HADLEY — When Andrew Ciaglo learned he was going to be a member of the boys varsity basketball team at Hopkins Academy, he immediately went to his older brother Justin for advice.
Justin played for the Golden Hawks during his time at Hopkins, averaging 14.2 points a game his senior year in 2017-18. The elder Ciaglo had one big tip for his freshman brother.
“He told me, ‘When you’re open, let it fly,’” Andrew Ciaglo said.
Ciaglo did just that for the Golden Hawks. In his first year, he averaged 20.4 points per game while making 74 3-pointers. His 409 points on the season puts him well on pace to eclipse the 1,000-point mark by his junior year. His offensive output made coaching easier for Adam Ginsburg who, like Ciaglo, was in his first season.
“I’m not overly surprised by it. His ability has been really important as a whole,” Ginsburg said. “Not only does he score, but so much attention is on him when he’s on the floor. And with his work ethic, there’s no reason he can’t continue to develop.”
Given that most teams prepare to stop Ciaglo when they play Hopkins, Ciaglo knows how important it is to have great teammates alongside him.
“They know how to find me when I’m open and they have confidence in me to make shots,” Ciaglo said.
The Golden Hawks, whose season ended at 9-11 last week, had great leadership to go along with their talented freshman. Senior Caleb Graves and sophomore Braeden Tudryn were two players who stepped up to lead the team.
“They’re the two guys with the most experience on the team,” Ciaglo said. “They’ve been awesome leaders for us.”
With Graves set to graduate in the spring, the Golden Hawks lose a key player as well as a veteran presence in the locker room. However, Ginsburg believes that Ciaglo could be the one to step up and fill his shoes.
“He’s someone who has always been in a leadership position. This year, he’s been fortunate enough to have experienced guys around him,” Ginsburg said. “He’s definitely positioning himself to lead moving forward.”
Hopkins missed the playoffs by one win. Despite the end to an exciting freshman year, Ciaglo remains optimistic heading into his sophomore season.
“The first practice, everyone is going to be hungry for making the tournament next year,” Ciaglo said. “With everybody more experienced, I think we can make a really big run in the postseason.”
