Maxwell Kerman was a two-time Globe All-Scholastic basketball player, and he will join the WHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017.
(The Watertown High School Athletic Hall of Fame provided the following profile)
Maxwell Kerman competed hard in everything he did, whether it was on the football field or the basketball court. He played 3 years of football and 4 years of basketball for Watertown High. In one football game alone in a big win over Winchester as a junior, he contributed two rushing touchdowns, kicked four extra points, and chipped in defensively with an interception, a fumble recovery, and a half-dozen tackles. But it was in the gym where everything came together for the two-time Globe and one-time Herald hoops All-Scholastic. By the time he graduated in 2006, the two-time captain and three-time Middlesex league All-Star was the vaunted basketball program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,522 points, all-time leading rebounder, third in assists and steals, fourth in three-pointers and single season points. But in reality, that is only just a small part of the Kerman story. Hall of Fame Coach Steve Harrington described Maxwell as the “one of the most competitive athletes ever to go to Watertown High.”
By the time he got to college at UMass Lowell, head coach Greg Herenda said “Max plays as hard as anyone I have ever coached. He competes on every possession for every loose ball and rebound. His defensive tenacity and athleticism makes it very difficult for whoever he guards. …..he could be one of the best overall players in our conference.” Like many of his predecessors, Kerman learned and played the game on the courts of the renowned Watertown Boys and Girls Club. As a young 5 year old, he remembers playing nerf basketball with Hall of Famer Casey Bracket. They were together only because Casey’s mom happened to be Kerman’s babysitter.
Maxwell told us he was proud to see players like Hall of Famer Bobby Murgo turn this town into a hoops haven. In the early 2000’s Kerman told us he thought “Watertown was like the NBA. No! Even better. It was Friday Night Lights, but in
basketball. I couldn’t wait to play my part.” Harrington told us “everyone knew of Maxwell when he was coming up through the system. We knew he’d be physically ready to play basketball in the Middlesex League as a freshman.” As Harrington slowly oversaw the rise of his dynamic dynasty, the place to be on Tuesday and Friday nights was in a gym watching the Red Raider basketball teams, and Kerman was a huge piece of the puzzle to continue the winning ways.
In his first year he was asked to cover the opposition’s best players. This was a huge
responsibility for a young player, but Harrington knew Kerman could handle the task. By the time he was a junior, he was a Middlesex League All-Star and was voted team MVP. He was the total package; a true leader, who was both an offensive force and a beast on the boards. He was truly the next in the line of succession of great players for Coach Steve Harrington who would soon bring a State Championship to the school. By the time he was a senior, WHS would
win the League title, and although the Raiders would lose to Minuteman in the Division 3 North title game, the sting of the loss would dissipate in a year’s time with a State title. Maxwell Kerman helped set the foundation for what would be a crowning achievement in Watertown basketball lore.
Kerman prepped a year at Bridgton Academy in Maine and continued his winning ways, leading the Fighting Wolverines to a league title. As a two-time captain at UMass Lowell he helped lead the River Hawks to the NCAA’s in both his sophomore and junior seasons. As a sophomore he continued his beastly boards way and was named the Northeast 10 Defensive Player of the Year, making Coach Harrington proud. A gentleman on and off the courts and playing fields, welcome
to the WHS Athletic Hall of Fame, Maxwell Kerman.
Tickets are now available for the Watertown High School Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet to be held at the St. James Armenian Church Hall on Saturday October 21. For more info contact Mike Venezia at 617-359-2788, or mikevenezia@gmail.com