Charlestown Trio Leads Team to Terrific Start to Season
Charlestown is the talk of the greater Boston area after winning their first 8 games of the season, including a 12 point victory over defending state champions Boston College High School and a hard fought win at East Boston. Head Coach Steve Cassidy’s squad has relied on three upper classmen to get them to this point as seniors David Riley and Greg Hackett, along with junior Shabazz Napier are all playing very well.
Napier may be the most well known of the three. The point guard has quickly developed a reputation as a shooter who makes big shots down the stretch of games. But he is also a versatile talent whose floor vision and ability to find his teammates for open shots is among the city’s best. With hopes of playing on the division I level before his career has come to an end, Napier needs to continue to make good decisions with the basketball and add a good amount of muscle to his physique.
While many people already know about Charlestown’s point guard, David Riley has been flying far under the radar. Although he attended Eastern Invitational this summer he didn’t have much of an opportunity to showcase his abilities to the on-looking college coaches as touches and shots were hard to come by. But Riley has certainly impressed all those who have watched him play during the High School season. The 6’5” forward is a player who can attack inside and out as he can make an open three-pointer as well as score around the basket. With more and more coaches starting to come through Charlestown’s doors to get a look at the talented forward, his chances of landing a scholarship are looking good.
Another player that few people know about is Greg Hackett. Hackett is a 6’2” senior guard who recently moved from Alabama. The powerful guard is one of the strongest perimeter defenders in the city as well as a tremendous athlete. If that weren’t enough his overall feel for the game and decision making has improved significantly since the start of the season as he appears poised to be another Charlestown product poised for a successful career at the next level.
With this trio of talented players, Charlestown is not only one of the hottest teams in the MIAA, but also one of the most popular destinations for college coaches.
David Riley
Shabazz Napier