By Brian Guinane ‘26
On Saturday, March 21, the Brother Rice basketball program banquet was held at Barracos. This was a great opportunity to look back on the success the program had this year. The freshman A team had an outstanding season, winning the Chicago Catholic League.
The junior varsity team had a nice season as well. Coach Nolan led the guys to a nice year in his first season as a coach.
Coach Nolan said, “My first season as a head coach was very special. Being a basketball coach has always been a dream of mine since the second I picked up a ball at a young age. Basketball runs in my family, and I simply could not escape it. This year was a great learning experience for me as I was able to see what worked and what did not work. While I love the sport of basketball, the main reason I have a passion for coaching is because I have the opportunity to grow young men into the best human beings possible. Being a head coach allows you to build special relationships with each of your players and managers on a daily basis. I continued to learn so much about myself throughout the year as I gained experience developing an offense, scouting opponents, and breaking down film. I am looking forward to continuing to improve as a coach as well as impact many more lives in the future!”
The varsity team put together a great season as well, putting up 23 wins under first year head Coach Rick Romeli. Coach Romeli took over the head coaching position after previously coaching at Marian Catholic.
Zach Grabowski, a senior captain and leader of the team said, “This year was filled with ups and downs and a roller coaster of emotions, but I feel like we overcame many expectations. Not many people thought of us as competitors but this year we competed in every game.”
It is safe to say Brother Rice Basketball is on the rise with the new standard set and the future is bright for Crusader fans.
