Pistons rookie Bruce Brown makes his Wakefield return
Published February 20, 2019
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — Somebody tell Bruce Brown to come back for a playoff game.
The Detroit Pistons rookie and former Wakefield High standout returned to the Field House on Thursday night, 24 hours after starting against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden.
Wakefield head coach Brad Simpson introduced Brown who played two seasons for the Warriors from 2011 to 2013 before transferring to Vermont Academy.
“Take the basketball away from Bruce, he’s still one of the finest young men I’ve had the good opportunity to work with and I’m very proud of him,” said Simpson to a packed house of Bruce fans.
Brown accepted his old number 1 jersey (a swap with his current Pistons number 6 is on the way) and knowing full well it was Senior Night, hustled back to the crowd and settled in for a Wakefield-Burlington clash.
Not a bad way to start your Senior Night if you’re captain Aidan Cusack, Patrick Hannigan, Jack Matuszewski, Brian McGunigle and Billy O’Keefe.
THE SENIORS were honored before the game on Thursday night. Pictured with their families from left to right is Patrick Hannigan, Aidan Cusack, Jack Matuszewski, Brian McGunigle and Billy O’Keefe. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
With all due respect to Brown, who electrified the Field House during his time in Wakefield and has the type of drive to be a mainstay in the league for many years, Thursday night was about a Warrior five who have given so much to Wakefield basketball and not just at the varsity level.
“They’ve all been in the program from travel team up. They’re a pretty close knit group and that’s one of the reasons why we have had success on and off the court because they have good chemistry. Friday night win or lose they usually hang out together, maybe go to the 9’s for a bite to eat or whatever. They’re great kids.”
Senior Night’s are a great way to commemorate and acknowledge deserving student athletes, but this year’s seniors are unique in that Thursday night was never going to be the most important night of their season. That’s mostly because their mentality is each game is more important than the last, a mindset that has built them in all likelihood a much bigger stage at the Field House: a home Div. 2 North playoff game.
BRUCE BROWN returned to the Charbonneau Field House on Feb. 14, one night after starting for the Detroit Pistons against his hometown Boston Celtics at the TD Garden. Brown, pictured here with Wakefield head coach Brad Simpson and athletic director Brendan Kent, starred for the Warriors as a freshman and sophomore from 2011 to 2013. He transferred to prep powerhouse Vermont Academy before playing two seasons at the University of Miami. Brown was drafted in the second round by the Pistons in the 2018 NBA Draft. A strong perimeter defender, Brown is averaging nearly 20 minutes and 4.7 points a game and is often tasked with defending the opposing team’s best guard. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
The Warriors and Red Devils put on an entertaining show with Wakefield going for a season sweep. Burlington came back from a strong 7-0 Warrior start and dominated the second quarter to take a four-point lead into halftime. Lost in the second quarter with what looked like a severe high ankle sprain was Billy O’Keefe.
“I thought after Billy went down the kids came together,” said Simpson. “Aidan (Cusack) had an excellent night, Ryan (Marcus) is Ryan and Jack (Matuszewski) filled in admirably for Billy. Michael O’Keefe leads our team in deflections which often lead to layups and easy shots. Hats off to Burlington. They played harder for 32 minutes than we did.”
It took the Warriors some time to figure out how to play without one of their most dynamic players, but eventually came back to give Burlington a game.
“We didn’t really get after it until about four minutes into the third period then we were a different team. We fell behind by seven or eight and we still had a chance to tie it or even win it.”
Down 46-38 with five minutes left, the Warriors, led by captains Cusack (11 points) and Ryan Marcus (17 points), turned up the intensity and made it clear there was no such thing as a visiting team cruising to a win at the Field House.
Marcus made two winning plays in a row, first tying up a loose ball and then hustling back on a breakaway and stripping the ball away. Even still, Burlington looked to be in control, up 51-43 with 1:30 left.
Michael O’Keefe hit a 3 off an inbound pass and then took control on the next possession with a strong drive and layup to make it 51-48 Burlington with 56 seconds left. The junior scored 10 of his 12 points in the final quarter.
The Red Sea stuck with the boys to the final buzzer, forcing plenty of missed Burlington free throws late but Wakefield came up just short.
While the loss wasn’t a storybook ending for O’Keefe, McGunigle, Matuszewski, Hannigan and Cusack, lets just say they won’t lose any sleep over it. They’re too busy preparing for the playoffs.
“(The loss) takes the shine off everything but the big picture is we have a Freedom Division championship and qualified for the tournament. We also still have a chance at getting a home game so we’re still playing,” said Simpson.
Wakefield (14-6) beat Chelsea on Sunday. See the full story by Item sportswriter Dan Byrne, also in today’s edition. The win all but guarantees a home game in the first round as Wakefield should get anywhere from a 3 to a 5 seed.
