On the first Friday evening this December, Belmont High School’s varsity boys basketball team gathered underneath a basket on the far side of a buzzing Wenner Field House.
After installing a few out-of-bounds plays, the program’s first-year coach, Danny Burns, recounted his Tour de Middlesex League. From playing at Woburn Memorial High School to coaching at Winchester and Melrose High Schools and now in his first year leading Belmont High School, the new man in charge knows the challenges ahead for a program seeking a turnaround campaign.
“I feel like I’ve been in the league and with a lot of programs throughout my life,” Burns said. “I know the league fairly well. I know that Belmont has always had a good basketball tradition, and when the job came available, I was all-in right away.”
His players like what they see so far.
“It’s a deep roster this year,” said junior center Braiden Dargon, the team’s lone reigning Middlesex League All-Star and one of three returning starters alongside senior guards Charlie Tingos and Andre Chavushian. “It’s a bunch of kids who can play. If everyone shows up, we’re going to be great. We like the coach and are excited for this year.”
After sputtering to a 4-16 mark last season, Belmont is beginning a new chapter. Former coach Darren Martinez, who led the program to one MIAA Division 1 tournament berth in three seasons, departed.
In came Burns, who steered the Melrose High School program to multiple postseason runs over the past six years as the varsity head coach.
With eight varsity returners, Dargon cites the team’s depth as a strength, saying the rotation could go 10 deep.
“We’ve struggled with toughness the past two years, including me,” Dargon said. “We’ve all just got to bring it. That’s what really gets you going.”
Burns envisions playing an uptempo pace, reminiscent of the successful Belmont teams of old. With solid size and athleticism, the Marauders plan to wreak havoc defensively and turn steals into easy layups. Watch for Belmont to play with principles more than set plays, picking up sound habits along the way.
Dargon believes the Marauders have postseason potential.
“I’d say that’s our expectation,” Dargon said. “We can definitely get that. Last year wasn’t great, but this year starts with us. We’ve got to play hard.”
A former version of this story had the incorrect first name of the former boys basketball coach. Darren Martinez was the team’s former coach.
