Tom Espinosa Gets #500
Over the weekend, Putnam Science Academy went 3-0, capping off their appearance at the IMG Sunshine Prep Showcase in style as Head coach Tom Espinosa achieved his 500th career win.
For Espinosa, winning is nothing new. Over nearly two decades, he has methodically built the PSA program into a perennial powerhouse, a team known for its dominance on the national prep basketball stage.
Since 2018 alone, Espinosa’s Mustangs have claimed four National Prep Championships (2018, 2020, 2022, 2023). This past year, they made the championship game as well.
Under Espinosa’s guidance, Putnam Science has become a factory for elite basketball talent, producing a steady stream of high-major recruits and future professional players.
Names like Ugonna Onyenso, Mouhamed Dioubate, Baye Ndongo, Oswin Erhunmwunse, and current Miami commit Ben Ahmed only scratch the surface of the program’s recent developmental successes. Numerous players have matriculated to the Division I level after playing with the program.
What makes Espinosa’s journey even more remarkable is the foundation upon which it was built. The Putnam Science Academy basketball program didn’t even exist until 2006.
Espinosa was handed the reins as the first head coach and tasked with building something from nothing. It’s safe to say he exceeded expectations.
For Espinosa, the road to 500 wins is deeply personal. A Putnam native through and through, he grew up in this quiet Connecticut town and made his mark as a player at the local Putnam High School.
Over four years, Espinosa tallied 1,282 points, finishing as the school’s third all-time leading scorer at the time.
From Putnam, Espinosa took his talents to Worcester State University, where he became a three-year starter and continued to showcase the grit and leadership that would later define his coaching career.
After graduating, Espinosa served as an assistant coach at Marianapolis Prep and his alma mater, Putnam High School for four years. Those years of mentorship and learning proved to be the perfect practice for the next chapter of his coaching career.
This milestone is more than a personal achievement for Espinosa; it’s a reflection of the program’s sustained success and growth.
Every year, he’s been able to instill the culture he’s built onto a large majority of new players from all around, and get them to buy in on winning, but most importantly, putting the team first.
Putnam is known for having an extremely deep roster of high-level talent, which gives them an edge over a lot of opposing programs, as they can roll out a fresh five throughout the game.
Under Espinosa’s leadership, PSA has become a destination for aspiring collegiate and professional basketball players, helping a large number of players reach their desired goals of playing at the next level.
As the Mustangs look to chase another national title this season, Espinosa’s milestone win serves as a reminder of how far the program has come.
While 500 wins is a remarkable accomplishment, anyone who knows Coach Espinosa knows that he and his program are focused on one thing this year, winning the National Prep Championship.
For now, though, Putnam Science—and the town that raised him—can take a moment to celebrate its coach and his unparalleled legacy.
Ben Ahmed
Oswin Erhunmwunse