As an avid basketball fan for the past seven years, I feel that I have a consistent knowledge when it comes to “good basketball.”
And, sure, not every basketball team in the world can play at an elite competitive level like that of teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), or overseas in leagues like the EuroLeague and the National Basketball League (NBL) in Australia.
But there is one team that reflects this ideal of “elite basketball”: The Knights of Northern Essex Community College, our beloved institution.
Although I have only been here since the Spring 2024 semester, throughout that timespan, I have heard insurmountable compliments about how great the program is.
The men’s team, led by head coach Darren Stratton, who most recently was named JUCO Coach of the Week by HoopDirt.com, have been nothing short of amazing, boasting a 23-3 record.
According to NJCAA.org’s NJCAA Division III men’s basketball rankings from February 10th, that puts them at No. 8 in the country.
On the other hand, the women’s basketball team has also had their fair share of success. Led by head coach Malaquias Canery, with the aforementioned Stratton serving as an associate head coach, even with a questionable record of 9-11, the female Knights still have undercover talent on the court.
The star of that program? 5’2” Methuen-made freshman guard Rhaelyn Gutierrez (pictured, photo from @neccknights on Instagram), who is averaging an insane 30.4 points-per-game, including a 47-point masterclass on December 3, 2024.
She has also only dropped less than 20 points once during this season! Did I mention she was a freshman? She reminds me of a mini Cam Thomas.
Another notable contributor to mention is Dracut’s Mirelys Morales, who averages an impressive 17.4 points-per-game on an efficient 40.3-percent clip from the field.
In terms of the men’s team, the true stars of the program lie within multiple players.
Although their leading scorer, Haverhill’s own Alejandro Delgado, only averages 14.6 points-per-game with a respectable 8.4 rebounds-per-game, it seems that they are putting the pieces together to recapture the success of last season. In the 2023-24 season, their squad swaggered through with a 32-2 record, including being undefeated (23-0) in their respective conference.
Despite Delgado’s efforts, though, there are other players that have emerged as solid contributors, including second-leading scorer and Lowell native Javien Kirmil (11.9 points-per-game) and Cameroon bigman Karl Wolfgang (7.2 points-per-game and 7.2 rebounds-per-game).
Hell, even their unsung heroes, namely Salem, NH’s Ryan Pacy (8.7 points-per-game), are throwing down 360 dunks in-game! From what I have seen so far, these teams are showcasing the true art that is collegiate basketball.
They truly do have a new fan: myself.
