Looking for a high school with amazing boys basketball coaching and academics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell (1) and SAES (2) face off today in MAC finals; they were 1-1 in regular season.

What’s SAES?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:St Albans

This is a joke or someone who’s not an STA parent. The basketball program at STA is unbelievably bad. The last few years, we’ve had varsity players walk off the team in protest because the coaching was so pitiful. Recruited players left the school. We haven’t won an IAC championship in basketball since 2004. There is deep pain around the basketball program, dog.

Wow. That’s surprising. I didn’t know all this but I am aware of really good players in the younger years who are going to want a stronger basketball program. I wonder what they can do to make their program better. It’s a clear indication if recruited players are leaving!

If STA had all the kids who could be on the varsity team this year, including the ones who recently transferred out to places like Bullis, as well as the really good players who quit to focus on other sports, they would be really legitimate. Instead, players, coaches, ex-players etc are all grumbling. It really is sad.

STA had a really talented 8th grader last year I watched him completely dominate games. Where did he go? Was a dark skinned Black kid with dreds?

That kid transferred to SJC. He doesn’t play much but should get some decent PT when their current senior guards graduate. He’s quite small (size and weight) so I’m not quite sure he’ll cut it at SJC. Everyone wants to transfer to the big name schools but often many don’t make it. Particularly if you’re not at least 165 when combine with under 5’9.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell (1) and SAES (2) face off today in MAC finals; they were 1-1 in regular season.

What’s SAES?

St Andrews Episcopal School

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:St Albans

This is a joke or someone who’s not an STA parent. The basketball program at STA is unbelievably bad. The last few years, we’ve had varsity players walk off the team in protest because the coaching was so pitiful. Recruited players left the school. We haven’t won an IAC championship in basketball since 2004. There is deep pain around the basketball program, dog.

Wow. That’s surprising. I didn’t know all this but I am aware of really good players in the younger years who are going to want a stronger basketball program. I wonder what they can do to make their program better. It’s a clear indication if recruited players are leaving!

If STA had all the kids who could be on the varsity team this year, including the ones who recently transferred out to places like Bullis, as well as the really good players who quit to focus on other sports, they would be really legitimate. Instead, players, coaches, ex-players etc are all grumbling. It really is sad.

Problems like this usually start at the top. Either the AD doesn't really care about basketball, or it's a coaching problem. But like others have noted, there are some strong JV players currently at STA. I guess it remains to be seen if they are serious enough about basketball to leave the school for other options.

So it sounds like the JV coach is strong but not so much the varsity coach. I wonder if they can swap?

The assistant JV coach is also the head varsity coach who is in charge of the overall program. He’s not going anywhere. He’s an STA alum and the AD won’t fire him.

Is STA actively trying to get out of last place or are other sports just a bigger priority? Last place for a decade warrants a change it seems.

+1. It becomes a vicious cycle until there is new leadership to start fresh. Top talent isn't going to go to a school that's last place and the good homegrown talent doesn't want to put in all that hard work for last place, either. Rinse and repeat. I hope they shake something up.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Thanks to the PP above for the thorough breakdown. Understand where the WCAC is in the basketball hierarchy but is there a difference between the IAC and MAC? And also, just curious where GDS would fall on your list. Are they below STA for basketball (no need to discuss academics, that’s not the question). Thanks!!

MAC is usually not as competitive as the IAC, but it’s still good. The conferences schools generally have better academics than the WCAC and st Andrew’s and Sidwell are both in the MAC which for the last couple years have had better teams than any school in the IAC.

That's not true at all. Sidwell has been the class of the IAC/MAC the past two years. That's correct. But St. Andrew's has not been better than SSSAS, Bullis or Landon the past couple of years. In fact, until this past season, SSSAS was probably the strongest of all of the IAC/MAC teams over the past four or five years. Sidwell has assumed the crown while SSSAS has fallen off significantly. Bullis is doing what they can to close the gap. Landon has a great senior who is on his way to play at UPenn. Next year they may fall off a bit. But all of those IAC schools are better than St. Andrew's in basketball. Top to bottom, the IAC is a superior conference to the MAC. It's true in football, basketball, baseball and lacrosse. MAC might have the edge in soccer and tennis.

Also the the IAC teams usually have more good players and a deeper bench than the average MAC basketball team.

Isn’t that due to school size? Is that the primary difference in conference?

[Anonymous]

Congrats to SJC for beating PVI in the WCAC championship!! Way to get one for coach Behan!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Congrats to SJC for beating PVI in the WCAC championship!! Way to get one for coach Behan!

Oh SJ beat PVI? Interesting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Congrats to SJC for beating PVI in the WCAC championship!! Way to get one for coach Behan!

Lovely piece in today’s WaPo about Coach Behan and the team.

[Anonymous]

Saint John’s is talented and they are scrappy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Saint John’s is talented and they are scrappy

Yes. Love watching their guards play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Thanks to the PP above for the thorough breakdown. Understand where the WCAC is in the basketball hierarchy but is there a difference between the IAC and MAC? And also, just curious where GDS would fall on your list. Are they below STA for basketball (no need to discuss academics, that’s not the question). Thanks!!

MAC is usually not as competitive as the IAC, but it’s still good. The conferences schools generally have better academics than the WCAC and st Andrew’s and Sidwell are both in the MAC which for the last couple years have had better teams than any school in the IAC.

MAC basketball has been better than the IAC for more than a decade.

This was the weakest year for IAC basketball in a while. But yes, the MAC has had stronger basketball teams last few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Congrats to SJC for beating PVI in the WCAC championship!! Way to get one for coach Behan!

Oh SJ beat PVI? Interesting

The four teams in the WCAC semi-finals this past Sunday -- DeMatha, PVI, SJC and Gonzaga
Huge win for SJC last night in the finals -- 65-63!

[Anonymous]

You might consider Sandy Spring Friends - they have a great boys basketball program. We know a few families with boys on the team and they are very happy. We also like their academic approach - strong and deep learning without the pressure cooker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saint John’s is talented and they are scrappy

Yes. Love watching their guards play.

Malik Mack is super smooth. Love his game.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Thanks to the PP above for the thorough breakdown. Understand where the WCAC is in the basketball hierarchy but is there a difference between the IAC and MAC? And also, just curious where GDS would fall on your list. Are they below STA for basketball (no need to discuss academics, that’s not the question). Thanks!!

MAC is usually not as competitive as the IAC, but it’s still good. The conferences schools generally have better academics than the WCAC and st Andrew’s and Sidwell are both in the MAC which for the last couple years have had better teams than any school in the IAC.

MAC basketball has been better than the IAC for more than a decade.

This was the weakest year for IAC basketball in a while. But yes, the MAC has had stronger basketball teams last few years.

I just don't believe this. In 2022 and again in 2023, Sidwell has been the class of either league.

After that, you've got Landon and Bullis that are better than any other MAC team this year.

Beginning in 2018, and going through the 2021 season, SSSAS was clearly the class of either league.

Top to bottom, the IAC has beaten the MAC during their challenge for several years running, I believe.

But I do agree the IAC was down this year - yet they still beat the MAC 4-2 during their Challenge.