Wareham basketball player breaks two school records in one game

When Jared Nawoichik was going through a slump midway through this year’s high school basketball season, his coach told him to take at least five shots a quarter, or he wouldn't play in the next one. During a game on Feb. 10, Nawoichik didn’t just just stay on the court, he broke two school records in a single game. 

The sophomore small forward from Wareham led Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School to an 83-41 victory against St. John Paul II High School. Along the way, he scored 11 three-pointers, and racked up a total of 38 points. 

The previous school records for most points scored in a game, and most three pointers scored in a game were 35 and nine respectively, both of which were set by Wareham’s Ryan Delgado in 2008.  

Nawoichik has been playing basketball since he was in the fifth grade, and said that he started making three-pointers an integral part of his game in the eighth grade. Before high school, Nawoichik played in Wareham’s JBA and travel basketball leagues.

Technically speaking, Nawoichik said that shooting from beyond the arc is pretty much the same as a standard two-point basket. “It’s just a deeper shot,” he said. 

When it comes to strategy, Nawoichik said that having some of the bigger guys set up screens on the court has really helped him find openings for his shots this season. 

He also credited seniors Connor Reidy and Dez Nascimento for “feeding him the ball” during his record-breaking performance. 

“Having a player like Jared is amazing,” Nascimento said. 

He added that having a talented sophomore on the team’s roster suggests good things to come in the future. “It shows me that this program is going in the right direction,” Nascimento said. 

Coach Billy Macuch had plenty of praise for the record-breaking scorer as well. “Jared has an incredible IQ for the game of basketball,” he said, adding that the young player rarely makes mistakes. 

While Nawoichik is best known for his three-pointers, Macuch said he is strong on defense as well. In the game against St. John Paul II High School, Nawoichik had 12 rebounds, three steals, and a block in addition to his 38 points on offense. 

Macuch also credited Nawoichik for being an unselfish player and a hard worker, who often spends extra time practicing at the Wareham YMCA. 

When asked about his ultimatum to take five shots per quarter, Macuch said that he knew the young athlete had the ability to be a big scorer and break out of a temporary slump, and just needed more opportunities with the ball.