MVRHS boys hoopers head to playoffs

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Ty Matthew in a game vs Nantucket last year. The boys are headed to the playoffs. — Ralph Stewart

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys basketball team is headed to the playoffs after a statement 65-58 victory over Nantucket last weekend. 

The win over Nantucket qualified the team for the playoff tournament, but the team closed out their regular season with two losses vs Apponequet, 66-60, and Bishop Stang 56-51. 

Head coach Mike Joyce told The Times that the team had a lack of energy coming off their Nantucket win and Apponequet and Bishop Stang are both top 30 teams for their division and are both in the playoffs. 

“It would have been nice to grab a win or two and possibly get a home game but it looks like we will be traveling,” Joyce said.

The team now waits for seeding to be placed either Friday or Saturday, but it’s possible the team could play Shawsheen Vocational.

The boys season has been a strange one, the team has only had their complete roster for two games this year due to COVID-19 and other injuries. 

“I am really proud of how the kids hung in there and scraped out some tough wins,” Joyce said.

Assistant head coach Kane Araujo told The Times the season has been an awesome experience for him and the team.

“It’s been an awesome experience having a lot of these guys with JV,” Araujo said. “We’ve battled through a lot of adversity this year.”

The boys team began the season 2-8 before running off eight wins in a row, which Joyce said is a testament to the team’s character and resilience. 

“We are a very young team with only two seniors, Ty Mathew and Nico Arroyo, so it will be a good experience for the younger guys to play in some playoff games,” Joyce said.

After seeding takes place this weekend, the boys will likely be on the road for their first playoff matchup on either Monday or Tuesday.