Coach’s Corner: Boys’ Basketball
By WILLIAM INOUE, AARYAN PATEL, and ARJUN VELAN
The boys’ varsity basketball team is often one of the most exciting winter sports teams at Exeter to watch and follow. Following a victory on Saturday, Jan. 19, the team maintained its win streak, improving its record to 10-0. While athletes appear to be doing all the work, a lot of effort from the coaches who provide much necessary guidance and assistance to the players goes unnoticed.
Serving as the team’s head coach is Jay Tilton, who has been leading the program since the winter of 2009 and acted as an assistant coach for nine years prior. Over this time, Tilton has collected five NEPSAC Class A titles and 14 trips to the Class A Tournament. Furthermore, as of the boys’ game on Saturday, Jan. 19, Tilton surpassed the 200-win mark with a total record of 200-92 throughout his career. Before coming to Exeter, Tilton served as an Ivy League Assistant at Dartmouth College, and in the past, Tilton has been a key stepping stone for student-athletes to go to the Big Ten, Ivy League, ACC, Patriot League, A-10, UAA, NESCAC, and other premier conferences across the country. Alongside Tilton are the assistant coaches Phil Rowe, Harry Rafferty, and Rick Brault.
Despite this year’s emphasis on defense and specific offensive packages, the coaches carry a similar set of goals compared to years prior for both the team and each player individually. Assistant Coach Rick Brault explained that he always has and plans to continue emphasizing the importance of improving each practice and game. “We do this by guiding each player to appreciate what it takes to understand roles, to lead, and how to improve their game,” he said on the matter.
Assistant coach Rowe also expressed this notion while providing some of the more long-term goals for the team: “Of course, we have long-term goals of winning a NEPSAC championship, beating Andover, and more, but we emphasize taking it one game at a time, as that is most important.”
Brault also explained how he, alongside the other coaches, assists players who may have aspirations to play at the collegiate level: “Many young men who come to play basketball at Exeter have a desire to play at a collegiate level. Their picture of what that takes becomes more vivid as we coaches spend time talking and coloring in what that actually might be.”
Brault also added a more general outlook for other players, saying, “The balancing of the academics and athletic demands certainly add to the development of what we all see as resilient intelligence and discipline.”
Coach Rowe added, “We want our guys to enjoy their experience playing basketball during their time at Exeter. The game can teach great values to help our players navigate the world for the rest of their lives.”
Some athletes also shared their views on the coaches and how they have helped the team and their individual growth.”Our coaching staff in my opinion is the best in the NEPSAC,” senior Tyler Bike reflected. “They know what they are talking about and have confidence in our group to go out there and execute.”
Lower Jayden Duverne explained how the coaches had become family. “All the coaches have a strong connection to the kids on the team. They want to see us get better, they want to see us thrive, they want to see us reach our max potential, and it’s really a family, to be honest,” he said.
“They always have our back and are willing to do whatever it takes to help us improve day in and day out.” Duverne said, “I love how invested they are: they come to practice every day, ready to work, and they put the same effort into coaching that we play put into basketball. They build a great environment.”
Bike concluded, “Every day around them is special. To be able to be coached by our coaching staff is special and has elevated my game as well as everyone else’s.”
As the team continues to work through the season, making a run for the championship, each coach’s continuous hard work and dedication will play an integral role in their success.
