These champs are ready to be the underdog — again.
Xaverian clinched its first Catholic High School Athletic Association Intersectional title since 2005 last season, but the squad has undergone some major changes since hoisting the championship trophy.
Tom Burns took over for long-time coach Jack Alesi over the summer, and the Clippers roster is practically bursting with youth — not the experience it depended on last year.
Still, Xaverian is just as determined as ever to defend its championship — and hopeful to defy the odds.
“It’s definitely strange to be champions and underdogs,” said senior forward Vincent Tavella. “Everyone counts us out every year, but we always surprise a lot of people. So we’re hoping to do that again this season.”
Players spent most of the preseason working to find their collective footing, particularly those who didn’t notch many minutes during last season’s championship run. Xaverian returned eight players from last year’s squad, but only Zack Bruno notched major playing time during the postseason.
“It’s about knowing what we’re up against,” Bruno said. “So we’ve just been trying to get them in shape in the weight room and running, just getting better.”
That learning curve isn’t limited to players, and Burns has done his best to settle into his first head-coaching season. He’s a different personality than Alesi — not quite as strict, according to Bruno — but he’s been part of the Clippers program for years and he’s well acquainted with his roster.
“I coached most of these guys when they were sophomores on the junior varsity and there’s a familiarity there,” Burns said. “But I think the way they’ve embraced me as their varsity coach has been a real good thing for me. It’s kind of endearing to see that they’ve welcomed me with open arms.”
Xaverian doesn’t boast much experience this year, but it does have a good amount of size, and the Clippers are hoping to use that to their advantage underneath the hoop. If the team can grab some key rebounds — and keep possessions alive — it will be able to hold its own against league competition.
“We need to play big inside, use our strength and our height whenever we can, and just crash the boards down low,” Tavella said.
The team has a handful of scrimmages under its belt, but Xaverian’s first true test will come in the Dec. 4 season opener against All Hallows. It will be a very bright spotlight for the young roster.
Xaverian is determined to defend its title, but Clippers players know they’re not the favorite, and that’s alright — they weren’t the favorite last year either, and everybody knows how that worked out, Bruno said.
“Nobody thought we’d get to Fordham and we ended up winning the city championship,” he said. “So I’m confident enough to think we can do it again. Why not?”