The Marblehead boys basketball team is gearing up for another postseason run. This year, it’s led by senior guard Nick Lemmond, who has sported 19 points, four assists, and four rebounds per game this winter. 

Despite a relatively-mediocre regular season, 13-7, Lemmond is enjoying his senior year with lifelong friends. 

“It’s awesome playing with all of my best friends. The kids on the team aren’t just my teammates. I’ve been hanging out with them for basically my entire life,” Lemmond said. “Being able to share all these memories with them is something special.” 

Lemmond is an elite three-level scorer on the North Shore. As for how he became a threat on the hardwood, look no further than his offseason workouts.

“I’ve always been a very good shooter. I’ve worked extremely hard at shooting. I work with Peter Reppas out in Danvers at Repertoire Fitness. I lift with him and also work on my shooting there,” Lemmond said. “But this offseason, I put an emphasis on getting stronger and faster, which I feel made a big difference in my game. Last year, I was mainly spotting up for threes, while this year, I’m getting to the rim a lot more. Adding this to my game has helped a lot.”

Last season, Lemmond was a key player in the Magicians’ run to the Division 2 Elite 8 (MIAA). 

The quick-release shooter was always looking for his catch-and-shoot opportunities. This year, however, he believes that “being able to shoot a three can only get you so far.” 

“Getting to the hole makes you a much bigger threat,” Lemmond said. “Not even just scoring, but putting on extra strength and quickness has helped me get rebounds and made me a better defender. Overall, I just needed to take my game to another level, and I feel like I’ve done that. I need to keep working on it, but I feel like I’ve benefited from the work I put in this offseason.”

Lemmond describes himself as a “combo guard” who can get to his spots with a few dribbles, like Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors. 

“I do love Klay Thompson’s game – I probably model my game after his,” Lemmond said.  He can spot up, but also get to the hoop and get to his midrange in not a lot of dribbles.”

Despite the No. 36 ranking in Division 2, Lemmond is confident his Magicians can make another deep run.

“Our biggest problem all season has been playing our best for an entire 32 minutes. We’ve been playing only one half great, which has been a big problem. We’re obviously going to be a lower seed than we were last year, but we still believe we can compete and beat anyone,” Lemmond said. “We went up to Springfield and played the No. 3 team in Division 2 in Pope Francis, and we were down two with a minute left… We need to focus on whatever team is in front of us instead of looking at the future.”

Next year, Lemmond is going to change his black and red uniform to orange and black, as he’s attending Suffield Academy in Connecticut for a postgraduate year. 

“A really good school, academically and athletically. I think a postgrad year is going to benefit me a lot. Playing at this level before I go to college will prepare me to play early at whatever school I go to. It also can help me get some better opportunities for college,” Lemmond said. “Academically, I have been improving every year since freshman year. Becoming a better student before college is another reason why I chose to do a postgrad year.” 

But on the basketball court, Lemmond knows he’ll need to be ready for the best competition in the region. 

“I’m super excited. It’s extremely high-level. You’re going against Division 1 guys every night in that conference,” Lemmond said. “I’m going to continue to work on my strength and my athleticism this offseason because everyone is bigger, stronger, and faster. I want to be more than just a shooter. I want to show my game and the player I’m becoming.” 

With that sharpshooting, there are only good things ahead for Lemmond. But, first things first, he’s going to try and replicate some of last season’s state tournament magic for Marblehead.