Peabody’s Bettencourt now patrolling the sidelines at Endicott

If you?re looking for the hottest college basketball team in the area, don?t look beyond Beverly. Led by new head coach Kevin Bettencourt, Endicott College has won six of its first nine to open the season and is a contender in the Division III Commonwealth Coast Conference.
Bettencourt, the 31-year-old Peabody native and resident, is only the seventh head coach since the program started in 1994.
?I have a really special opportunity here and I?m hoping to take advantage of it,” said Bettencourt. “I was at the point where I was ready to be a head coach, and to have a job like this open up on the North Shore was perfect.”
Bettencourt needs no introduction to the local basketball cognoscenti. He scored 1,810 points during his four years at Peabody and was the Greater Boston League MVP in 2002, before going on to play collegiately at Bucknell University.
The Bison were never considered a threat to crack the NCAA elite ranks. But behind the leadership of Bettencourt, a two-time captain, Bucknell made the NCAA tournament. Bettencourt scored 19 points in an upset over No. 3 seed Kansas in 2005, then poured in 18 points a year later in a victory over No. 8 seed Arkansas. He was named the player of the game in both contests. Bettencourt graduated as the fourth-leading scoring in Bucknell history with 1,577 points.
?The biggest difference between Division I and Division III isn?t necessarily skill,” said Bettencourt. “Sometimes it?s just a little bit of athleticism or size. We still have some really good players, but they don?t have Division I size, or height or quickness. In terms of shooting, passing and intelligence, we have players who are just as good as any division.”
Bettencourt couldn?t be happier with his transition from assistant to head coach. Prior to the job at Endicott, he spent eight seasons as an assistant at Bentley University, while the Falcons went 120-60, for a .667 winning percentage.
He credits his current assistants — Andrew Habermehl and Luke Richards — as a big part of his early success.
?With a first-year head coach, it?s a change for the whole program,” he said. “We?re all learning a new system, but we?ve done a nice job so far after the first semester.
?As head coach, you?re the one making the decisions. But I have my two assistants and I rely on them a lot. One of them, Luke Richards, he and and I have had a relationship dating back to when we were in Little League. To have a guy like Luke on the staff ? someone who coached at St. John?s Prep, teaches at Lynn Classical, and has been involved with helping so many kids ? it?s a huge asset for everybody.”
Bettencourt is slowly taking steps to build a winning program at Endicott. His team is developing its own style, and he is also learning the fundamentals of recruiting future talent. While Bettencourt was known as a scorer during his playing days, a big part of his hoop philosophy is the importance of defending the basketball.
?We?ve adjusted the defensive system from last year,” he said. “We really try to protect the rim and we?ve done a nice job playing help defense. Offensively, we have some really talented players. All we talk about is trying to share the ball and help each other get the best shot we can get. As long as we keep defending and rebounding, we?re going to have a successful season.”
While Bettencourt?s playing days are through, he plans on having an even more successful career on the bench. “I?ve totally shifted to coaching,” he said. “As a player, you have control. You can get up to the foul line and knock them down yourself. But it?s a little different when you?re coaching. My goal now is to build a successful program that can compete year-in, year-out for our conference championship.”