LYNN — In what’s sure to be a spring full of commitments from the English boys basketball team, Jarnel Guzman became the first of the seniors to announce where he will play college basketball next season. After fielding offers from a number of schools, Guzman announced on Tuesday that he has committed to play at Division II Franklin Pierce University.
“I had a chance to look at a lot of different schools, but at the end of the day Franklin Pierce is where I really felt like I’d fit in and get a great opportunity to play,” said Guzman. “Coach (David) Chadbourne was real with me and didn’t make all sorts of big promises. He just told me that if I worked hard then I’d get an opportunity, and I really liked that. I also enjoyed the campus and the classes, it’s not too big of a school and it feels really comfortable.”
English coach Antonio Anderson was proud of Guzman for making the decision and praised his contributions to the Bulldogs program.
“Jarnel is one of the hardest working guys we’ve ever had here,” Anderson said. “He’s got the talent to be able to play at the next level and he’s got the work ethic too. He’s just got to keep working hard. I think he’ll be a good fit up there.”
English Athletic Director Dick Newton had similar sentiments.
“We’re all going to miss Jarnel, he’s a wonderful kid and a wonderful role model for our younger students,” Newton said. “Franklin Pierce is definitely getting a good one.”
Guzman had offers from a mix of Division I and Division II schools, and he was considering playing at places like the University of Rhode Island, Weber State (Texas), Southern Utah, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Southern New Hampshire University. Eventually though, Guzman said he found exactly what he was looking for at Franklin Pierce.
Guzman first met Chadbourne early in his senior season during an open gym session at English. Although Guzman was dealing with an ankle injury at the time and couldn’t play, the two hit it off and kept in contact from there.
“We got to know each other, but he couldn’t see me play until I healed up and could actually get back on the court,” Guzman said. “But it was actually good to just talk to him at first and get to know him and the program.”
It was quite a year for Guzman and the Bulldogs. Coming off of English’s Division 1 state title to finish out his junior year, Guzman was hungry for more in 2019-2020. He satisfied that hunger by helping lead the Bulldogs to a second straight title, albeit a shared title due to the championship game getting canceled because of the COVID-19 shutdowns. He also netted his 1,000th career point during the season.
“It was a great year and it was very memorable,” Guzman said. “I wish we could’ve gotten to play in that last game to show that we really were the No. 1 team, but at the end of the day we still won two rings for English. And the best part is that I got to do it with all my brothers.”
Guzman is especially proud of the legacy he and his teammates are leaving behind at English, and it’s something he says he will always look back on.
“It’s an amazing feeling, knowing that we made history at English,” Guzman said. “No matter how much time goes by now, we can always go back into the gym and see the banners and show them to our families. We made English a winner again. We added to Lynn’s winning history. It’s an incredible feeling.”
