MILTON — Principal Suzanne Banach is pleased to share that the St. Mary of the Hills School Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) basketball team has completed a successful regular season following the return of beloved basketball coach Ara Asadoorian.
Asadoorian joined St. Mary of the Hills School in 2008 and started the CYO Basketball program in 2013. Asadoorian coached boys basketball for seven consecutive years until the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. He left the program in 2020 due to health concerns relating to the ongoing pandemic and with no other coach available, the basketball program was discontinued.
In September 2022, Asadoorian returned to St. Mary’s as the head coach of the seventh/eighth-grade boys basketball team and began training for the upcoming season. Without a gymnasium, the CYO Basketball team practices outside every Wednesday and Friday.
“I walked out of the first practice knowing that this team was special,” said Asadoorian. “For a while, I thought that I would never coach again, but after that first practice I told my wife I was sure that I needed this in my life once again.”
In December 2022, the team played their first game of the season against Saint Joseph Catholic School, winning 50-13. St. Mary’s winning streak continued throughout the season with several notable performances including a game played earlier this month against Saint Catherine of Siena School, which ended in a win for St. Mary’s (67-33).
“I want to congratulate our incredibly talented seventh/eighth-grade boys basketball team,” said Principal Suzanne Banach.”This team has grown tremendously since the beginning of the season and I could not be more proud.”
Saint Mary’s with an 11-1 record, good for the first seed received a 1st round bye in the playoffs.During the second round, Saint Mary’s CYO Basketball Team faced Quincy Catholic Academy (67-42). In the third round, they faced the Blessed Sacrament of Walpole (46-33).
On Saturday, March 11, the St. Mary of the Hills School CYO basketball team won the CYO Championship against Saint Catherines of Siena School (67-33). The following day, St. Mary’s faced Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy to win the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston(RCAB) Championship (53-51).
Finishing so far with a 15-1 record, St. Mary’s only loss came in an overtime game with a chance to win at the buzzer and a chance to tie to go into double overtime.
Their final game was played on March 31 in Providence where St. Mary’s represented Massachusetts and competed for a spot in the National Championship in Ohio as part of the North East Catholic Youth Organization Championships.
Saint Mary’s defeated St. Christopher Academy of New Hampshire and took third place, concluding their historic season.
Ara Asadoorian, Basketball Coach
Ara Asadoorian, of Milton, has had many successes during his coaching career at St. Mary’s including qualifying for the playoffs each year and sending players to the All-Star game.
Accomplishments include 2023 seventh/eighth grade Boys RCABChampions, 2023 seventh/eighth grade Boys South Shore Parochial School LeaugeChampions, 2018-2019 Undefeated Champions (11-0), 2017-2018 (16-1) Regional Champions and 2015 South Shore Parochial School Leauge seventh/eighth Boys Division Runner Up.
Additionally, Asadoorian was named All-Star Coach 2017-2018, 2018-2019 and 2022-2023.
“We are thrilled to welcome back coach Ara Asadoorian to St. Mary of the Hills School,” said Principal Suzanne Banach. “Since his return, coach Asadoorian has formed a cohesive team of talented students and it has been a pleasure to watch them thrive under his supervision.”
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