WINTHROP– A new era has begun for the Winthrop boys basketball team as new coach David Sacco takes the reins of the program. A Saugus resident, Sacco has been anxious to get the season started since he got hired. Now it’s time for Sacco and the Vikings to get rolling.
Last winter, the Vikings finished the regular season at 8-12 and earned the No. 11 seed in the Division 4 North state tournament. Winthrop rolled through Maimonides in the first round before falling to St. Mary’s in the quarterfinals.
Winthrop began practices in preparation for the upcoming season last week, and thus far Sacco likes the early progress the Vikings have shown.
“Things are looking real good,” Sacco, who most recently served as an assistant on Paul Moran’s staff at Saugus, said. “Guys are super excited and working really hard. Our practices have been super competitive and upbeat. Guys are pushing each other. We have players that are interchangeable at different spots so we’ll be tough to defend. We’ve been stressing buckling down to get stops on the defensive end.”
Key returners for the Vikings include a pair of Northeastern Conference All-Stars in senior guards/forwards Devin Pulsifer and Tayjuan McKenzie. Also returning to the squad are senior guards David Diaz and Alex Dernier, and junior guard Chrono Washington.
Sacco believes the team’s success will depend on how the Vikings work as a collective unit.
“We have a good group,” Sacco said. “Devin and Tayjuan have good experience at the varsity level. We have a couple of guys that filled in some minutes last season. We also have guys that came up from the JV team. It’s really going to be a collective effort between everybody if we’re going to have success.”
Defense will be the team’s strength this upcoming winter. That being said, Sacco recognized that the Vikings’ defensive system is a work in progress that won’t be learned quickly.
“At the end of the day, hopefully our strength will be defense,” Sacco said. “That’s something that doesn’t come overnight. Guys are starting to buy into our system but it doesn’t come overnight. We should be able to score but I think our identity will definitely be on defense.”
On the other hand, Sacco’s looking for the Vikings to improve on their communication as a team. In order for Winthrop to play a stout defensive game that limits opponent’s chances to score, they’ll to have to communicate effectively.
“I’m always stressing communication,” Sacco said. “It’s easy to say it but it’s another thing to go out there and do it. We need to talk, help each other out and communicate. It’s a work in progress, we’re not where we need to be at right now. Communication’s where we need to improve.”
Having served as an assistant last season with the Sachems, Sacco has a solid idea for what the competition in the NEC is like. Given the number of tournament mainstays in the conference, Sacco foresees a competitive, grueling schedule ahead for his team.
“In my mind, the NEC’s the best league in the state especially with the new additions,” Sacco said. “Classical, English, Beverly, Danvers, there’s not an easy game on the schedule. We open against Malden Catholic in a non-league game and then we jump into league play. We’re going to be tested every single night and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
The Vikings open the season on Dec. 12 when they host Malden Catholic.
“I think guys are eager to get going,” Sacco said. “We’ve been at it since I got the job. I don’t think nerves will be a problem with our guys. In pre-game the guys will be amped and ready to play against a good opponent in Malden Catholic.”
