Winchendon will provide a stiff test for Coleman and Co. Ranked #3 nationally by ESPN in the preseason prep rankings (behind Hargarve and Brewster) Winchendon is a strong contender to win the Class A title this year. And for good reason. A roster littered with D1 prospects is highlighted by Villanova-bound big man Markus Kennedy, the wildly underrated Eric Fergusen (Georgia Southern), a heady point guard (Anthony Ireland), and Providence targets Khem Birch (#11 nationally in the class of 2012 per ESPN) and junior Angel Nunez (#37 nationally on ESPN) and a few other D1 prospects.
Coming off of a loss this weekend to Maine Central Institute, only their second of the season, Winchendon should be amped up for this one.
It will be interesting to see how Coleman responds. He has been outstanding in every game this year, with the lone exception being the loss to Brewster. Winchendon and Brewster look to be the two giants in Class A and Gerard can erase the memory of that performance with a sterling effort on Wednesday night. For Tilton to have a shot in this one they will need him at his best.
Beginning next year this will be a position that Coleman finds himself in often. In the best of years in the Big East Providence is an underdog against the powers of the conference. The challenge for the Friars over the past decade has been finding kids who make it a point to step up in the big moment, in the game in which outsiders think they should never win, finding the player who lifts the Friars on his back and leads them confidently into Freedom Hall or the Carrier Dome, or anywhere else McDonald's All Americans call home.
It may not be a true redemption game for Coleman (that will come when Tilton hosts Brewster in a rematch at Tilton, which will be very telling), but it is his first test against a Class A team since the Brewster game, against a team that is as good as any in the country.
