The season is less than a week old, but calling the Stamford High School boys basketball team a sleeper may not be doing it justice.
Following tonight’s 72-64 win over Harding, the Black Knights are 3-0 and looking like they could be one of the better teams in the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference.
Skeptics will point to the Presidents missing three starters, but Stamford’s personnel, with star guard Chris Evans and a collection of solid if unspectacular role players, could be better than expected.
Michael Tiscia returns and is a reliable point guard, while Marc Guirand and Jethro Anilus contribute an outside presence, and Manoche Bosse is a slasher to the basket. If the Black Knights can get some inside play out of 6-foot-6 junior Mark Ellis — Harding’s David Armstrong scored 24 points and dominated the offensive boards — they will become even more formidable.
Most important is the health of guard Chris Evans. He missed eight games last year and 18 the last two seasons. He is one of the FCIAC’s premier players, able to take over games both scoring and as a playmaker. If Evans can keep himself on the court, Stamford will have a good chance at earning one of the top seeds for the FCIAC Tournament.
