Parkway Contingent Will Lead Boston Latin Boys' Basketball

Boston Latin School head boys' basketball coach Brad Smith says his teams always have a "good contingent" of players from the Parkway area.

This winter, he'll be counting on four to return the program to its once great heights following last year's 2-22 campaign.

Hyde Park's Tosin Ajewole and Khaleel Abdul-Jabbaar will start in Smith's front court, while Roslindale's Devin Kriby will provide depth at guard. All three players are seniors.

But West Roxbury resident Jack Duggan, who led the team in scoring last winter as a sophomore, will feature as the team's centerpiece at guard.

"[Duggan] is a very good ball handler," Smith said. "He has a lot of potential. He could be a [Dual County] League All-Star. He's one of the most talented players on the team, but he still has a long way to go."

Duggan, for his part, maintains modesty - "I was alright," he said of his effort last season - and a team-centric viewpoint.

"Last year, I got the role down," he said. "I think everyone on the team has their role down now, and I think we could be pretty good."

Smith offered similar sentiments, saying his then-young squad spent much of last winter learning how to play in his system. The results, as the Wolfpack's record indicated, were not optimal, and were certainly unfamiliar - prior to last year, BLS had made the state tournament in seven straight seasons. But with nearly all of his players returning this winter, and with a much greater familiarity with the team's system, Smith says he hopes that the team can "get back to where [they] were."

"I expect a much better year," he said.

Joining Duggan in the effort to make those expectations a reality will be senior forwards Ajewole and Abdul-Jabbaar. Smith calls the former of the Hyde Park duo the team's "most talented forward" and is counting on the latter - a three-year varsity player - to provide "stability and leadership in the front court."

Roslindale's Kriby will not start, but Smith praises him as one of the team's hardest workers and expects that the senior will fill a leadership role.

Smith thinks the Wolfpack has the talent and work ethic to reach his lofty goals, but knows that high school basketball is a results-based business and is hesitant to say the team is ready to take the next step.

"They're a good group of kids who work hard," he said, "but who need to find the balance between working hard and playing well."

Should they do so, however, then the team - led by a Parkway trio - will reap the benefits.

"We definitely have a lot of potential," Smith said. "If they do what they're supposed to do, we should get back to the tournament."