Twice As Nice: Worcester Champions & Fans

🏀 IF YOU WEREN’T THERE, IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE. IF YOU WERE THERE, YOU STILL COULDN’T BELIEVE WHAT YOU WERE WATCHING. 🏀

Florida trips. 🌴
Back-to-back Central Mass Championships. 🏆🏆
And both seasons ending with back-to-back Division 1 State Championships! 🏆🏆

It was an incredible run and a special time in Worcester basketball history.

Now, third-year Head Coach Tishaun Jenkins returns to the sidelines this season, along with a group that includes several three-year varsity players.

A new season. A new group ready to write its own story.

The memories remain. The basketball continues. 🏀

MISSED As an assistant to Coach Pettway and the North High Boys team, I see the kids sporadically throughout the year and almost every day of the week during the season. Most of the current Championship team I've known for two years, some three, and Joe I have helped coach for three years and assisted coach Pettway when he played elsewhere and we faced those teams. Joe I believe is the only current player for North that has played against us. His team before three years ago beat us, and then he joined North and contributed in a very large way to a sweet 16 appearance and two D1 State Championships over the past 3 seasons! Over about 16 weeks in the past 7 seasons as an assistant, I meet new kids each year. The dynamics of skill and personality change each year, but there is always a degree of comradery between coaches, mentoring, and bonding with the team and so much of the time is fun and laughter. You just can never know what each practice will bring. From comedy to players departing for academic or other reasons, to mostly hard work, the season can be a roller coaster! This current team and last year's squad will forever be linked through the achievements of these boys, Coach Pettway, and the coaching staff as well as the involvement of the families, many of the school administrators, and the city of Worcester! Now that the season is complete, and we enter into the wonderful opportunities offered to those who achieve State Chips, the day-to-day interactions with the team, coaches, media, volunteers, and others are something you realize you thoroughly enjoy and look forward to each day. From scouting games to eating dinners, sharing breakfasts, to outings, and so on, your every day involves something to do with the game you love, the kids you grow fond of, and the coaches, volunteers, and media you look forward to goofing around with, coaching with, strategizing with and enjoying the spoils of winning. If you're a family to a coach, the commitment is huge, not only to one team but much of the time to the game itself. WHY?! Cause for those married to a hoop coach, or are the family of a coach, BASKETBALL NEVER STOPS! THANK YOU WIVES AND LOVED ONES!

🏀 A NEW NAME — THE SAME LOVE FOR WORCESTER BASKETBALL 🏀

Some of you may notice that this page has a new name:

TWICE AS NICE — WORCESTER CHAMPIONS

For roughly a decade, this page has documented and celebrated boys basketball at North High — the players, coaches, families, memorable games and moments that ultimately included something incredibly special: historic back-to-back Division 1 Massachusetts State Championships in 2023 and 2024. 🏆🏆

Those memories aren’t going anywhere.

Recently, Worcester Public Schools asked that “North High” be removed from the page name so that an independently operated fan page cannot be mistaken for an official school or athletic department page. The district is also working through matters involving official logos and branding and has requested that unofficial/custom North High logos not be used in connection with the school.

We respect that request.

Rather than lose a page containing nearly a decade of basketball memories and a community of approximately 2,400 followers, we’re simply giving it a new identity.

TWICE AS NICE — WORCESTER CHAMPIONS celebrates what those championship teams accomplished while allowing this page to continue doing what it was created to do: support young people and celebrate basketball.

🏆 Honoring the past — including the historic 2023 & 2024 championship teams.

🏀 Supporting the present — celebrating today’s players and teams.

⭐ Building the future — recognizing the next generation of Worcester basketball players.

This remains an independently operated fan page. It is not an official page of North High School or Worcester Public Schools.

And while there is one school and basketball program especially close to our hearts, the message at the top of our new cover photo says it best:

WE SUPPORT ONE SCHOOL.
WE’RE FANS OF ALL BASKETBALL IN WORCESTER.

There is tremendous basketball being played throughout this city, by boys and girls, at every level. When there’s a positive story worth sharing — an accomplishment, a great performance, a former player doing well, or simply a young person representing Worcester the right way — we hope to celebrate it.

The name has changed.

The memories haven’t.
The championships haven’t.
And the support for Worcester’s young people certainly hasn’t.

TWICE AS NICE — WORCESTER CHAMPIONS 🏆🏆
2023 • 2024

Honoring the Past • Supporting the Present • Building the Future

Congratulations to North High, Coach Tishaun Jenkins, and longtime—and now former—Shrewsbury Coach Adrian Machado on the well-deserved awards presented to them at Summer Jam Classic 10! 🏀👏

These honors recognize their years of dedication, leadership, and commitment to the young people and basketball community of Worcester.

Great to see people who have given so much to the game and their community receive some recognition for the impact they’ve made. Congratulations to all! ❤️🏀

Anthony Bosa Barbosa

The time has arrived! Tomorrow is the 10 year celebration of the Summer Jam Classic! 🏀🔥

One of the things that makes this event so special is the opportunity to see outstanding talent from right here in Worcester and from out of state. Tomorrow’s Pro-Am tournament features teams from beyond Massachusetts, and I’m excited to watch them compete.

The photo of North High guard Jayvion Tirado (borrowed from his mom 😊) perfectly captures the energy, passion, and excitement this tournament brings—and the love this city has for the game of basketball. Much like a scene from a movie!

Bring a chair, a sunshade, and some sunscreen. Spend the day enjoying great basketball, delicious food, music, shopping with local vendors, and, above all, celebrating 10 years of a wonderful community tradition.

Anthony Bosa Barbosa and the Summer Jam staff, welcome back James Lambert III to MC the day. Make sure to keep him hydrated—it’s going to be a long performance, and we want him at his best all day long!!😀

The game schedule is pictured—arrive early to catch the Pro-Am players at their freshest and enjoy a full day of hoops!

See you at the Summer Jam Classic! 🏀☀️🎉

THIS SATURDAY! 🎉🏀
First game 9:30 AM!

The Summer Jam Classic celebrates 10 years of basketball, community, and friendship!

🏀 Youth games
🏀 Girls & boys matchups
🏀 Pro/Am tournament action
🔥 7:00 PM: Worcester vs. Springfield High School Boys Showcase

There will be music, vendors, great food, and plenty of fun throughout the day.

James Lambert III will be on hand as the returning Master Of Ceremonies!

Come celebrate a decade of Summer Jam and be part of an incredible day that brings our community together. We hope to see you there!

Missed. Never forgotten.

I visit this young man’s resting place several times each year. Every visit is a reminder to live fully, and never take a single day for granted. ❤️

2023 North High State Champion Tahlan Pettway is on the move! After entering the transfer portal following the season, he’s heading to UNC Wilmington.
Pettway showed steady growth all year, earning a starting role down the stretch. Now he takes his game to the coast!
Wishing you all the best in this next chapter!