Undefeated Patriots enjoy school’s best-ever start at 7-0
Bill Millevoi Jr. became the youngest head boys’ basketball coach in Secaucus High School history last year, when he was appointed to the position at the tender age of 26 years old.
Millevoi grew up around the game, following the exploits of his father, Bill Sr., the long-time girls’ coach at Ferris. The younger Millevoi also played basketball at Secaucus in the late 1980s to the early 1990s, so he was definitely a familiar face. To some, taking over the reins as the head coach of his alma mater at a young age might have represented quite a major challenge. But not to Millevoi – he was ready for the challenge.
"I was coaching the JV (junior varsity) for six years there, so the kids knew me and I knew them," Millevoi said. "It was a slight change in philosophy. That’s about it."
The Patriots were a little less than competitive in the Millevoi’s first year, finishing the season with an 8-13 record.
"We lost a lot of close games," Millevoi said. "I was very proud of that team. It was a good team to be around, a fun team. With a little luck, we could have been a .500 team."
But it wasn’t meant to be.
However, bolstered by the addition of two quality transfers, Millevoi knew that the Patriots would be a much-improved team for the 2000-2001 season. Just how good remained the question.
"I knew that the kids we had coming back would be more acquainted with what we do," Millevoi said. "And the new kids would help us a little."
But after seven games, the Patriots have yet to lose a single game. That’s right. They’re 7-0, getting off to the best start in the school’s history. Just three weeks into the season, the Patriots are just one win shy of their entire win total of a season ago.
"There’s no way that I could have expected 7-0," Millevoi said. "It’s a real good feeling to be where we are at this point."
Probably the biggest reason for the Patriots’ transformation into a Bergen County Scholastic League superpower has been the emergence of Jamal Ford. The 6-3 junior, who transferred from St. Anthony, is averaging 24 points per game for the Patriots, giving the team a sure-fire scorer that is rarely seen in the BCSL.
"He’s definitely one of the best players in Group I," Millevoi said. "He’s a big part to our success, because he puts up numbers."
Junior point guard Gary Wohlrab is another transfer from St. Anthony. The 5-11 Wohlrab is a defensive specialist who generally defends the opposition’s best performer. Wohlrab is averaging six points and nine assists per game.
"For me, Jamal puts up the points, but Gary is the catalyst who starts everything," Millevoi said. "They’ve really made a big difference with us."
Senior guards Danny Mejia and Craig Bronowich have been interchangeable parts, alternating for one another. Senior Bobby Dornan and senior Nelson Cardona have been solid up front. Both players are 6-2 and Millevoi calls them "strong and quick." Cardona has been averaging eight points and eight rebounds per game.
The final piece to the puzzle has been the play of 6-5 freshman Austin Hinton, who has a world of talent and even more potential. Millevoi has been working Hinton into the mix slowly and Hinton has responded with four points and six rebounds per game in limited action.
It’s definitely a different feel at Secaucus, considering that the program has not enjoyed a winning season in more than five years. The Patriots, winners of their first seven games, have a little bit more than a .500 record and a state playoff berth in mind now.
"It’s a good feeling to know that teams are coming into Secaucus and actually worrying about us," Millevoi said. "Teams don’t come in, thinking they’re automatically going to get a win. We’re much more competitive than before."
Millevoi thanks the efforts of Assistant Coaches Danny Waddleton and Tom Lambert as well. Waddleton, the former Jersey City Heights Councilman, was a standout player in his heyday at St. John’s University in the mid 1960s.
"Danny relates well to the kids and they get a lot from him," Millevoi said. "I have a great relationship with him."
And for the first time ever, the younger Millevoi has a better coaching record than his father. Secaucus is 7-0, while the Ferris girls own a 5-1 record.
"We have a little friendly competition between us," the younger Millevoi said. "We still talk about games and teams and I still get advice from him. I’ve been going to see him coach games since I was a little boy. Now, we don’t talk strategy. We talk mainly about how to treat players. That’s the one thing that my father does better than anyone."
No one knows how much longer the undefeated streak can last, but it has been fun thus far.
"We want to keep it going for as long as possible," Millevoi said. "We don’t want to jinx anything."
If nothing is jinxed, then the Patriots could actually contend for a Group I state sectional final. The last time the Patriots went that far in the state tournament? It was 1990, when the Patriots lost in the sectional finale to Bogota. The Patriots’ starting point guard that night was a kid named Billy Millevoi.
The kid has definitely come a long way.
CAPTION
THE UNDEFEATED – Secaucus is off to its best start in school history, a proud 7-0 record heading into action this weekend, led by the play, from left, of forward Nelson Cardona, forward Jamal Ford, Head Coach Bill Millevoi Jr. and point guard Gary Wohlrab.