D2 Boys POY

Roger Brown has reported via Twitter Patrick Welch has been stripped of the D2 Boys POY award and he won't be allowed to compete in the D1 vs D2 boys senior all star game at NHTI tomorrow.

Brown also reported he's hearing Jourdain Bell will now be the D2 boys POY recipient. More details about this unfortunate series of events will be in the UL tomorrow.

From the Concord Monitor:


Pat Welch, who helped lead Pembroke Academy to back-to-back Division II basketball championships, has been stripped of his Player of the Year award because of “flagrant unsportsmanlike behavior,” according to the New Hampshire Basketball Coaches Organization.

The action is likely because of a social media posting after the championship game.

In his place, Bishop Brady junior Jourdain Bell is now the Division II Player of the Year. Bell averaged 24 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and five steals per game this season for the Green Giants.

In a statement released yesterday, NHBCO President Gary Noyes wrote: “The NHBCO is disappointed to announce the unfortunate decision to rescind the Division 2 Player of the Year awarded to Pat Welch from Pembroke Academy. Last week, Pat Welch was named by the Division 2 coaches as their Player of the Year. Since that time, it has come to the NHBCO executive board’s attention that Pat Welch displayed flagrant un-sportsmanlike behavior. We have contacted Pembroke Academy and informed them of our decision. Pat Welch will not be allowed to represent his school at either the senior games being held at NHTI this Sunday nor at the Twin State game vs Vermont this summer. It is with great sadness that this committee has to act on this situation, but we strive to uphold the tenet that this award is not based solely on a basketball player’s ability but also on that player’s character and demonstrated sportsmanship.

“It has been decided that Jourdain Bell from Bishop Brady will be selected as the Division 2 Player of the Year.”

March 23. 2014 6:50PM

Pembroke coach Alosa: Welch's punishment too severe

By JOHN HABIB
New Hampshire Union Leader

CONCORD — Pembroke Academy head coach Matt Alosa said Sunday he was disappointed the New Hampshire Basketball Coaches Organization stripped Pat Welch of his honors after the Spartans' guard sent out an obscene tweet following his team's NHIAA Division II boys' basketball state title.


"I don't believe the punishment fits the crime," said Alosa, who coached the Division II boys' all-star team at the annual NHBCO Granite State High School games at New Hampshire Technical Institute.

The tweet was posted by Welch on March 15 right after the Spartans' win Portsmouth High. The NHBCO on Friday stripped Welch of his Division II Player of the Year Award and rescinded his invitation to participate in Sunday's senior game and in the annual Twin State Games slated in July at NHTI.


Gary Noyes of Rochester, president of the NHBCO, had no comment Sunday about Alosa's reaction. In a statement released Friday by Noyes, he said, in part "The NHBCO is disappointed to announce the unfortunate decision to rescind the Division 2 Player of the Year awarded to Pat Welch from Pembroke Academy. Last week, Pat Welch was named by the Division 2 coaches as their Player of the Year. Since that time, it has come to the NHBCO executive board's attention that Pat Welch displayed flagrant un-sportsmanlike behavior. We have contacted Pembroke Academy and informed them of our decision.


"Pat Welch will not be allowed to represent his school at either the senior games being held at NHTI this Sunday nor at the Twin State game vs. Vermont this summer. It is with great sadness that this committee has to act on this situation, but we strive to uphold the tenet that this award is not based solely on a basketball player's ability but also on that player's character and demonstrated sportsmanship.


"It has been decided that Jourdain Bell from Bishop Brady will be selected as the Division 2 Player of the Year."

Alosa said "they basically took away Pat's body of work this season because of a tweet that ended up online for 15 minutes," said Alosa. "I don't like and don't condone what was written in that tweet. There's no program I respect more than Portsmouth High."


Alosa said Welch has already apologized in person to members of the Portsmouth administration.

"Our principal (Michael Reardon) and athletic director (Suzanne Klink) drove with Pat to Portsmouth and he personally apologized to their athletic director, principal and coach," said Alosa, who said Welch let his emotions get the best of him after the state championship win.


As for the NHBCO naming Bell as its player of the year, Alosa said "they can give it to him. But as far as I'm concerned, Pat Welch is still the player of the year."

I agree with not letting him play in the game or the later all star game but I think taking away the player of the year was a bit much. Though I do not know what the tweet was.

The concord monitor article yesterday illustrated that Pat W is a good kid. The scrutiny should not fall on Pat. Clearly the adults surrounding him have not been the role models that he needs. There answers and non responses to a multitude of issues this season show that.

I wish there were some appeal process to let Pat represent us in the NH VT Game.

Hooper - that's a really broad brush you're painting regarding the adult role models around him... There was a story about this on Fox25 last night and it's on the website right now if you're interested in finding it... They interviewed Alosa and had a comment from a teammate... Alosa basically said he told Pat to take down the post right away... and the teammate basically said what a great kid he is. It was noted that Pat was not allowed to talk on camera to the reporter. I found that interesting - I wonder what would happen if they tracked him down at home? It was also said there was "stuff" that happened at the end of the game including a minor scuffle and technical fouls, which it appears no one cared to elaborate about. As any official will tell you lots of stuff is said on the court, even from some of the most "sportsmanlike" players... It never ends right there especially with social media of today. More than one player this year has been in trouble over their social media adventures. I think T&F even blogged about that after the Trinity player suspension.

While taking away his physical award and chance to represent NH/D2 in other showcase games seems harsh, it does send a message to today's and future players regarding the need to tone it down. If that aggression was taken out on the court in the final and say players had been ejected for fighting - would the coaches association decide to not choose the player as the POY? Tough call. Most certainly I could see them banning a player from participating in games afterwards.

BTW: Can anyone (other than T&F) without looking name the PoY for the last 5 years. Point is - in 5 years will everyone consider Bell or Welch as the POY? With this become NH's 61*

Since he was stripped of POY honors it should have been left at that.  To name another player to that
level seems unnecessary and unfair to both the player stripped of the original honor and the
lame duck recipient.

How do you think Jourdain Bell feels - I bet not warm and fuzzy.

It is an insult to the second player involved - therefore the proper thing is to not have a DIV II
POY for the season.