DANVERS — When the St. John’s Prep basketball team took the court for its first practice of the season, the Eagles came away with high expectations for what was to come this winter. With a handful of experienced returners and a dedicated core of players hungry to win, the Eagles have what it takes for a state tournament run.
All Lynnfield native Matt Relihan and his St. John’s teammates have to do is make it happen.
Relihan, a team captain in his second season as a starting forward, has formed one of the state’s best 1-2 punches alongside fellow senior Tommy O’Neil. In 11 games, Relihan’s averaging 17 points and eight rebounds per contest. He ranks second, behind O’Neil, in both categories.
“Matt’s best offensive skill is his ability to shoot,” Eagles coach John Dullea said. “Last year he made a bunch of shots for us in clutch situations. He can shoot and his size creates match-up problems. He’s our second leading rebounder. He’s been everything we’ve asked of him and hopefully that continues. We’re looking for him to have a great senior season.”
Although Relihan and the Eagles reached the tournament last winter, the trip was short-lived after they were bounced in a 2-point loss at Lowell in the Division 1 North quarterfinal. Getting back to states and taking things further are what the Eagles are aiming for this time around.
“We have high expectations this season,” Relihan, who also pitches for the school’s baseball team, said. “Our final goal is to win a state championship. Before that we have to win the Catholic Conference. My goal to was to have my best season yet and help us win as many games as we can, but the final goal is to bring home a state championship.”
After dropping their first game of the season to Needham, the Eagles bounced back with a string of wins and currently stand at 8-3. St. John’s won the Commonwealth Motors Christmas Classic in Methuen with victories over two strong teams, Lawrence and Central Catholic.
“We had a tough game against Needham and that wasn’t our best game,” Relihan said. “We’ve bounced back with a few wins. That tournament was big for us. We’re always looking to win the next game and that’s been our mentality throughout the season. Whether we win or lose, we look forward to winning the next game.
“After losing that first game, we learned that we had to play a lot tougher and play resilient,” Relihan added. “We’ve been playing tough. We’ve been down in some big deficits but we stay tough and resilient. We’re a very poised group. It doesn’t matter who’s down, all that matters is who’s on top at the end.”
While high school athletes will often wonder what the best way to have a successful season is, Relihan’s method is simple. He points to his work ethic and dedication to improving his game as the two factors that opened the door for the success he’s seeing this winter.
“I take a lot of pride in my work ethic,” Relihan said. “A big motto for me is you get what you put in. If you work hard, you can reach any goal you have. All summer and fall, I’d wake up early and get to the school gym at 6 a.m. I hate the taste of losing and I knew I had to give everything I had this season to win a state championship.”
Dullea believes Relihan’s work ethic is what sets him apart from opposing players.
“The first thing about Matt is how hard he works,” Dullea said. “Nobody puts more time in than Matt. Sometimes we have to kick him out of practice because he’s in the gym so long. The first thing I mention is how much time he puts in. He’s made himself a bonafide high school player and he’s going to make a college coach very happy.”
As the Eagles move forward with their season, Relihan hopes the work he put in throughout the offseason helps St. John’s reach its state tournament goals. The Eagles are halfway through their regular season and currently in the middle of their conference schedule.
“It would mean the world to me, knowing how hard I work and how hard our team works,” Relihan said. “The feeling of success is what we’re working for. Knowing that all the hard work for us pays off, that would be an amazing feeling. It would feel like I’m on top of the world to know all that work paid off.”
Relihan and the Eagles are back on the court tonight (7) when they host Catholic Memorial.
