Settling into a new role as sixth man is something new for former Bishop Fenwick basketball star Nolan DiPanfilo, but the Suffolk University freshman is loving every minute he's on the court. He is averaging 9 points per game and is the third leading scorer for the Rams.
"I'm used to starting so coming off the bench is something new; I had to get used to it," said DiPanfilo. "The moment coach (Adam) Nelson calls your name you have to be ready. There's no time to warm up; he wants me to score points right away. I'm having a good time, and I always know when he's getting ready to call for me because of what's happening in the game. I can pretty much count on being in there pretty early which is nice."
DiPanfilo a 5-foot 8, 170 pound point guard, is eighth on the all-time Fenwick scoring list with 1,085 career points. He figured he was going to get a lot of playing time as a freshman. It was one of the things that came into play in the two-time Catholic Central All-Star's decision to attend the school along with its top notch criminal justice program.
"Coach didn't promise me anything, but he told me I'd play right away if I made a quick adjustment to the college game," said DiPanfilo, who co-captained Fenwick's 20-3 team that lost to Watertown in the Division 3 North final a year ago. "I love the challenge of coming off the bench. The biggest thing is being mentally prepared to go all out and get hot right away.
"Within the first five or 10 minutes I get the call. There's no question of my role; put the ball in the hoop from anywhere on the court. The coaches don't care if I drive to the hoop or hit some outside shots as long as I score. I understand that's what they want from me and try to help the team."
The Saugus resident is one of several key underclassmen for the Rams; there are no seniors on the team which has been on break but gets back in action on Jan. 9 against Lasell. He is averaging over 17 minutes per game.
"It's a pretty even mix between freshmen, sophomores, and juniors," said DiPanfilo, whose younger brother Brett is a junior starter for the Crusaders this year. "Next year I hope to be a starter, and that's a goal I'm working very hard for. I'd love to crack the starting lineup even earlier; I'd hate to get in if somebody goes down, but whatever happens I'm ready."
"Nolan has been a great addition to our program," said Nelson. "He can really score — he's got a terrific mid-range game, but most importantly he brings toughness. He's doing a great job of learning the point guard position and he'll be a big time player in our league as he continues to develop."
Suffolk won its first four games and then dropped five straight. DiPanfilo believes the team can turn things around and finish strong.
"We're trying to make the (GNAC) conference tournament, and hopefully go on to the NCAA's," he said. "I think we have the talent to do it. When I was looking at colleges I had considered Salve Regina or Curry, but I liked staying close to home. I'm living at home and commuting this year. That's tough sometimes, especially during basketball season, but I wanted to get used to the college atmosphere and get acclimated during my freshman year. Being right in Boston is great. I'm having fun and really like the school."
