Sophomore duo leading the way for Pilgrim

By Jacob Marrocco
Posted 1/7/16

It’s safe to say the immediate future of Pilgrim boys’ basketball is in good hands.

Pilgrim, the reigning Division III champion, remains undefeated atop the standings and owes a great deal of …

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Sophomore duo leading the way for Pilgrim

Posted

It’s safe to say the immediate future of Pilgrim boys’ basketball is in good hands.

Pilgrim, the reigning Division III champion, remains undefeated atop the standings and owes a great deal of that to a pair of breakout sophomores.

Guard Matt Woods and forward Tyrone Weeks play different roles for the Pats, but both are integral to the team’s pursuit of a repeat this season after earning its first-ever basketball championship.

“We’re like brothers,” Weeks said of his chemistry with Woods.

“We know where we’re gonna be,” Woods said. “We like playing with each other, I think that’s the biggest thing. We like playing with each other, so it’s easy.”

Woods has taken on the role of holding down the opponent’s best player, formerly held by now-graduated senior Chris Duchesneau. So far this season Woods has some impressive defensive performances on his résumé. Woods held Division I West Warwick’s Matt Grenier to just seven points in Pilgrim’s holiday tournament win over the Wizards on the road.

“He’s been doing a great job,” Pilgrim head coach Mike Batalon said of Woods. “He gives us a lot of energy, he guards the other team’s best player, and he’s done a nice job for us this season.”

In one of his toughest matchups of the season on Dec. 23 at Johnston in a D-III championship game rematch, Woods was tasked with covering Ryan Yankee. Yankee is one of D-III’s best scorers and capable of taking control of any given game, but he was held to 13 points by Woods. Pilgrim would go on to win that game in comeback fashion, 55-49.

Woods has contributed to a strong overall defense for the Pats, who have allowed just two teams to surpass 50 points against them. Pilgrim continues to improve on a game-by-game basis, and so does Woods.

“I’ve done all right,” Woods said, assessing his performance so far this season. “I think I can improve in a lot of areas, but I feel like I’m holding my own right now. Big shoes to fill.”

Weeks may have the title of best overall player in the division. The 6-foot-2 forward had his most eye-catching performance at Johnston, where he scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half to almost single-handedly lead the Pats’ offense to its come-from-behind win.

The reserved big man has led the Pats in scoring on nearly every night, and his size and reach amount to several blocks and rebounds per game as well. Most recently, in a 57-38 win against Paul Cuffee on Tuesday night, Weeks had one of his lower-scoring efforts with just 11 points. However, he added nine blocks, five rebounds and three steals for an all-around contribution.

“He’s been our best player all season,” Batalon said of Weeks. “He helps us offensively and defensively. If he has an off night, it’s going to be tough for us.”

He is one of the few players in D-III who has the ability to take control of a game, and it shows in his numbers. Weeks averages more than double the points of the next closest scorer on the Pilgrim roster, and on a rare off-night for scoring he can still fill the stat sheet in other categories.

His outside shooting has improved from freshman to sophomore year, too, most evidenced by his ability to convert from beyond the arc. It was his corner 3-pointer in the waning minutes against Johnston that put Pilgrim ahead for good, 52-49.

“To be a guard, more like a guard,” Weeks said of what he worked on between his first and second years. “I’m not really that tall, so act like a guard.”

Woods has slotted well into the top defensive guard spot once held by Duchesneau, and Weeks will continue to round out his game to become an even more dynamic force for Pilgrim.

With youth leading the way, Pilgrim could be on its way to a repeat.

“We gotta keep working hard,” Woods said. “We’re not done yet.”

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