Same impact, different uniform for Weeks

By Matt Metcalf
Posted 2/9/17

Tyrone Weeks made a name for himself on the Rhode Island high school basketball scene over the last two seasons, helping to guide Pilgrim to a Division III title in his freshman season, and leading the Pats to their second

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Same impact, different uniform for Weeks

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Tyrone Weeks made a name for himself on the Rhode Island high school basketball scene over the last two seasons, helping to guide Pilgrim to a Division III title in his freshman season, and leading the Pats to their second consecutive state tournament appearance as a sophomore last season while averaging a team-high 18.1 points per game.

Fast forward to this season and Weeks is still getting it done on Rhode Island high school basketball courts, just in a different uniform.

Weeks transferred down the road to Bishop Hendricken at the start of the school year, and he’s been more than a welcome addition for the Hawks’ basketball program.

His debut would have to wait nine games, however, due to transfer requirements. For someone who lives and breathes the game, that span of nine games felt like an eternity.

“It was long and hard,” Weeks said of the nine-game absence. “I just went hard in practice to make sure [my teammates] were ready to do what they needed to do.”

Weeks became eligible for Hendricken’s game at North Kingstown on Jan. 25, and the Hawks would need him, as the Skippers handed Hendricken its first loss of the season, 85-68, back on Dec. 21.

Weeks made his presence felt instantaneously, netting 12 points in the Hawks’ 50-46 road victory over the Skippers.

Since then, the Hawks have been on a roll.

They currently obtain a seven-game winning streak, and are a perfect 5-0 with Weeks in the lineup, grabbing wins over two of the top teams in the state in North Kingstown and East Providence.

Weeks has failed to score in double figures just once in five games, falling just shy with nine points in a lopsided win over Coventry at Brown University on Jan. 29.

In the other four games, Weeks has posted 12, 16, 15 and 15 points, averaging 13.4 points per game while complimenting leading scorer Justin Mazzulla (19.7 PPG) admirably.

“I feel good,” Weeks said after Hendricken’s 67-37 win over East Providence on Tuesday. “It took a couple of games to get the rust off, but I feel better now.”

Weeks didn’t want to take any credit for Hendricken’s recent success, rather he noted that hard work in practice and developing team chemistry are a couple of things that have helped the Hawks put together their winning streak.

“Practices,” Weeks points to as a key to Hendricken’s success lately. “We just stick together and play as a team.”

There’s no question that Weeks has given Hendricken the boost it needed after dropping two of its first seven games.

His versatility at both ends of the court has meshed well with Hendricken’s defense-to-offense style of play.

As he displayed while at Pilgrim, Weeks can score both inside and outside, while also having the ability to guard bigs down low with his length and guards with his quickness.

On Tuesday night against East Providence, for example, Weeks registered five steals in the first half while playing at the top of Hendricken’s full-court press, but he also pulled down five boards in the paint amid the bigs.

Weeks has simply strengthened Hendricken’s case as being a legitimate state title contender this season.

“We have him up at the top of the defense, and he’s able to use his length and athleticism,” Gomes said of Weeks. “Even when he doesn’t get a steal, he gets a deflection that leads to a steal, or he’s putting a guy in the right spot for a trap. We’re able to do things now that we weren’t able to do prior to [Tyrone] becoming eligible because he brings that facet to both sides of the game, offensively, and more importantly, on defense.”

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