PEABODY — After an explosive senior year at Peabody High in which he averaged 22.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, Raphel Laurent committed to UMass Boston last fall with a simple mindset: stay disciplined, contribute, and earn a spot.
Well, he ended his freshman year as the Little East Conference Rookie of the Year.
“It went really well for me,” Laurent said. “I started coming off the bench and not getting as much playing time as I wanted. Then, we went to a tournament in Florida and two of our important players got hurt — that’s when I started to step up. Then, right before midseason, I began to start.”
The 6-foot-3 guard made the most of his opportunity, gradually carving out a larger role before becoming a mainstay in the Beacons’ starting lineup. He finished the season averaging 14.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists with a game built around control, defense, and maturity.
“I was just trying to stay disciplined and do what was best for the team,” Laurent said. “We lost two important players, so I knew I had to try and perform better than what I was doing.”
When asked about the biggest difference between high school and college hoops, Laurent pointed to physicality.
“The biggest adjustment was getting stronger,” he said. “They’re a lot more physical compared to high school.”
Laurent added he’s more confident managing the pace of the game and doesn’t feel the need to force plays.
“I had a lot of good teammates this year, so I didn’t have to take as many shots,” he said. “I was driving to the basket more and being more physical. My rebounding improved too. My shot wasn’t good this season, but everything else was pretty good.”
That self-awareness — and willingness to grow — helped Laurent find his footing. One of his first big performances came off the bench in a home tournament against Colby-Sawyer College.
“I just told myself to play my own game and play with confidence,” Laurent said. “I had a decent game — 11 points, three assists — and I remember having a fastbreak dunk early in the game. That’s when I thought to myself that I belonged out here and I was able to keep up with these guys.”
Laurent had already made a strong case for Rookie of the Year.
Still, the honor felt surreal.
“It means a lot,” Laurent said. “It showed throughout the season how much confidence I’ve built from the start. At the beginning, I didn’t expect to win it, but as the season went on, I had a feeling I was going to.”
Not taking anything for granted was just one lesson he learned.
“And to stay humble, because anything can happen,” Laurent said. “Also, not to play down to competition. Just play your best every game and give 110 percent each game.”
Looking forward to next year, Laurent wants to see his 3-point percentage improve. As a team, he hopes to win the conference and reach the NCAA tournament.
“We want to win our conference, cut the nets down, win a ring, and play in the tournament,” Laurent said.
