Reaching two milestones - Josiah Sims has 1,000 points and counting

by Mark Jahne

Editor

Photos by Mark Jahne

If you want to keep track of how many points and rebounds Josiah Sims is piling up on the basketball court, you will need a calculator.

The season is coming to an end but the senior already blew past the milestone of scoring 1,000 points in his Newington High School career. He has also collected 1,000 rebounds, a rare double-double of hoop success.

NHS boys’ basketball coach Scott Wenzel is extremely impressed with what Josiah Sims has accomplished on the court.

“I enjoyed my four years. I like the environment the coach brings. I like playing with my guys. Our team has been really good,” Josiah said.

The Nor’easters qualified to participate in the state tournament. He’s not just a powerhouse on the offensive end of the floor. He takes pride in shutting down the opposition with stifling defense.

“I feel like I can stop anybody on the court,” he said.

He’s not the type of player who parks himself outside the three-point line and sends up long shots. Josiah would much rather take the ball into traffic and use his football skills to power his way to the basket.

Josiah Sims is a standout basketball player at Newington High School.

“Inside the perimeter, that’s more of my game,” he said.

Scott Wenzel, the head coach of the boys’ basketball team, has seen a lot of high-quality players in his career. Josiah ranks among the best.

“I’ve been the coach from 2003 to 2017 … I came back here in 2022. I’ve been with Josiah all four years,” he said.

Wenzel said he has talked to other coaches around the state and no one can recall another player who reached 1,000 in both points and rebounds.

“He might be the first. He’s one of the most dominating players I’ve ever had. He’s a one-man wrecking machine, an instant double-double as soon as he steps on the floor.”

Double-double is a basketball term referring to a player who gets 10 or more points and rebounds in a game, or points and assists, or assists and rebounds. At the time of this interview the power forward was averaging 15.7 points per game and 13.5 rebounds.

As impressive as this may sound, basketball is not his best sport. Josiah also plays defensive back/edge rusher and running back on the Nor’easters football team and will play that sport when he heads off to college this fall at Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire.

“I’m probably going to play running back,” he said.

He has earned high school all-state honors in both sports. NL