by Julie Gowel ·
Friday, January 9, 2026
Senior Captain Owen Balsis and a player from South Lancaster Academy accept tournament MVP awards in Gardner on Dec. 29. (Photo by Julie Gowel)
The Bromfield boys varsity basketball team claimed three wins and had one loss over the Press’ winter break. On Wednesday, Dec. 17, the Trojans defeated the Trivium School 51-17 in Lancaster. Bromfield had a solid win against Murdock on Monday, Dec. 22, beating the Devils 85-41 in Winchendon. On Monday, Jan. 5, in their first game of the new year, the Trojans defeated the Ayer Shirley Panthers 65-58.
During the school vacation, the boys participated in the Gardner High School tournament, held in Gardner on Dec. 27 and 29. On the 27th, Bromfield suffered a tough league loss to the Gardner Wildcats 77-43 but came back to beat South Lancaster Academy 62-38, also at Gardner High School.
The wins against Trivium, Murdock, and Ayer Shirley helped Bromfield secure its third-place tie ranking in the Midland-Wachusett D League. Anne McWaters, Trojans head coach, credited the team’s full court pressure defense for getting the steals and turnovers that led to victories. She said the aggressive defense cleared the way for the offense to score. She was pleased with the team’s coordinated effort, and that of senior captain Owen Balsis, who scored 28 points in the game against Murdock, easily earning high-scorer status.
The first game in the Gardner tournament had Bromfield at a disadvantage early, down by 5 points in the first minute and a half of play. After a timeout called by McWaters, the Trojans briefly gained momentum, but rushed passes and turnovers led to transition baskets for the Wildcats, who closed the quarter ahead 21-12.
Balsis opened the second quarter with a quick one-handed catch-and-put-back, but Bromfield struggled to stay out of foul trouble. Gardner repeatedly reached the free-throw line, and Bromfield entered the bonus, which happens when a team has reached five fouls and every subsequent one leads to the opposing team getting a free throw. With 34 seconds remaining before halftime, Bromfield trailed 41-24 at the break.
Gardner extended its lead in the third quarter, hitting several late 3-pointers to push the margin to 65-31. In the fourth, Balsis was fouled on a 3-point attempt and converted all five free throws across two possessions. He finished as high-scorer with 19 points, but he fouled out before the final buzzer as Gardner secured a 77-43 win.
“I knew that game was going to be tough,” said McWaters. “We need to continue working on our positioning defensively, especially on fast breaks. I want to beat our opponent to the spot and draw a charge, instead of coming from behind and fouling them and putting them on the line. We’re still working on playing defense with our feet instead of our hands. It’s a work in progress.”
Two days later, on Dec. 29, Bromfield outscored South Lancaster Academy, defeating them by 24 points. The opening minutes were scoreless until sophomore Julian Kosciak put Bromfield on the board with a 3-pointer, nearly four minutes into the first quarter. Despite a slow offensive start, Bromfield’s defense held strong, and the Trojans carried a 13-7 lead into the second quarter.
Lancaster closed the gap to 16-13 early in the second quarter, prompting McWaters to call a timeout and adjust the lineup. Senior Jake O’Neil responded with a basket after entering the game, and Bromfield maintained a narrow 22-19 halftime lead.
“I expected us to be dominating the game within the first three minutes,” McWaters said. “We were missing an intensity we needed in the first half.”
That changed after halftime. Bromfield cut down on turnovers, played with more defensive urgency, and attacked the boards. A physical third quarter ended with Bromfield pushing the lead to 40-29. The Trojans had their strongest run of the game in the fourth quarter, stretching the lead to 20 points and closing out the win. Balsis led the Trojans again, scoring 18 points and earning tournament all-star honors.
“After halftime, we came out ready to play,” McWaters said. “The energy on the floor and on the bench were equally important.”
On Monday night, Jan. 5, Bromfield beat Ayer Shirley 65-58 at home in a fast-paced, high-energy matchup that swung back and forth before the Trojans pulled away late. Four back-to-back 3-pointers from O’Neil, Balsis, senior Josh Pelak, and junior Noah Petrossi fueled an intense first quarter that ended with Bromfield narrowly ahead,
15-14. The second quarter stayed tight, with multiple lead changes before Ayer Shirley carried a 31-28 advantage into halftime.
Momentum shifted late in the third quarter as Bromfield went on a decisive run, pushing the tempo with crisp passes and quick finishes. Strong defense forced shot-clock violations, and Kosciak capped the quarter with a buzzer-beater to give Bromfield a 45-41 lead. Despite a drawn-out final stretch with both teams in the bonus, Bromfield stayed composed to seal the win.
“They really clicked tonight and that’s when the magic happens,” said McWaters, praising disciplined defense, balanced scoring, and improved chemistry following extended holiday practices.“When we bring the energy, value the ball, and play together,” she said, “we can be really effective.”