team.
The Vikings marched into the Final Four and took care of business. They arrived in Bridgewater-Raynham last night with a strong contingent of fans, filling up nearly three-quarters of the huge gym.
They didn't waste time, jumping out to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter. This one was never even close with the Vikings nearly doubling up Millbury 60-32.
"It almost felt like a home game for us," Vikings head coach Stephen Faniel said. "The crowd was so loud and so into it. Wareham High School sent fan buses up to Bridgewater for Wednesday night, and they'll be doing the same for Sunday afternoon. It means a lot to the team."
It's a good thing they'll be sending up fan buses because a trip to Lowell is a lot farther than a trip to Bridgewater.
Sunday's game will be held at Tsongas Arena, named after former U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas.
So, how do the Vikings match up against Springfield International Charter School?
Faniel says his team has some work ahead.
"They're very long and athletic," he said of Springfield. "They've got two really big guys that can handle the ball. They're well-coached. They've had a really great season."
Make no mistake about it. Faniel isn't satisfied.
"The goal is not just to make it to the state championship, the goal is to win the state championship," he said.
The Vikings haven't gone this far in the state tournament since Faniel took over coaching from Kevin Brogioli, whose last name is a part of Wareham basketball royalty. The only other times the Vikings won their way into the big dance they were led by names including Tavares, Rezendes, Pina and Gray.
This year, they're hoping for the same results as their predecessors with names such as Cote, Lopes and the Pittmen twins.
Faniel said he hopes his defense will step up again against the bigs on the Springfield team. Tipoff is Sunday afternoon at 2.