BOSTON, Mass. — Newman’s start on Wednesday night wasn’t sharp, and certainly wasn’t up to its typically high standard.
But that’s why head coach Jackson Johnson built one of the deepest rosters in New England.
After a sluggish opening half, Newman used the strength of its bench to get things together, eventually pulling away from a tough, shorthanded Bright School squad for an 80-62 victory at the Track at New Balance. The Cardinals, ranked No. 2 in our first NEPSAC power rankings, are now 5-0 as they head to the National Prep Showcase in New Haven, Conn. this weekend for matchups against Sunrise Christian Academy (Kan.) and Massanutten Military Academy (Va.).
It wasn’t as smooth or easy as it probably should have been, but Johnson had to like that his team had to fight through some adversity to earn this victory.
Three days after its thrilling victory over Putnam Science in the finale of NEBL opening weekend, Newman returned to the same building and there certainly wasn’t as much juice. The crowd wasn’t as big, and the opponent wasn’t as good. It took some time for the Cardinals to create some energy.
Give credit to head coach Brian Stasaitis’ Bright squad, which had just seven players in uniform for the trip from Connecticut due to injuries and played with a ton of fight early. It opened a 21-15 lead midway through the first half as Newman’s starting unit struggled to find its footing and couldn’t seem to make a shot. But the Cardinals got a boost from their bench unit – led by Carson McDonald, Timmy Bollin and Louis O’Keefe – to spur a 15-2 run.
Newman held just a two-point halftime lead, and Jackson rode with his hot hands to start the second half. The Cardinals came out of halftime with McDonald, Bollin, Bennett White, Kaden Bedard and Donovan Lee on the court instead of their starting lineup, and they helped Newman eventually pull away. The Cardinals soon gained a double-digit advantage and never looked back.
Let’s get into some standouts.
Player of the game
Carson McDonald, Newman
Class of 2025, 6-9 forward
Hometown: Denver, Colo.
After a strong weekend at the NEBL, McDonald took another step towards a college commitment with a big performance off the bench Wednesday night. His energy was much-needed after Newman’s lackadaisical start, and the skilled, mobile 6-9 forward took advantage of some mismatches inside to get some easy buckets. McDonald finished with 18 points, and he also showcased his passing ability with several pretty assists. He had a few picture-perfect backdoor passes, including a highlight dime early in the second half when he found Reggie Grodin cutting to the hoop with a pass behind his head.
Standouts
Timmy Bollin, Newman
Class of 2026, 6-6 guard
Hometown: Brockton, Mass.
Bollin was also a key contributor off the bench who provided an important spark. He had 13 points, made some really nice passes and reads offensively, and had some big hustle plays, including one where dove on the floor for a loose ball to retain possession for Newman.
Jalen Harper, Newman
Class of 2025, 6-3 guard
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pa.
Harper was probably Newman’s most consistent starter on Wednesday night. He had 15 points, including several on second-chance opportunities. The combo guard has proven to be reliable for Johnson early this season.
Lucas Morillo, Newman
Class of 2026, 6-7 guard
Hometown: Mount Vernon, N.Y.
Morillo is getting a lot of hype recently, and for good reason after a monster performance at NEBL opening weekend. It took him longer to make an impact on Wednesday night, and it almost seemed inevitable. He scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half and simply couldn’t be stopped during a stretch when he kept getting to the rim with ease and drawing fouls. He converted a three-point play to put Newman up 52-40, then another bucket on the next possession, and it was smooth sailing for the Cardinals from there.
Zachary Rodene, Bright School
Class of 2026, 6-2 guard
Hometown: Marietta, Ga.
The reason Bright stayed in this game as long as it did, Rodene scored a game-high 24 points and displayed a comfortable shooting stroke. After Newman went on its 15-2 run to take a seven-point lead late in the first half, Rodene refused to let Bright go away with eight points in the final minutes of the half and then a 3-pointer early in the second half to keep things close before Newman eventually pulled away.
