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By Dom Nicastro
The Saugus High School boys basketball team enters the 2025–2026 season with high expectations. Under the direction of head coach Joe Bertrand, now in his fifth season at the helm and seventh overall with the program, the Sachems return nearly all of last year’s contributors and are poised to compete for a postseason berth.
After back-to-back seven-win seasons—including a 5-2 non-league mark last winter—Bertrand believes this year’s team has the experience, size, and depth to push beyond that plateau.
“We lost four seniors, but return a good chunk of the entire program,” said Bertrand, a 2014 Saugus graduate. “That puts us in a great spot with experience, and the guys are excited and ready to go.”
Four captains, one vision
Leadership will be a strength this season with four battle-tested seniors serving as team captains:
- Ryan Shea – A two-sport captain (football, basketball) who led the team in scoring (13 PPG), assists (3.5 APG), and steals (2.5 SPG) last year.
- Huey Josama – The 6-7 forward returns as a three-year starter after averaging a double-double (12 PPG, 10 RPG).
- Jordan Rodriguez – A three-sport captain and athletic glue guy in the backcourt.
- Nathan Soroko – A reliable ballhandler and passer (3.0 APG) who also plays baseball and golf.
“All four captains are invested in basketball and everything they do,” Bertrand said. “They’re easy to follow because they lead by example and have earned that respect.”
A roster built for versatility
This year’s Saugus roster offers flexibility on both ends of the court. Bertrand describes the team as “deep,” with enough size to dominate the paint and enough quickness in the backcourt to run a fast-paced offense or slow it down and execute.
- Size in the paint: Josama and sophomore Ryan Dupuy (6-5) give Saugus a formidable frontcourt. Dupuy, who averaged 8.8 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game as a freshman, is one of the most promising young big men in the area.
- Depth across the board: Forwards Cristian Dean, Paxton Ferraro, and Isaiah Louis—all over six feet—add to the Sachems’ interior options.
- Speed at guard: Shea, Rodriguez, Soroko and Kam Conroy form a backcourt with quickness, vision, and experience.
“Our roster allows us to play a lot of guys, which is a luxury,” Bertrand said. “We’re tall up front, quick at guard, and deep across the board.”
Program-wide stability and participation
Participation has been steady in recent years, and this season is no different. The Sachems field three full teams:
- Varsity: 12 players
- Junior Varsity: 12 players
- Freshmen: 13 players
That adds up to a deep pipeline of nearly 40 athletes across the program.
“We’re returning a lot at every level,” Bertrand said. “It’s a strong sign for the health of the program and gives us depth that shows up not just this year, but in years to come.”
What Needs to Improve?
While the Sachems went 5-2 outside of the Northeastern Conference last season—with wins over Northeast Voke, Minuteman, and others—they managed just two NEC victories.
“We’ve got to show we can compete for all four quarters and flip some of those close conference losses into wins,” Bertrand said. “That’s the difference between 7-13 and a playoff team.”
The team finished fourth out of five in the NEC Lynch Division last season, but several games came down to the wire.
“There were 50-50 games that didn’t go our way,” Bertrand said. “If we can swing a few of those, we’ll be right there.”
The Northeastern Conference continues to be one of the strongest leagues in the state, and this year looks no different.
“There are no easy nights in this league,” Bertrand said. “It’s deep, balanced, and anyone can win on any night. It’s going to be a gauntlet.”
Among the returning NEC contenders are Masconomet, Beverly, and Swampscott, all of whom bring back multiple starters. But Bertrand sees that as an opportunity—not a burden.
“If you want to get better,” he said, “you want to play the best.”
