Prep team
finds its
stride
The Woodstock Academy Blue prep basketball team may have stumbled once early in the season, but it has found its stride since.
The Centaurs, coming out of the past weekend, have won nine straight and are now 12-1 on the season.
“We’re improving every day,” said guard Isaiah Jones.
Jones was a key last week when the Centaurs downed the Post University junior varsity squad, 95-61.
Jones scored 19 points in the win, 13 coming in the first half, when the Centaurs opened a 63-39 lead.
He finished with five 3-pointers.
“It’s really nice when you get into a zone,” Jones said.
The Centaurs had a nice height advantage over the Eagles who didn’t bring a player over 6-foot-2 to the game.
Kaleb Thornton and Kruno Macner each contributed 14 points.
Macner is part of the “Euro-squad” as the unit identifies itself.
Macner, from Zagreb, Croatia, generally plays with fellow international students Stefanos Psarras from Greece, Guillem Gonzalez from Spain and Srdja Marinkovich from Serbia.
“It’s been great. It’s totally different from back home. I really like it so far, I’m really happy here,” Psarras said. “The basketball here is better than in my country. We have practices, a weight room, games, it’s pretty hard, but I’m getting better.”
Macner’s confidence has been on the rise after a slow start.
That due, in part, to the pace of the American game.
“It was hard to adjust because it’s way faster than in Europe. Players are quicker, stronger, jump higher. When you drive, right away there is (defensive) help and you have to think quickly. I’m starting to adjust and feel good,” Macner said.
Macner agreed he had never heard of Woodstock, CT. before he learned of the Academy.
“I heard only of Woodstock (N.Y.) where there was a concert,” Macner said with a laugh. “It’s much different than Zagreb which is a big city, the capital of Croatia. You come here, it’s a little place, but I like the practices especially the strength and conditioning part. Coach (Brenden Ostaszewski) is doing a great job with us. We have the new weight room, redecorated, much nicer. The team is, obviously, one of the best in the country so it’s a nice place to be.”
The Centaurs followed up the win over Post with a pair of victories over NEPSAC teams.
The Blue squad dropped Lawrence Academy, 84-60, behind a 19-point effort from Dyson Frank.
Woodstock Academy finished off the week with a 98-66 victory over Winchendon School on Sunday in the Pioneer Valley Tip-Off Tournament at the Curry Hicks Cage at UMass.
Thornton was named Most Valuable Player of the game with an 11-point, 6-rebound effort.
Centaurs Gold remain undefeated
The Woodstock Academy Gold prep basketball team raised its record to 13-0 with a pair of victories last week.
The Centaurs traveled to Haverhill, Mass., Dec. 5 and posted a 100-67 win over Bradford Christian Academy.
Darion Jordan Thomas led the Gold squad with 10 points and 10 rebounds while Jacob Toppin added 10 points, eight rebounds and five steals.
The Centaurs went on the road again Dec. 8 and recorded a 102-64 win over the Hoosac School in New York.
Indiana State-bound Tre Williams finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks while Jeremy Robinson added 12 points and six boards.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy

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