Senior Scholastic Spotlight: Brandon Boucher making his mark for Bartlett athletics
Boucher #Boucher
As the seasons change, so does the sport Brandon Boucher plays for Bartlett High.
And while the senior likes being on the soccer field in the fall and baseball diamond in the spring, it’s running the basketball court in the winter he loves the most.
“I just like the energy, the pace of the game,” Boucher, 18, said Tuesday evening as snow steadily piled up outside his Webster home. “It’s just fun. I started when I was probably 5 or 6, and my dad used to coach me and my brother in AAU. So I grew up playing it and came to love the game.”
Boucher is certainly relishing every second of this pandemic-induced shortened season, one that will see Bartlett play its sixth and final regular-season game Friday when it hosts undefeated Grafton in a Pod 2 matchup.
The Indians enter the game with a 3-2 record, having lost to Grafton, 76-68, on Wednesday. Northbridge and Uxbridge complete the undersized pod, which saw three fellow Southern Worcester County League schools opt out.
“It feels great to be back playing sports,” said Boucher, who had to sit out soccer season when the Indians weren’t able to field enough players for a team. “To be able to play for my school again, even though there are no (Central Mass.) playoffs, it feels pretty good to get a rhythm going.”
Boucher has been in the flow since he was a freshman, contributing 5.3 points a game before ascending to a starting role as a sophomore. The 5-foot-10, 155-pound point guard checked in with 15.8 and 17.4 averages the past two seasons, during which the Indians went a cumulative 35-11 and qualified for the Clark and CMass Division 3 tournaments each year.
“I think he’s one of the best players out there in Central Mass.,” longtime Bartlett coach Tony Paranto said his team captain and two-time T&G Division 3 all-star. “He’s been a leader of our team. He was our leading scorer last year and one of the leading scorers in the conference. We ask him to do multiple things this year and he’s currently leading us in four categories.”
That would be points (17.0), rebounds (11-plus), assists (9-plus) and steals (6-plus) per game.
Boucher’s younger brother, Cam, a junior guard at Northbridge, also has put up some pretty good numbers, averaging 15.6 points. (Boucher lives with their mom, Jill Magnant, in Webster, while Cam lives with their dad, Mike Boucher, in Northbridge.)
Both siblings scored in double figures last week as Northbridge defeated Bartlett, 71-51, before the Indians evened the score with a 68-44 win over the visiting Rams a couple of days later.
“We split the series, unfortunately,” said Boucher, who noted, with a laugh, it’s a unanimous decision when it comes to which of the siblings is the superior player, that being the oldest one.
Boucher has also made his mark in the classroom and as a school representative while holding a part-time job at Market Basket for the past two years.
This National Honor Society member with a 3.5 grade point average is currently taking advanced placement courses in literature and environmental science and honors classes in integrated algebra and business law.
In addition, Boucher and fellow seniors/friends Ryan Spitz and Gabi Piwowarczyk represent the school as student ambassadors to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association.
“He’s one of those quality kids,” Paranto said. “A leader of the school as well as a leader on whatever field he’s taking.”
Boucher, who has played for the Mass. Elite AAU team for the past two summers, is interested in studying and intent on continuing his basketball career in college. He’s been accepted to Nichols and is waiting to hear back from the likes of Bridgewater State, Salem State and Lasell.
—If you have an idea for a Senior Scholastic Spotlight, contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @RichGarvenTG.
Banter with Brandon
Here are a few lighthearted thoughts from Brandon Boucher between making an impact at both ends of the court for the Indians:
Favorite food: Lasagna
Favorite take-out restaurant: Chipotle
Favorite musician: Lil Tjay
Favorite holiday: Christmas
Favorite sports team: Celtics
Last movie you saw and rating (1 to 5 stars): The last really interesting one I watched was the Michael Jordan (docuseries) “The Last Dance.” I thought it was really good, so I’d give it a 4.5.
Invite any three people to dinner: Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant.
Sports superstition/routine: I just listen to music.
Most memorable moment: Reaching the Central Mass. Division 3 championship last year.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Senior Scholastic Spotlight: Brandon Boucher making his mark for Bartlett athletics