DUDLEY — Lynn native Marcos Echevarria and the Nichols College men’s basketball team never forgot what it felt like to be knocked out of the Division III NCAA Tournament last year. The Bison used their shortcomings as motivation to work harder during the offseason in hopes of getting back to the tournament.
Now they’re back (for the third consecutive year) and Echevarria, a senior, has one final shot at an NCAA Championship.
“It just feels good,” Echevarria, a guard who played his high school basketball at St. Mark’s, said. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase what our team’s about. To go from making our first NCAA Tournament appearance my sophomore year (2016-2017) to now being in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year, it just shows how much this program has worked and progressed over the years.
“We got knocked out in the second round sophomore year and in the first round last year,” Echevarria said. “This year we have to kind of put it all together and make a long run. This being my senior year, I’m not trying to take ‘no’ for an answer. We’re trying to go as far as we can.”
Nichols made the regular season look easy. The Bison went 10-0 before suffering their first loss of the year, a 78-71 defeat to Salisbury in the Springfield Naismith Classic on Dec. 30. They finished the regular season 23-2, 15-1 against Commonwealth Coast Conference opponents, 13-1 in home games and a perfect 11-0 on the road.
“The strength of our team is having a sense of selflessness,” Echevarria said. “Everyone’s playing for each other, being positive. That goes a long way in such a long season, just having that sense of selflessness.”
Victories over Western New England (87-79) and Gordon (105-90) in the semifinals and championship game of CCC Tournament, respectively, granted Nichols entry into the NCAA Tournament. Echevarria put forth a monster performance in the CCC Championship win over Gordon with 31 points (7-of-14 from 3-point range), 9 assists and 5 rebounds.
“Every team in the NCAA Tournament will play its best game,” Echevarria, who leads Nichols in scoring at 20.4 points per game, said. “That’s what we get in the regular season, we get everyone’s best. That has taught us to be consistent and how to play with everyone else’s best. I think our regular season schedule has definitely helped prepare us for the NCAA Tournament.”
But Nichols didn’t reach its success without facing adversity along the way. A coaching change before the season meant a new staff and systems at Nichols. In stepped Scott Faucher, who was named the 19th men’s basketball head coach in Nichols history in July. With Faucher at the helm, Nichols hasn’t missed a beat.
“I have to give a lot of thanks to Coach Faucher and my teammates for all their support,” Echevarria said. “They allow me to play to the best of my abilities.”
Postseason success runs in the Echevarria family. Echevarria’s younger brother, Jalen, is in the final go-round of his high school basketball career at St. Mary’s. The top-seeded Spartans defeated Saugus in the opening round of the Division 3 North state tournament Tuesday and host Arlington Catholic Saturday (noon) in the quarterfinal round. Also on the team is Echevarria’s cousin, David Brown, who has seen key minutes during the season as an eighth-grader. St. Mary’s is coached by Dave Brown, Echevarria’s uncle.
“It’s pretty spectacular to have my younger brother play with my little cousin coached by my uncle,” Echevarria said. “It kind of makes me envy that. I wish I had that, I’m a bit jealous. It’s good for them all to be connected.
“I try to keep up with them as much as I can,” Echevarria said. “I try to go to as many games as I can. They’re a very strong team. If they stay consistent, stay the path and keep working hard, their road to the postseason should be about trying to win a championship. I think it’s very possible. They’re a very talented team from their point guard to their five man.”
Nichols begins its quest for an NCAA Championship Friday (5:30) when the Bison take on Middlebury in the opening round in Glassboro, New Jersey.
“We know Middlebury’s a fast-paced team,” Echevarria said. “Their guards are quick and versatile. They can shoot three and post up. It’s going to be a good matchup for us.”
