Classical hopes to build off last year’s successful season

The Classical High boys basketball team will try and build off a solid 2007-2008 campaign that saw the Rams go two deep in the Division 1 North tournament and finish the season with a 14-10 record.After defeating Andover in the opening round, Classical lost a wild, run-and-gun 100-87 affair to Charlestown in the first round. Coach Tom Grassa has a good nucleus returning from that team beginning with his top two scorers, Jarell Byrd and Jasper Grassa. Cameron Smith, who started most of the season before being sidelined six or seven game with an ankle injury, is also back in the fold.The Rams will be without a couple of key players from last year including guard Quivari Jackson, who averaged 5-8 points per game and helped shore up the defense. Tony Johnson, who along with Jackson is playing football at Merrimack College, helped out on defense and was a force on the boards. Luis Ayala was another player who made a big contribution off the bench last year. Another graduate of the program, Sebastian Bejin, is playing football at Husson College and Alex Watler is at Harvard.”We have a decent nucleus back,” Grassa said. “We have some players who made solid contributions.”Byrd , a 6-4 junior, was a force for the Rams, leading the team in rebounds with 10 per game and in scoring with 16 points per game.”He’s also a great shot-blocker,” Grassa said. “His game has vastly improved. He does an awful lot for us.”Grassa, who along with Byrd was a Northeastern Conference All Star, averaged 15 point per game and led the team in assists. He was also a threat from three-point land (he led the team in threes).”He also makes solid contributions in terms of distributing the ball and on defense,” Coach Grassa said.Smith is coming off a knee injury he sustained against Peabody six weeks ago (in football). Grassa said he’s playing, with help from a special brace.”His strength is his ability to flash to the basket,” Grassa said, adding Smith also does a great job protecting the ball.Several other players look to figure in the mix this year including senior Chris Francois. Although he didn’t take a lot of shots, he made the ones he did take count, averaging about eight points per game.”He never looks for his own (offense),” Grassa said. “He sets picks, plays defense, rebounds. He hangs around the rim and on misses, he’s there to tap it in. A lot of people forget to box him out.”Tony Wonde is back from last year’s team. Wonde played the first 10 games for the Rams, but tore his ACL against Winthrop and was gone for the rest of the season. Classical started the season 9-1.”Tony came off the bench, similar to Chris. He’s not real tall, but he’s very strong. He uses his body to come off the glass.”Grassa said Wonde doesn’t score a ton of points, but when he gets the ball in good position, he has a nice touch from eight to 10 feet out.Grassa has a few newcomers to the varsity team – his youngest son, Nick, a sophomore point guard; junior Jared Fay, who plays the two or the three, and John Grocki.”He (Fay) has a deadly jumpshot. He could help us this year, help us break some zones,” Grassa said.Grassa said the younger Grassa has been playing well, doing a good job distributing the ball and Grocki is someone who has improved significantly from last year.”He’s a strong kid who will get some minutes when Jarell is in foul trouble,” Grassa said.Grassa said he’s hoping to challenge for the Northeastern Conference title in his last year playing in Division 1.Whatever happens, he has a number of kids who are getting heavy playing time as juniors, so the following year also looks good.