MARSHFIELD – The Twinfield-Cabot basketball team is looking to ride the momentum of a breakout season last winter with a full slate of summer league games against some of the best programs in the state.
Second year head coach Kris Bador and his young team brought the excitement of high school basketball back to Marshfield and Cabot last year with a 19-win season that took the team back to the Barre Auditorium for the first time in almost a decade. Bador earned Mountain League and VPA Division IV Coach of the Year honors for the Trojan’s stellar season and is hoping to ride that momentum into the summer against some stiff competition. They have already scrimmaged New Hampshire powerhouse Woodsville and have summer league games scheduled against Division II Spaulding, Lyndon Institute and U-32. Bador will test his team against the very best early next week when they square off against defending Division I champion Burlington and Coach of the Year BJ Robertson.
“I’ve been fortunate to develop some relationships with some great coaches who run elite programs in both Vermont and New Hampshire. The boys didn’t like how the last seconds of the season ended last year, and they have all approached the offseason ready to work and want to be challenged. I was so impressed with how we looked against Woodsville last week and this team is looking forward to the challenge of the schedule we’ve set up this summer. The success that we had last winter was the result of hard work and dedication by some great kids, coaching staff, parents and incredible support by the community. We have to keep putting in the work and stay healthy if we’re going to get to where we want to go,” said Bador.
Bador will return his entire team next winter, including a healthy Sam Churchill in the middle and the versatility and athleticism of Sam McLane, both coming off injuries. He also returns one of the most dynamic senior backcourts in the state in Tej Stewart and Eli Russell. Russell led the team in scoring, earning him Vermont Outstanding Underclassmen (VOU) honors. Stewart had another dominating season earning his third straight VOU selection, as well as First Team All-Mountain League honors. Bador also will have the services of one of the most athletic sophomores in the state on the hardwood or the pitch in Omar Miksic-Knibb.
“This is such a special group of kids on and off the court. We all can’t wait for the season to get here and then want it to slow down when it does. Last year our success was new to us and probably to our opponents as well. We won’t sneak up on anybody next season, so we are working on creating our identity right now against some stiff competition. This is a tight group who pushes each other, and I encourage that to continue into the fall onto the soccer field. With continued hard work and a little luck, this group can accomplish something special in multiple sports,” said Bador.
Bador and his coaching staff of Jordan Moore, Ed Berry, Connor Spencer and volunteers are also continuing to reinvigorate basketball at the youth level in the area through AAU, along with the Twinfield-Cabot Basketball Camp that will run from August 4 to 7. Lady Trojan head coach Jack Whalen will join Bador and his staff for the camp. Former University of Vermont great and current Washington Wizards NBA assistant coach T.J. Sorrentine will make the trip to talk to campers, players and coaches. Bador had 45 campers last season and already has nearly 60 signed up this summer.
The Trojan’s run at a championship last season and the excitement for this upcoming season has infused even more interest into Bador’s program this summer and he is excited with what he is seeing at the youth level.
“Develop, develop, develop. Our middle school and junior varsity teams are full and talented, and it’s our job to make sure these kids get the development they deserve. Our varsity boys are not only working hard in the classroom and on the court but also giving their time to these young kids to mentor them. These kids look up to them and it’s great to see them give back. I’ve been fortunate to have a great relationship with T.J. for a long time and for him to come speak at our camp is exciting for everyone. I’m so fortunate to have great people in this community to coach and support this program and feel so lucky that they let me coach these special kids,” said Bador.
Bador’s Trojans will travel to Burlington High School next Monday for a pair of scrimmages.
