Three Warriors named boys’ hoop All-Stars

MIKE WILKINSON – All Conference, MVP

WAKEFIELD — The Middlesex League’s boys’ basketball coaches met recently to vote on All-Stars for the 2022-23 season.

The league champion Warriors had three All-Stars named as senior captain Ethan Margolis, senior captain Mike Wilkinson and junior De’Ari Burton all earned the honor.

Wilkinson and Margolis were also named to the five-player All-Conference team.

Wilkinson was also named the Middlesex League Freedom Division MVP.

Burton averaged 11.4 points, 4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game. He shot 40 percent from 3-point range.

“De’Ari really stepped up from a 6th man role to someone we counted on to play huge minutes,” said head coach Colin Halpin. “He is one of the best on-ball defenders in the league and has worked to become a knockdown shooter. We really think he could take another big step as a senior captain next year.”

Margolis averaged 15.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 4.2 steals per game. He shot 45 percent from the field and 38 percent from 3-point range.

“Trying to explain what ‘E’ has meant to our program the last two years is difficult,” said Halpin of Margolis. “He is the conductor of the orchestra. Everything was just calm with the ball in his hands and we could always trust his decisions. For a point guard to lead the team in rebounds speaks volumes about the competitor he is.”

In addition to being named All-Conference and MVP, this is the second All-Star nod in a row for Wilkinson. He averaged 19.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.7 steals per game.

“Dependability and confidence. Those are the two things I think of,” said Halpin of Wilkinson. “That’s what Mike brought to the table every single day. League MVP, second in the league in scoring – that’s impressive. But all he cared about was winning games. Whatever it takes to win, that’s what Mike did.”

The Warriors were Middlesex League Freedom Division Champions after going 18-2 this season, including a 12-game winning streak from Dec. 30 to Feb. 10. They beat Liberty Division champion Lexington (13-7) in the first game of the season. Wakefield fell to Leominster, 71-70 in overtime in a Div. 2 tournament first round matchup.

The Warriors and 2nd place Burlington each had three All-Stars selected. Melrose had two and Watertown, Stoneham and Wilmington each had one.

In the Liberty Division, Lexington led the way with three, followed by two each from Arlington, Winchester and Reading and one each from Belmont and Woburn.

2022-23 BOYS’ BASKETBALL MIDDLESEX LEAGUE ALL-STARS

Freedom Division

Name             Team

Mike Wilkinson  Wakefield – MVP

Ethan Margolis  Wakefield

De’Ari Burton  Wakefield

Cedric Rodriguez  Burlington

Eric Sekyaya  Burlington

Ben Poehler  Burlington

Cam Lippie  Melrose

Miles Nzui  Melrose

Ben Kullman  Watertown

Colin Farren  Stoneham

Ben Marvin  Wilmington

Liberty Division

Name  Team

Nelson Mendes-Stephen  Lexington

Derin Ongur Lexington

Ryan Asarpour Lexington

Jayden Williams Arlington – MVP

Owen Haglund Arlington

Matt Hu Winchester

John DeMichaelis Winchester

Aidan Bekkenhuis Reading

Jesse Doherty Reading

Donovan Holway Belmont

Brett Tuzzulo Woburn

All-Conference Team

Jayden Williams Arlington

Mike Wilkinson Wakefield

Cedric Rodriguez Burlington

Ethan Margolis Wakefield

Aidan Bekkenhuis Reading