Williston Boys Varsity Basketball enjoyed a thrilling win over rival Suffield Academy in their return from holiday break.

The Wildcats opened their 2022 campaign on January 12, 2021, posting a convincing 78-52 win against the Tigers in front of a welcoming home crowd lining the seats of the Sabina Cain Family Athletic Center.

The Wildcats opened the first half with a dominant performance, holding a commanding 42-26 lead at half. They continued their strong play, with dominant performances from Post Graduate big man duo Christian Ubochi and Rafael Martinez. Beau O’Beirne, Paul Ippolito, Tyler Morehouse, and Connor Jenkins also contributed on both sides of the ball.

The team was led by Rafael Martinez, who posted 20 points, followed by Christian Ubochi and Paul Ippolito who netted 14 each. Beau O’Beirne collected 13, while Connor Jenkins posted eight alongside a flashy dunk.

Will Gaca, a senior Wildestcats leader noticed the “electric” atmosphere  throughout the crowd, and the pure joy fostered from Williston’s return to sports.

Christian Ubochi, a highly touted Post-Graduate from New York stressed the importance of the time it takes to build chemistry, alluding to the team’s progression over the last few months.

“Our team chemistry has definitely developed massively, and there’s always room for improvement,” he said. “We’ve only been playing together for a few months now, and we are very much eager to learn and grow as a team and individually.”

“Shout out to Coach Farmer!” he added. “We really do have a special group and I’m very optimistic about our development and breakthrough.”

The Wildcats hope to utilize this newly found chemistry in their upcoming games, looking to improve upon their deceiving 2-5 record. Williston boasts one of the strongest schedules in the NEPSAC, and has a tough five-game stretch ahead of them facing Berkshire, Salisbury, Avon Old Farms, Taft, and Deerfield.

The Wildcats compete in the NEPSAC Class A level, a nationally-recognized league that combines strong academics with highly-competitive athletics. The team has enjoyed great success over the years, including competing in the NEPSAC Class A championship game three times since 2015, winning the title in both 2015 and 2016.

In the midst of his sixth season, Head Coach Ben Farmer is as excited and hopeful as his players as they embark on the final stretch of the season.

“We’re still finding our way and trying to establish an identity. We’re learning how to compete more consistently and value the little things that are so important in the game of basketball,” Farmer said. “We did this in the Suffield game and that is why we got the result that we did.”

“We’re growing in all areas and we just need to keep taking steps forward,” he added. “This team has a lot of potential and I am excited to see what the future holds. The ball is in their court, it’s up to them what they want this season to look like.”