WESTON, Mass. — When Rivers turned the page from its dynastic run, it didn’t close the book. The core members stuck around, helping usher in a new era.
At last June’s NEPSAC Scholastic Showcase, several graduated players – including Ryan Altman, Jay Jones and Andrew Alekseyenko – sat on the bench of a Rivers game. This season, coach Keith Zalaski has seen some of those names pop up on Hudl. They’ve continuously checked in, stayed connected and helped this new group along.
And they’re doing all right.
Despite its significant changes this winter, it’s the same old story at Rivers, where the Red Wings have another Class B contender and one of the best teams in the ISL. Their 60-53 victory over Milton Academy, a Class A contender, on Wednesday afternoon showed that this program has barely skipped a beat this season with several newcomers. And they’re having a ton of fun, too.
“It’s fun when you have something new, and you’re trying to figure out what to do with new,” Zalaski said. “What do we need, what are the things, what are the details, what are the personalities, what are all those things? We’re just trying to have fun with it, have fun as a group and figure it out as a group. Obviously, it’s more fun to figure it out when you win a game than being on the other side. …
“We have a fun group. It’s definitely a newer group, not just from a human standpoint but just from roles and responsibilities and all those things. There’s always growing pains with it, but they love each other and we’re trying to figure it out. We talk about way less basketball and way more, where’s our energy at, where’s our communication at, and where’s our competitive streak? If we have those things, the rest of it we can figure out.”
Rivers – which is on a six-game winning streak – improved to 7-4 overall and 3-0 in the ISL with Wednesday’s win, while Milton Academy dropped to 7-2 overall and 3-1 in the ISL. Here are X standouts from the game.
Ikenna Okafor, Rivers
Class of 2027, 6-6 guard/forward
Hometown: Brockton, Mass.
Okafor was the star of the show, finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds and two assists. A long and athletic 6-foot-6, Okafor was comfortable playing as a point forward and orchestrating the offense. He hit four 3-pointers, including a couple of deep ones, and he was hitting shots from every level. The toughest one, a fadeaway mid-range jumper after creating space with his footwork, helped Rivers put the game away late. He also had a big defensive rebound late where he made a full-court pass to Patrick Costello in stride for a transition bucket. He was also doing some dirty work, including taking a charge, retaining a possession on a jump ball, and also making a play where he got a loose ball and found teammate Jack Millward from the ground.
A transfer from Concord Academy, Okafor has assumed a big role at Rivers – and he’s thriving with his new responsibilities.
“Ikenna, he’s just different and I love different,” Zalaski said. “I love different guys. He might not look the part of your average point guard and he does a lot of that for us, he wears that responsibility. Everybody’s like, I want the basketball. It’s like, OK. Like, you have to do a lot of it, that’s a lot of responsibility, and he wears that role.
Okafor has also come a long way already with his outside shooting confidence. Zalaski recalled a moment from June’s NEPSAC Scholastic Showcase, when he coached Okafor for the first time and he passed up a couple of open shots. He delivered a message to him that resonated.
“We called a timeout, we come over and I look at one of our returners, Jayson (Brainerd),” Zalaski said. “I’m like, ‘Jason, what’s the only thing I get really mad about?’ He’s like, ‘Passing up open shots. Not shooting it.’ Like if you’re clean, in rhythm, be aggressive, hey if we miss them, who cares? You have to trust your skill set. …
“Some people might look at him and be like, he wasn’t known as a shooter. But he’s not a bad shooter, he’s a pretty good shooter. He was just more comfortable playmaking and being in the paint and making those reads. Again, that’s day to day. … We just want guys to play in rhythm, not second-guess. We say, trust your eyes. If you see space, you’re open, drill it.”
Jack Millward, Rivers
Class of 2027, 6-5 guard
Hometown: Wakefield, Mass.
A secondary scoring option to Okafor, I loved Millward’s scoring versatility and the way he took what the defense gave him. He scored 11 points, including a smooth pull-up 3-pointer from the corner that he created with a jab step, and he also made a smooth play where he pump-faked from the corner before taking it to the rim and making a creative finish on a mid-air adjustment between defenders. He scored on a couple cuts to the rim, including a big late three-point play, and was also impactful defensively with two steals out of the post.
A transfer from Wakefield High School, Millward – like Okafor – is filling a big role in a new environment. He’s been impactful from the beginning, including being named MVP of the Rivers Holiday Tournament.
“They’re both such great personalities and obviously they’re coming from different places, have had different responsibilities, different kinds of success,” Zalaski said. “It’s helping them figure out, what does success really mean? I think the coolest part of it is they want to do those things and again, trying to learn all that. Learn me, learn our guys, learn the school. …
“They’re both great kids, they both care about the school, they care about each other and it’s trying to really figure out, for me, who they are, where do they shine, where are some of the things that are weaknesses right now and how do we elevate some of the strengths and try to minimize some of the other things.”
Patrick Costello, Rivers
Class of 2028, 6-5 guard
Hometown: Natick, Mass.
Costello finished with 17 points, including three 3-pointers, and he made a couple of big shots late. Rivers led by two midway through the second half, with the momentum on Milton’s side, when he canned a triple from the wing. A few minutes later, Costello grabbed an offensive rebound and drilled a mid-range jumper to put Rivers back up five. The Red Wings used that momentum to create the separation they needed to hold on for the win.
Chais Harriette, Rivers
Class of 2026, 6-1 guard
Hometown: Mattapan, Mass.
This isn’t a typo – Harriette recorded eight steals in this victory. He was everywhere defensively, bothering Milton Academy’s perimeter while also succeeding as a help defender who forced several Milton Academy turnovers when the Mustangs tried to feed their big man Spencer Booth in the post. Harriette also drew a key foul on an offensive rebound late in the game, and he helped seal the game with a pair of free throws with a minute remaining.
Devan Williams, Milton Academy
Class of 2026, 6-2 guard
Hometown: Uncasville, Conn.
The Mustangs continued to be at their best when Williams had the ball. He had a team-high 18 points and was effective as a facilitator as he found teammates for open looks. Several strong sequences highlighted his night. In the first half, he hit a pull-up 3-pointer, then drew a charge on the next defensive possession before finding a teammate in the corner for a triple on the next play. He also fueled a 6-0 run to start the second half, when he was fouled on an offensive rebound before taking a defensive rebound coast to coast for a strong finish. Williams’ combination of speed and strong decision-making continued; good things happen when he has the ball, and he’s always lurking for a big play.
