The Hampden boys’ basketball team has its eyes on a deep tournament run this year, and anything is possible with seniors Zach McLaughlin and JJ Wolfington at the helm.
McLaughlin is an aggressive, high-flying scorer all over the court, and his best friend Wolfington is a calculated, controlled force inside the arc. In 2022-23 they combined for 36 points, 12 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, and so far this season they’ve upped that scoring average to 46 points.
“They play the game very differently, but are both extremely athletic,” longtime Hampden head coach Russ Bartlett said. “They have a great feel for the game.”
The duo are four-year starters for the Broncos, and haven’t stopped building on their chemistry, leadership qualities, physical abilities and basketball skills. This year, Hampden earned the No. 1 preseason ranking in Class A North, so expectations are higher than ever and the duo are a big reason why.
“To be a championship-caliber team, you have to have great chemistry along with great players,” Bartlett said. “If your two most skilled players have a great relationship to start — you can’t teach that.”
McLaughlin and Wolfington met in elementary school, when JJ moved to Hampden from Hallowell in third grade. They immediately bonded on and off the court, going on to play together at Reeds Brook Middle School, with Bronco Travel Basketball, and now at the high school varsity level.
Having played together for close to 10 years now, the duo has developed a mutual passion for basketball, and know each others’ games to a tee.
“We’ve been best friends since day one, and that carries onto the court,” Wolfington said. “You know, if I look at him a certain way, he knows to back cut — we can do little, quick signals like that.”
“JJ’s my best friend — we have a crazy connection on the court,” McLaughlin added. “He’s always been my partner in crime.”
This year, though, McLaughlin and Wolfington won’t be able to rest on their laurels.
Hampden hasn’t sniffed a deep playoff run since before the pandemic and reclassified down to Class A this offseason, so the Bronco faithful are ready to see some success. Moreover, Hampden is a younger team with just four seniors — and two sophomores in the starting lineup — so McLaughlin and Wolfington are in charge of leading the Broncos in all aspects.
Fortunately for Bartlett, McLaughlin and Wolfington have learned how to be those role models.
“They have a good, strong voice in practice — they hold their teammates accountable — but know when to pat someone on the back too,” Bartlett said. “Effort is never an issue; they both put a lot of time in the weight room and on the court this offseason.”
Come crunch time, McLaughlin and Wolfington’s experience allows them to close wins out. In their hard-fought game against Brewer last week, the duo scored 20 of Hampden’s final 24 points, turning a one possession lead into a 64-49 victory.
“We’re taking pride in what we do,” Wolfington said. “When the two leaders bring the energy, everybody follows.”
