Athlete Of The Week: Joey Berardi

NORTH EASTHAM – After a stellar junior season, Nauset point guard Joey Berardi hasn’t skipped a beat to start his final season. 

 The Orleans native led all scorers with a game-high 27 points to help propel Nauset to a 67-43 victory over Monomoy when the Cape and Islands League rivals met Friday in the debut of the Warriors’ new gymnasium. 

 “Joey, to me, is one of the best guards in the South Shore and down to the Cape,” Nauset coach Kevin Harrigan said. “He’s a great outside shooter, he’s a really good defender on the ball or off the ball — he’s a havoc creator.”

 Berardi demonstrated his full arsenal of scoring ability, slashing to the basket to make close-range shots and nailing jump shots from the outside. He went 4-of-7 from the free throw line, and made five 3-pointers, including three during the second quarter. 

 “He’s tough around the rim and can finish with his left or his right,” Harrigan said of Berardi, who serves as a co-captain alongside classmate Jon Bienvenue. “He really knows how to play.”