By DEVIN BATES
Sports Intern WSU’18
WESTFIELD – Sunday mornings are typically a time for rest and relaxation, but for members of the Westfield Adult Basketball League, it’s time to lace up and hit the court.
Every week at this time, dozens flock to Westfield High School to drain three-pointers, block shots and compete for victory.
Action takes place in the local adult men’s basketball league. (Photo by Devin Bates)
Among those preparing to play is Bernie Giampetruzzi, a long-time Westfield native and perennial contender in the league.
“We’ve won four out of the last five years and we’re trying to win it again,” said Giampetruzzi, a member of Old School, a team largely composed of father-son duos that have been tearing up the court for years.
Bernie is joined by his son, Anthony Giampetruzzi, a former Westfield High School standout who went on to play for Clark University and is currently working at UMASS Medical. Anthony averages 12.2 points per game for Old School.
Playing alongside them are Jim and Matt O’Connor, another father-son duo that have roots in the area. Jim is a graduate of St. Mary’s and currently works in real estate, while Matt graduated from Westfield High School in 2011 and now works at Staples’ headquarters in Framingham.
Ethan Slavin, a former journalism student at Westfield State University, is currently working in public relations. He is the team’s leading free throw shooter at 90 percent.
Westfield Technical’s all-time leading scorer, Steve Martins is also a member of Old School.
Team Old School are, from left to right: Jim O’Connor, Matt O’Connor, Anthony Giampetruzzi, Joel Aponte, Steve Martins, Bernie Giampetruzzi and Ethan Slavin. (Photo by Devin Bates)
The league consists of 10 teams with many of the players hailing from Westfield and the surrounding area. Some teams are more youthful, while others rely on veteran leadership. Almost everyone in the league played high school basketball in the area, and they approach the game with the same tenacity they did years ago.
The pace was slightly more intense this past weekend during the first round of the playoffs.
Old School was able to hang on for a victory against Wolf Pack, a team led by Westfield natives Ricky Pacheco and Joe Meade, who each average some 13 points per game.
As the morning wore on, the intensity increased to an even higher degree. The following matchup, City Hotel vs. Westfield Bank, was a duel between the fourth- and fifth-seeded teams.
Westfield Bank features several recent college graduates, including former Keene State forward Derek D’Amours. In his first year at Keene State, D’Amours earned a spot on the Little East Conference All-Rookie team while finishing second on the team with 48 three-pointers. Now, he’s dominating the Westfield Adult Basketball League, scoring 30.2 points per game.
Westfield Bank’s opponent City Hotel also has some college talent, however. Jordan Santiago, averaging 14.7 points per game for the team, used to play guard on the Westfield State men’s basketball team and at Westfield High. During the 2013-14 season, Santiago averaged 11.9 points per game for the Owls.
Team Westfield Bank, from left to right, are: Trevor Bather, Vilenti Tulloch, Tom Westerholm, Derek Damours and Basim Jenkins. (Photo by Devin Bates)
For many participants, the game seems to light the competitive fire that burned during their high school and collegiate days. On more than one occasion, officials had to step in until cooler heads prevailed.
Along with the occasional expletive, both teams made one thing clear: they were not afraid to shoot from downtown. Westfield Bank’s Tom Westerholm has drained 29 shots from beyond the arc already this season.
At one point in the game, both teams traded back-to-back treys, firing up both benches.
Westfield Bank was able to hang on for a victory over City Hotel, earning them a spot in the next round.
After the weekend of action, just four teams will be moving on to play in the semifinal: Old School, Westfield Bank, Holyoke Knights and the Young Bucks. Action will resume this Sunday at Westfield High School at 9 a.m.
