By Dante Iafrate
@danteiafrate
For Sam Brigham, the stage of the Panini Hoophall Classic is no surprise at all. Instead, it marks the culmination of a long journey characterized by steady progress, and a scoring ability that has been there right from his first steps on to the high school court.
Brigham, now a senior guard at Pope Francis, hit Hoophall as one of the best players in all of Western Mass. The scenario is larger, the rivals tougher and the limelight brighter; but the thinking is still the same. Compete, play confidently and just help your team to victory.
Brigham’s climb has been consistent. From the very beginning of his high school career, he displayed an advanced feel for the game. He was aware of the rhythm, knew when to strike and was so confident that it set him apart from numerous players of his age. With the passage of seasons, he became more complete as a player, and so was his role.
In the 2024-2025 season, as part of the Valley Wheel League title-winning and Western Mass Class A championship-winning team, Brigham played a pivotal role. He scored over 400 points and became one of the team’s most reliable offensive players at the close of the season. Whether the Cardinals needed a basket to halt a run or a huge shot at the end of the game, Brigham was usually the one. He has shown this two years in a row for the Cardinals at Hoophall, with multiple clutch shots.
“I think there’s something about this place [Blake Arena], man, it’s always these overtime games. I’m not gonna lie, honestly, it was my fault that I turned the ball over, so I was lucky, lucky to hit that shot. But I’m a competitor, I want to win. So anything that’ll help us win the game,” Brigham said.
Brigham is a player with great potential in every aspect of the game, but what stands out most is his versatility. He is capable of making shots from a long distance, shooting from the mid range, or getting to the rim when the defenders are overplaying him. Besides those, he also gets fouled and is on the free-throw line doing his conversions, thus he is forcing the defense to be disciplined. His ability to score from all three levels makes him hard to defend against, which allows him to contribute to the game in many ways.
Brigham’s contribution, however, is not merely seen in scoring. Being a senior, he has assumed a leadership role, one that is manifested in both practice and games. His presence is felt on the court through his communication, his keeping the teammates tied in and his knowing how to control the momentum. In tight situations, he acts with calmness, reliance on his preparation and on his teammates.
“Obviously, we got a great coaching staff, great school, great environment, great fans. I’d say one thing that I’ve kind of been trying to develop, that they’ve been helping me with, and they’ve seen that I’ve kind of struggled with, is defense,” Brigham said. “Passing, they said, I can score the ball, but can you contribute? Can you make others better? I think with their help, I’ve slowly and certainly been getting there and working on that every day in practice.”
This maturity has been carried on through his senior season. He has started the year strongly with a 31-point performance, reminding people of his exceptional ability to score. Even at such times, his concern is always about the team winning, not about him being recognized as an individual.
Brigham has always been able to keep his head during major occasions. Last season, the game between Pope Francis and Holyoke at Hoophall was decided in the last seconds, and it was Brigham who effortlessly made a three-pointer from well beyond the college line that resulted in the game falling into double overtime in front of a packed crowd. A year later, in the same arena, the result was still the same.
At Hoophall, Brigham again proved his worth through an overtime game when his team needed him the most. With less than two minutes to go in regulation time, he took a risky shot that gave Pope Francis a five-point lead and thus helped the team take control of the game late. When the contest went into overtime, Brigham did it for the second time by hitting another three that knotted the score at 71 and consequently, allowed the Cardinals to continue their fight.
Time and again, he has shown that he is capable of doing wonders when the stakes are highest, turning the pressure into opportunity. For a senior who has been preparing for moments like this for years, Hoophall is not just a destination. It is another opportunity to do what he does best.
Photo by Conor Rourke/The Student