Dartmouth High School boy's varsity basketball coach hopes players give it their all
Julian Raymond blocks another player. Photos by Kat Sheridan
James Gilberg attempts a basket. 
Jace Pina dribbles the ball.
Jace Pina wrestles for the ball.
James Gilberg attempts a three-pointer.
Julian Raymond blocks another player. Photos by Kat Sheridan
James Gilberg attempts a basket.
Jace Pina dribbles the ball.
Jace Pina wrestles for the ball.
James Gilberg attempts a three-pointer.
The basketball season is just starting out, but after the Dartmouth High School boy’s varsity team a 41-68 loss to Aponnequet Regional High School on Saturday, Dec. 27, Coach Nick Simonetti is hoping the team plays hard and gives it their all.
Reporter Kat Sheridan talked with Simonetti to see how he feels about this season and learn more about the team.
Q: How are you feeling about the season?
A: Not great right now, if I’m being completely honest. I don’t think effort is fantastic. We’re not the biggest team, so we have to play extra hard which is not the case. I thought the first game of the year we played very hard, and now it’s kind of just steadily declines. I don’t think we played very hard since.
Q: How do you plan to improve on this?
A: It’s got to come from the. I need to see some efforts, just some hearts. I think playing hard is a skill, and I think we do have that skill. It’s just at some points we pick and choose when we want to play hard.
Q: How do you improve on this skill?
A: It starts in practice. They have to practice hard, if they don’t practice hard it translates over to the game, which it did show today.
Q: What’s the plan to improve gameplay during the season?
A: Making sure we know what to do offensively and defensively. Like I said, playing hard, if we play hard we can play with anyone. But if we don’t play hard, then it’s going to be tough for us to get some points.
Q: What are some of the strengths in this team?
A: I would say our defense, but today it wasn’t great, but I do say when we play hard defensively we are a hard team to score .
Q: What are some of the weaknesses for this team?
A: Heights, we are tiny. My tallest guy is like 5’9” and in basketball, that is very tough to do.
Q: What’s the goal for this season?
A: Game by game, play hard. Hard as we can, see what we can do. Obviously, the object is always trying to make tournament, but I just want to see this improve every game, every practice, and that’s kind of the main goal of it.
Q: What’s unique about this team?
A: We are very young. I only have three seniors, two juniors, the rest are made up of sophomores and freshmen, which is by far the youngest team I’ve ever had.
The next home game will be on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 11 a.m. against Bishop Stang.
