WINTHROP — First-year Winthrop boys basketball coach David Sacco grew up in the Pope John hoops program. As a player, Sacco was a 1000-point scorer who still stands as the boys program’s all-time leading scorer at 1,331. As a coach, Sacco served as an assistant for six years before taking the reigns at his alma mater for seven seasons.
Tonight (7), Sacco will have a chance to watch his hoops career come full-circle when he brings his No. 9 Vikings to No. 1 Pope John for a clash in the Division 4 North state tournament quarterfinal.
“It’s great,” Sacco, a Saugus resident, said. “Half my life has been spent at Pope John as a player and coach. It’s going to be a little weird going to the visitors locker room and coaching on the opposite sideline. I remember tournament games there that were standing room only. I have great memories there. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Sacco played for the Tigers from 1990-1994. He helped lead the team to a 17-3 record and a run to the Division 3 North semifinal as a junior in 1993. As a senior, Sacco aided the Tigers to a Division 4 North final appearance where they lost a nail-bitter to Trinity Catholic, 92-90, in double overtime.
He went on to play college football as a tight end at Division III Plymouth State before returning to his alma mater as a coaching assistant for the boys basketball team. Sacco was named head coach of the Tigers in 2006 and remained in that role until 2013.
In 2011, Sacco coached Pope John to the Division 4 North final where the Tigers lost to eventual state-champion St. Mary’s.
“The home tournament games stand out to me both as a player and as a coach,” Sacco said. “It’s a small Catholic school and it’s not one of those huge field houses. Once the place gets packed, it’s like the best atmosphere. It’s going to be a phenomenal atmosphere on Saturday and it’s going to be a great game.
“The last four years I coached there, we did very well,” Sacco added. “They had a little rebuilding period but they’ve pretty much been the staple of Division 4 North. They’re 19-1 and they’re as advertised. They’re the favorite. We had two days to prepare and our guys will be ready for the challenge.”
The Vikings played Pope John (19-1) twice during the regular season, both Tigers victories. Pope John earned a bye in the first round, while Winthrop had to get through No. 8 South Boston with a resilient effort Wednesday night to seal its bid in tonight’s quarterfinal.
Winthrop defeated South Boston, 71-62, after falling behind by 11 points at halftime. Devin Pulsifer led Winthrop with 29 points and Chrono Washington scored 10. Tayjuan McKenzie scored 24 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, while joining the school’s 1000-point club in the process. He became the second Viking to reach the milestone, as Pulsifer did so with a victory over Danvers in January.
“My guys are gritty, they’re very resilient,” Sacco said. “South Boston shot 83 percent, made six 3-pointers and took the lead in the first quarter. Kids can get down after that. We went on a big run in the third quarter. Guys like Tayjuan, Devin and Chrono took over the fourth quarter. Our guys are super resilient. I think a lot of teams would’ve caved. Our guys stuck with the game plan and we got the win.”
It’ll take another gritty effort from the Vikings to take down the Tigers. Winthrop will aim to limit Pope John’s multitude of reliable scoring options while winning the battle on the glass.
“The key for us is to try to them slow them down offensively,” Sacco said. “They can score from anywhere on the floor. We have to make sure we know our assignments and we can’t miss any rotations. We have to get the rebounds and hold them to one shot. Once we get those rebounds we have to take care of the basketball on the other end.
“As my kids get ready for Saturday, I think of them and the opportunity,” Sacco added. “It’s almost like David vs. Goliath. To have our kids ready for that moment and that opportunity, I don’t think you can ask for anything more.”