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Making an NBA mock draft of the last four years of players at Whitman-Hanson Regional High

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In honor of last week’s NBA Draft, the Express made a mock draft of players — both boys and girls — to hit the court for Whitman-Hanson Regional High over the past four years.

1. Orlando Magic — Stevie Kelly, G

The former Patriot League MVP, who fueled the Panthers to the 2019-20 Div. 2 state crown, will add some much-needed toughness to the the Magic’s young backcourt. There isn’t much he can’t do.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder – Nate Amado, G

Also a former Patriot League MVP and crucial part of that Div. 2 state title team, Amado gives the Thunder a player who can score with ease. He’s also a plus-defender.

3. Houston Rockets — Cole LeVangie, G/F 

Houston, you’ve landed a player who has an uncanny feel for the game and is a stat-sheet stuffer. Great scorer, passer and rebounder, who was a three-time Patriot League All-Star and 2020 state champ at W-H. 

4. Sacramento Kings — Abby Martin, F

You can’t go wrong with Martin here. Need a late bucket? She’ll answer the call. Need a key block? She can do that, too. Stretch forward paced the Panthers to their best season ever a few months ago.

5. Detroit Pistons — Ben Rice, F/C

Captain on the Panthers’ state title team and last of three brothers to suit up for W-H, Rice gives the Pistons a lights out three-point shooter, who has great size, and is a great teammate. 

6. Indiana Pacers — Amari Jamison, G

The dynamic and shifty guard can get to the hoop at will. Has great finish around the rim and can also throw it down. Pacers just got some serious athleticism. 

7. Portland Trailblazers —  Lauren Dunn, G

Blazers need a guard and they land one in Dunn at No. 7. Superb three-point shooter who is a lockdown defender. Watch out western conference.

8. New Orleans Pelicans — Kathryn Dunn, G/F 

Just a solid all-round player. Adds a lot of Brandon Ingram-like qualities. Can score inside and out, rebound, defend and shoot. 

9. San Antonio Spurs — Reese Codero, G

With Dejounte Murray possibly on the move, the Spurs have selected their future point guard. Former Patriot League All-Star has excellent court vision and will add some humor to the locker room.

10. Washington Wizards — Ryan Vallancourt, G

The Wizards land their replacement for Bradley Beal, if he does indeed move on. Patriot League All-Star and former captain adds some leadership, shooting and passing to the nation’s capital. 

Picks 11 through 15: 

11. New York Knicks — Olivia Martin, G/F 12. Oklahoma City Thunder — Malcom Alcorn-Crowder, F/C 13. Charlotte Hornets — Erin Leahy, F 14. Cleveland Cavaliers — Meg Stone, F/C 15. Charlotte Hornets — Caity Leahy, G

  • All photos by Sue Moss

Girls’ hoop cruises into Sweet 16

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The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team is moving on.

Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball head coach Mike Costa is no stranger to playoff basketball.

He was an assistant coach on the W-H boys’ team when it won back-to-back Div. 2 South Sectional titles in 2016 and ’17.

It’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about what it takes to survive and advance in March.

“As a coach, you’re always worried about how teams are going to start games in the tournament, especially the first round,” Costa said.

And while he may not have been pushing the panic button after No. 28 Longmeadow netted the first basket of the game last night against the fifth-seeded Panthers — that sense of worry was still there.

But those fears adapted slowly as the Panthers (19-2) pumped in the next 16 points to take a commanding lead and never looked back en route to a 52-23 victory over the Lancers (9-13) in the Div. 2 Round of 32. 

“Once they saw the first one go in they kind of relaxed,” Costa said. “I just told them to embrace the moment.”

No one embraced the moment more than their three senior captains: Lauren Dunn, Abby Martin and Meg Stone.

Martin finished the night with a game-high 23 points and 10 boards. Thirteen of those points came in the first half as the Panthers opened up a 27-9 lead at the break.

“She just does what Abby does,” Costa said. “She just impacts the game in so many different ways. She had the hot hand tonight.”

Martin had the hot hand from beyond the arc, but Meg Stone had the hot hands below. She finished the night with 11 rebounds — 6 offensive. The Panthers ripped down 23 offensive rebounds as a team. Dunn had four of those offensive rebounds to go along with 10 points. 

“They’re senior captains, they don’t want to go home,” Costa said. “They’re going to play extremely hard when they’re out there. We were relentless on the glass on our end, the offensive end, which was able to get us some extra possessions that helped us.”

The Panthers will host the winner of today’s No. 12 Newburyport (18-2) and No. 21 Sheppard Hill (16-6) in the Round of 16 on Tuesday. 

“We’re going to need that type of effort the rest of the way,” Costa said. “We’ll see what happens on Tuesday.”

The wait is over: Girls’ basketball wins first league title since 2010

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Senior captain Lauren Dunn celebrates with her teammates after cutting down the net. / Photo by: Nate Rollins

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball program has secured the Patriot League Keenan Division title.

The current Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball seniors were in kindergarten the last time the program had won a league title.

That was 12 years ago.

They ended that drought last night on senior night.

Backed by a dominant defensive effort and offensive contributions from all over the roster, the Panthers cruised past Plymouth North, 55-31, to earn their first Patriot League Keenan Division crown since 2010.

“It feels so amazing,” said senior captain Abby Martin. “I’ve never been happier in my life.”

Said senior captain Lauren Dunn: “We’ve been so close the past couple of years and we finally got it. I’m so happy.”

Senior Kristina Tsiantoulas (10 points) — in her game action back from a torn ACL — got the Panthers rolling early against Plymouth North — the defending league champion — scoring the first four points of the evening to help W-H (17-2, 14-2 Patriot League) build a 23-5 advantage after one.

Freshman Lillie MacKinnon (10 points) nailed a three right before the halftime buzzer to push the Panthers’ lead to 35-16 at the break.

That cushion swelled to 24 at the end of the third quarter and they kept their foot on the gas the rest of the game.

“They’ve wanted this,” said third-year W-H head coach Mike Costa, who owns a 41-13 record since taking the helm. “They know how close they were to getting this last year. I’m extremely proud.”

Senior Rosie MacKinnon paced the Panthers with 11 points and eight rebounds. Senior captain Meg Stone chipped in eight points and corralled six boards in the win.

“Everything we’ve done for the past three years with [coach] Costa all came together,” Stone said. 

W-H is back in action on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. when it takes on Belmont at St. Mary’s (Lynn) to open the Spartan Classic.

“This is great but we still feel like we have a long way to go,” Costa said. “We feel like we have as good a chance as anybody to compete for Division 2.”

Said all three senior captains in unison: “We’re not done yet.”

Season Preview: Girls’ basketball out for revenge

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Senior captain Abby Martin during the Panthers’ scrimmage. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team is once again shooting for a league title.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team is not happy about how last season ended. 

That was with a loss to Hanover in the Patriot Cup final. A week before, W-H was shut out in the fourth quarter and fell to Scituate. 

The Panthers still finished the season with a 9-4 record. Not bad, but not good enough for a team itching to bring the program its first league title since 2010. 

As it sets its sights on the 2021-22 campaign, W-H will have a chance to avenge a few of those late-season losses right away. 

Its first three games of this season are against Scituate, Silver Lake and then Hanover. 

“The girls definitely, at the end of last year, were a little disappointed,” said head coach Mike Costa, who enters his third year on the Panthers bench. “I don’t think we played the way we wanted to and it did kind of left a little sour taste in their mouth.”

So they put in even more work this offseason. 

“They played all spring and summer with their AAU teams,” Costa explained. “They played summer league, they played fall AAU together — something that they haven’t done in the past — to try and build that chemistry on the floor.” 

The Panthers boasted a trio of league all-stars last season in Reese Codero, Rylie Harlow and Abby Martin. 

Codero is now playing at Roger Williams, while Harlow is on Fitchburg State’s roster. However, Martin, a senior captain and forward, is back and that’s good news for the Panthers. 

Martin took over games at times last season. She netted 14 points and snagged 21 rebounds in a win over Marshfield, and pumped in 17 points and corralled nine boards in a statement win over Plymouth North. 

“We relied a lot on her last year — both offensively and defensively,” Costa said. “She kind of carried our team offensively last year. We expect big things from her again this year, especially losing two other starters in Reese and Rylie — everybody has got to pick up the slack, but we’re leaning heavily on Abby to control both ends of the floor.”

Starting point guard Caitlin Leahy (junior) and starting shooting guard Lauren Dunn (senior captain) are also back.

 

Senior captain Lauren Dunn during the Panthers’ scrimmage. / Photo by: Sue Moss

“If you look at any of the good teams, if you have a really good backcourt that can carry you,” Costa said. “Our staff is completely confident in both Caitlin and Lauren and think they’re probably two of the top guards in our league.” 

Costa said Dunn is the Panthers’ best on-ball defender and Leahy is their best passer. 

Senior captain Meg Stone is also back in the middle. Costa said he expects her and Martin to be a force on the glass together. 

“I think it’s going to be tough for teams to match up with our size,” Costa said. “We just look to exploit the matches we’re given any night. We’re versatile that we have multiple people that can score in different ways.”

Freshman Cassidy Briggs, Lillie MacKinnon and Taryn Leonard will give the senior-laden Panthers some youth. 

“They’ve been great additions to the team,” Costa said. “We’re losing so many seniors so we have to start to mold some of these younger players.” 

W-H opens the season Tuesday, Jan. 14 when it hosts Scituate at 6 p.m. 

“We’ll take it game by game and practice by practice and see what happens,” Costa said. “At the end of the day, we’re just going to trust the work we put in and let the chips fall.” 

Season Review: Girls’ basketball rebounds from slow start

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Senior captain and league all-star Rylie Harlow flicks up a layup. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The girls’ basketball team battled through adversity to go on a run this season.

After the bumpy start the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team got off to, it could have been easy to give up. Instead, the team did just the opposite. 

The Panthers’ first three games were postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. They were even quarantined themselves. They didn’t take the court for nearly two weeks after their first scheduled game. They’d win their opener but dropped their next two games. And it was after their second straight loss, a 54-45 setback to Hingham, where the season would change.

“I had some people from outside the organization comment and say it looked like we lacked effort that game,” said second-year head coach Mike Costa. “I told my team at practice the next day that this is what it looks like from the outside and I don’t think this is who we are.” 

The Panthers responded with a 29-point win over Duxbury, 61-32, which sparked a six-game winning streak, which included a 54-42 victory over Hingham the second time around.

“Sometimes the best remedy for a bad loss is a quick turnaround,” Costa said. “They were resilient all year. I couldn’t have been more proud of them.”

W-H went on to win two of their next four games and advanced to the Patriot Cup final, where it fell to Hanover and finished the season at 9-4. 

“We had our goals at the beginning of the season to compete for the [league] title and compete for the [Patriot] Cup and we kind of just reminded each other of that every day, and they were able to turn it around,” Costa said. “Unfortunately, those two losses [at the beginning of the season] kind of put us in a hole, but at least we were able to compete and make it exciting at the end.”

Senior captains Reese Codero and Rylie Harlow and junior Abby Martin were all named Patriot League Keenan Division All-Stars.

Costa praised Codero and Harlow for hanging tough through an unprecedented campaign. Codero will play at Roger Williams University next year, while Harlow will hit the court at Fitchburg State University. 

“I couldn’t have asked anything more from those two,” Costa said. “They showed up every day regardless of the situation, regardless of how many games were put on hold or if we were in quarantine. They continued to compete for us. They were big for us.”

Martin had a breakout season. She scored 14 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in a win over Marshfield in their second meeting, and netted 17 points and snagged nine boards in a Patriot Cup win over Plymouth North. She headlines the players set to return next season.

“Abby was awesome this year,” Costa said. “She took a big leap forward, in terms of her maturity as a player and person. She really became a leader on this team. I think when times got tough a lot of the girls on the team would look to Abby to figure it out for us. I think she is probably the best defender in the league. She can guard all five positions, she’s tough as nails and she kills the glass. She just does it all. We’re glad she has another year.”

Guards Lauren Dunn, a junior, and Caitlin Leahy, a sophomore, will also be back next year.

“I think that Duxbury game when she (Dunn) scored 20 points was her coming-out party,” Costa said. “She has always been one of our best defenders and it got to the point at the end of the season we were matching her up with the best guard on the other team. 

“I couldn’t take Caitlin Leahy off the floor. I thought she deserved to be a league all-star too, so hopefully, she can use that as motivation moving forward. She can do it all. She can handle the ball, has great vision, she can make any type of pass — another girl that can defend all five positions.”

Costa said he believes this past season was a perfect learning experience for his club. 

“I think they expected to be league champs and that didn’t happen and we know why that didn’t happen,” he said. “We didn’t focus on the little things that it takes to be league champs. I think they’re all motivated for this offseason to put a number up on that banner.” 

Dunn lifts girls’ basketball over Plymouth North at buzzer

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Junior Lauren Dunn’s tip in at the buzzer sends the girls’ basketball team to its fourth straight win.

It was Whitman-Hanson’s ball with nine seconds to go and the score tied at 43.

Junior Lauren Dunn knew just what she had to do.

“I was in the corner ready to crash,” she said.

And she came through. After Reese Cordero’s 3-pointer was off the mark, Dunn was there for the putback at the buzzer to lift W-H (5-2) over previously-unbeaten Plymouth North (6-1) and to its fourth straight win, 45-43, the final.

“Coach (Mike Costa) had the play all drawn up for Reese and it all just happened so fast,” Dunn said. “Reese shot it and I just had to go get it.”

“You always say when the shot goes up, a lot of people just watch the ball, especially at the end of the game,” said head coach Mike Costa. “But she snuck in there and was able to put one home.”

Not only was able able to put one home, but with 33 seconds remaining she threw the ball of a Plymouth North defender as she was falling out of bounds to give the Panthers new life.

“We wanted it bad,” Dunn said.

The Panthers trailed by as much as seven, 36-29, in the fourth quarter until junior Abigail Martin (14 points, seven rebounds) got going. Martin, who sat out most of the third quarter due to foul trouble, scored six points in the final frame, including a layup to put W-H up 43-41 before the Blue Eagles tied it at 43.

“She just brings a toughness that not many people in this league have,” Costa said of Martin. “She battles, she rebounds and she does the dirty work.”

W-H looks to keep its winning streak alive Friday at 6:30 p.m. when it hosts Marshfield.

“We’re just taking it one game at a time,” Costa said. “We’re just focused on us and not anybody else and we’re just letting the chips fall where they may.”

W-H sports on pause

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Sports at Whitman-Hanson Regional High are on pause until at least January 19.

Following the district’s decision to go full remote until January 19, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High athletic calendar will also be paused until then.

“Teams will continue to be engaged via zoom and other distanced activities,” tweeted athletic director Bob Rodgers. “Please wear your masks and stay safe during this time.”

“No one should be angry with anyone over the move to remote,” Rodgers added. “In our league, Marshfield, Plymouth North and Scituate are also in the same position and others are likely to follow. In addition, there are many other teams that are out because of quarantine.”

Both the boys’ and girls’ hockey teams as well as the boys’ basketball team had already opened their seasons. The girls’ basketball team still hasn’t played a game.

Season Preview: Girls’ basketball shooting for league title

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Senior captain Reese Codero, a returning Patriot League All-Star, goes in for a layup during a scrimmage vs Pembroke. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The girls’ hoop team is shooting to win the program’s first league title since 2010.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team’s mission is clear.

“The priority is to win the league title in the regular season and then the first ever Patriot Cup — be able to compete for that as well,” said second-year head coach Mike Costa. 

And they know what it’s going to take to accomplish that goal.

“We have to win some games against some of the tougher teams in the league,” Costa said. “Last year, we let two slip away against Plymouth North, we were able to steal one against Hingham, but we just have to compete and win those games against the upper-echelon teams.”

Last year, the Panthers posted a 9-5 mark in Patriot League play, and finished the season with a 15-7 record, highlighted by the program’s first tournament win in eight years.

“I hope the success we had last year kind of gives them the confidence knowing they can compete with anyone they step on the floor with,” Costa said. “We had a pretty young group last year, so hopefully they can build off that and just walk with that swagger we want them to — knowing they can play with anybody.”

W-H returns plenty of talent from last winter’s squad, headlined by senior captains Reese Codero and Rylie Harlow, as well as junior Abby Martin.

A Patriot League All-Star last season as the Panthers’ starting point guard, Codero averaged 7.1 ppg and dished out a team-high 3.2 apg. Harlow (5.1 ppg last season) and Martin (4.5 ppg last season) also chipped in offensively. 

“Outside of Reese, Rylie and Abby Martin, our other two starting spots are kind of up in the air right now,” Costa said.

The graduations of 2020-21 Patriot League All-Stars Britany Gacicia and Olivia Martin no doubt leave voids in the lineup. Gacicia led the team in points (11.9), rebounds (7.1), steals (2.5) and blocks, while Martin scored 9.5 ppg and knocked down a team-high 40 attempts from beyond the arc. Costa said it will likely take a team effort to make up for their departures.

“I think this is a year for Lauren Dunn to hopefully step up and provide some of her shooting we’re gonna miss with getting rid of Liv,” Costa said. “Anna Stone was kind of under the radar last year, but she’s worked her butt off and I think she could provide some toughness and rebounding that we lose with Brittany.”

Costa said W-H will lean on its defense and shot-making this season.

“We feel like if we can hold teams to 40, we should be able to score more than 40 points a game,” he said. “And hopefully we can score the ball a little more. I feel like shooting is going to be a strength of ours.”

The Panthers have already had their first three games postponed due to COVID-19 precautions, and Costa said it’s important to just roll with the punches.

“There’s just so much unknown this season, we’re literally just playing one game as its own thing,” he said. “If something changes where we miss a game, it sucks, but we gotta refocus and onto the next one. That has to be our mentality as we move through this thing.”

W-H is now scheduled to open its season Wednesday, Jan. 20 at home against Silver Lake at 5:15 p.m.

“Even though the game might look a little bit different and the season might look a little bit different, the goal is still the same,” Costa said. “We’re still trying to compete for a league championship and prepare our seniors, Reese and Rylie, for college next year. We’re trying to get the most out of them and squeeze the sponge for them and at the same time continuing to build toward a league title. 

“The league is wide open. But nothing is going to be given to us, everything is earned and we’re just going to take it one game at a time.”

Future Falcon: Harlow commits to play basketball at Fitchburg

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Rylie Harlow is introduced. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball senior captain Rylie Harlow has committed to play at Fitchburg State University.

Rylie Harlow is taking her game to the next level. 

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior has committed to play basketball for Fitchburg State University.

“I did a tour early September, and I pretty much knew right away even before I had visited the campus I wanted to go there,” Harlow said. “When I went to Fitchburg, I loved the campus and I automatically connected with the coach.”

W-H girls’ basketball head coach Mike Costa said the Falcons are getting a player who is constantly working on ways to improve.

“She is extremely coachable and will do whatever it takes to win,” he said. “She has worked so hard on her game and has improved so much since the end of last season.”

Harlow is headed into her fourth year on the varsity team and was elected as a captain for the upcoming season.

“I definitely think that it’s a huge honor,” Harlow said. “I’ve had some great captains and hope to leave my teammates proud.”

Last season, Harlow was a pivotal player for the Panthers, who posted their best regular-season record since 2009-10 and collected their first tournament win in eight years. 

“Rylie was our rock last year — just a solid player all around for us,” Costa said. “Rylie doesn’t force anything. She lets the game come to her and gives the games what it needs. Defensively, she turned into our best all around defender and was tasked at guarding the other team’s best offensive player on most nights.”

“Offensively, she didn’t have eye-popping numbers but was known for hitting some big shots when the game was close and on the line.”

The 5-foot-8 Harlow, who recorded 34 steals and averaged 5.1 ppg last season, said her basketball IQ is a big reason for her success on the court. 

“Because of my height, I usually ended up having to know the positions of the guards and post players, so I would say that I have to be pretty versatile,” she said. 

Harlow said she hopes to have a “somewhat” normal season this winter. 

“I feel like as a team we should have a strong season depending on what happens with COVID,” she said. 

Codero commits to Roger Williams for basketball

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Reese Codero dribbles. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Reese Codero will play basketball at Roger Williams next season.

A three-sport varsity contributor at Whitman-Hanson Regional High, rising senior Reese Codero is taking her talents to the next level.

Codero has committed to play basketball at Roger Williams University, a Division III school in Bristol, Rhode Island, that competes in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.

“I felt it was a good fit for me because I think I will be able to be successful academically but also challenged at the same time,” said Codero, who is planning to study criminal justice. “I have seen the team play a couple of times [and] I really admire their style. They are a type of team who plays together and not every girl for herself. They compete at a high level and I want to be a part of that.”

This past winter, Codero emerged as the Panthers’ starting point guard helping guide the program to its best regular-season record (14-6) since 2009-10 and first playoff win in eight years. She scored 7.1 ppg and dished out 3.2 apg en route to earning Patriot League All-Star status. And she is fully expecting to elevate her game as she writes the final chapter of her W-H basketball career.

“Before I get to Roger Williams, I am looking to grow not only as a player but as a person as well,” said Codero, who also plays soccer and softball. “I want to work on my game and have my weaknesses become strengths. I plan to keep improving everyday physically and mentally. During the upcoming high school season, I want to help my team compete for a league championship and to get better as a team.”

But before basketball, she’ll take aim at another league title in the fall in net for the girls’ soccer team.