School considering former state champion Jack O’Brien

By Jack Nicas

Somerville High School is on the hunt for a new boys basketball coach. A six-person interview committee has whittled the field down to three, including Jack O’Brien, a five-time state champion with Charlestown High School and the subject of a bestselling book.

The three candidates for the position are current Somerville Junior Varsity coach Mark Antonelli, recently resigned Charlestown coach Steve Cassidy, a former Somerville resident, and O’Brien.

Gretchen Kinder, spokeswoman for Somerville Public Schools, said Somerville High Athletic Director Nicole Viele is reviewing the candidates and preparing a recommendation for Headmaster Tony Ciccariello. Ciccariello will then conduct interviews with the candidates and make his recommendation to Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi, who will make the final decision.

The three candidates present Somerville High with two different paths. The first is a slight change: Mark Antonelli was on the bench with former coach Paul Garrity last season and knows the current Somerville players well. The second is a start from scratch: both Steve Cassidy and Jack O’Brien hail from the successful Charlestown High program and each could bring a new philosophy to Somerville basketball.

That philosophy is what brought Charlestown four consecutive state titles from 1999 to 2003 and a fifth in 2005. O’Brien and Cassidy coached side by side during those years, building Charlestown into a powerhouse program, known for its stifling full-court press defense.

Now their competing bids to be the next Somerville basketball coach add a subplot to the local search. Cassidy served as O’Brien’s assistant coach for seven of O’Brien’s 13 years at Charlestown. When O’Brien resigned in 2006, Cassidy was the natural successor. However, O’Brien soon began regretting his decision to leave.

Danny Ventura, ‚Äúthe [Boston] Herald’s authority on high school sports,‚Äù said O’Brien was hoping Cassidy would step aside, but Cassidy refused.

‚ÄúThe Assist,‚Äù a book chronicling Charlestown’s 2005 state-title run, touched upon this tension. Author Neil Swidey wrote ‚ÄúO’Brien was hurt, seeing disloyalty in his former assistant’s refusal to yield. Cassidy was hurt, too, resenting his former mentor for putting him in this squeeze.‚Äù

Hugh Coleman, an assistant coach under both Cassidy and O’Brien, said, ‚ÄúAs far as I know now, they’ve   definitely put [any tension] behind them.‚Äù

Cassidy ended up with a 36-10 record in his two years with the Townies, including a 22-2 record and an appearance in the Division 1 North semifinals last season. He resigned following the semifinals loss amid speculation that O’Brien would return. Ventura reported on his blog that Edson Cardoso is rumored to have the position, but an official announcement isn’t expected until October.

Despite popular opinion that O’Brien would be a shoo-in for his former job, he said he has only applied for the Somerville High position.

‚ÄúI don’t know if I could do Charlestown forever,‚Äù O’Brien said in an interview. ‚ÄúI wouldn’t trade anything about it because I had some great years there, but you can’t do it forever.‚Äù

On wins and losses alone, O’Brien may be the obvious choice for Somerville: he has 26 years of coaching experience, over 400 wins, six state titles, and local fame after ‚ÄúThe Assist‚Äù made the Boston Globe’s regional best seller list and earned the coach an appearance on ‚ÄúThe Today Show.‚Äù

In the book, Swidey describes O’Brien as ‚Äúimpossibly tough on the court but nurturing off it.‚Äù

The book focuses on the unique relationship O’Brien has with his ballplayers, many of whom came from dangerous and impoverished Boston neighborhoods. Taking on a fatherly role, O’Brien, a Medford native, said he sees getting his players into college as much a part of his job as winning ball games.

His efforts have worked on both ends; Charlestown won five state titles under his reign and former assistant coach Zach Zegarowksi said, “at least nine out of 10 [Charlestown players] have gone onto college under Jack.”

O’Brien said he focused on hard work as the way to achieve success. ‚ÄúThe most successful people in the world aren’t necessarily the most intelligent,‚Äù he said. ‚ÄúIt can be achieved with average size, ability, and intelligence. School, basketball, and being a good person all go hand in hand-the same philosophy you use in sports, you use in school, and you use in life.‚Äù

Coleman said he’s never met a more complete coach, guiding his players in both sports and life. Similarly, Coleman also said, ‚Äú[Cassidy] absolutely wants the best for the kids, but he pushes them to learn to want it for themselves.‚Äù

According to ‚ÄúThe Assist,‚Äù his devotion to his players included driving them to visit prospective colleges and then visiting them at those colleges years later. If he’s hired to coach here, O’Brien said Somerville parents can expect the same level of attention and devotion.

‚ÄúI don’t see why you can’t transfer what’s been done in Charlestown to Somerville,‚Äù he said.

Ventura said the final candidate, Antonelli, “seems like the guy people in the community would like because he is a local guy and I think they feel like a Somerville guy should be coaching Somerville.”

‚ÄúHe seems to know what he’s doing on the bench,‚Äù he said, ‚Äúand he’s willing to put in the extra leg work, which is necessary in this day and age.‚Äù

Ventura said he would often see Antonelli scouting while covering games during the season.

Antonelli could not be reached for comment and Cassidy did not respond to an email.

The position, which Ventura calls one of the “top 15 to 20 jobs in eastern Massachusetts,” was vacated this past season when Garrity was fired via memo days before the playoffs. He finished out the state tournament, defeating Brighton in the first round, but then ended his era with a loss to Lowell.

Kinder said an announcement on the position is expected by the beginning of August.