Lexington (MA) High Minutemen senior point guard Lew Finnegan has overcome his share of obstacles in just the past eight years and has proven that he is a winner both on and off the court. Finnegan, at 6’3, 195-pounds was diagnosed with diabetes back in 1996 but has refused to let the disease get the better of him.
He uses his illness as a constant motivator to himself and others around him.
Finnegan averages 20 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds per game for the Minutemen who ended last season 18-5 and the Middlesex league title.
“From the first day I got it, I never thought anything would change,” says Finnegan. “I was diagnosed on a Monday, missed school on Tuesday and Wednesday and was playing in a youth soccer game on Saturday.
“It’s just something I deal with.” Finnegan wears a small pump under his jersey that supplies him with the insulin needed during the game and prevents Lew from other debilitating side effects that range from chronic fatigue to kidney failure and heart disease.
“I come in. I test my blood with my little blood tester. I prick the tip of my finger and then I just see what happens,” he said. “If it’s under 80, I usually have a drink, like some Gatorade.”
“He’s an inspiration to me, for sure,” says head coach Bob Farias. “He knows the effects. He’s very cognizant of what he puts in his body, and he manages it very well.
“He knows what his body can do, and he’s more meticulous about it than I am. Then he goes out and plays the game at a high, high level and with tremendous endurance. He just educates himself, and he’s not going to let it get the better of him.”
Despite his illness Finnegan has refused to give less than his best on the court leading the Minutemen to a 52-2 record in Middlesex conference and an overall record of 56-8 in just three short seasons as their leader.
“Lew is the most well-rounded player I’ve ever had. He’s the biggest and the strongest point guard”.
“He’s a true leader by action. He plays so hard at both practices and games. And he’s a tremendous shooter. I don’t know if he gets enough credit for that because he does so many things so well.
” Finnegan’s nightly stats would never suggest anything out of the ordinary averaging 23 points a game grabbing eight boards while handing out eight assists. Finnegan is at his best when the game is on the line and the ball is in his court”.
“He gets the job done no matter what it takes. At the beginning of games, I really emphasize getting my teammates involved,” says Finnegan, a two-time Boston Globe All-Scholastic who scored more than 1,000 points in his high school career.
“Once we’re in a situation where we need to keep or get a lead, I make a decision to try to score or pass as we come up the floor”.
“It’s a long game, and you have to remember you’re going to get your shots. The more pressure to perform, the more excited I get. I just want to play all the time”.
“Off the court, you’ve really got to concentrate on blocking it out,” says Finnegan.
With the help of 6’8 senior center Mark MacDonald and his 20 points per game effort, Finnegan led the Minutemen to a 20-2 overall record this past season and a third consecutive appearance in the Division 1 North semifinals.
The success of Finnegan’s efforts goes far beyond the boundaries of any court in the fact that he gives back to the community that has stood behind him throughout the past eight years.
“I’d like to think I have an impact on them,” says a humble Finnegan. “The fact that he goes back and gives back to the Jocelyn Camp makes the kid a hero of mine,” says AAU coach Mike Crotty.
“He’s like Superman to them. This big, strong basketball player who gives them hope at a time when they’re most afraid they’ll never grow up.
“In the end, forget basketball. Lew is a great kid, period.”
Just like any outstanding high school senior Finnegan has to deal with the constant pressure of being recruited by Division 1 colleges.
He knows that he needs to pattern his game to the run and gun tempo of the west coast after signing to play at California Polytechnic State University next year.
“It was the right fit for me. I liked everything about it. The coaching staff really showed a great interest in me and told be that I was the top point guard they were recruiting.” Said Finnegan about his decision to play for Cal Poly.
“The point guards are quicker, and that ties into a lot of stuff defensively,” says Finnegan.
“I’ll need to get quicker to handle pressure defense and bring the ball up effectively. Yeah, it might have helped me to play at a prep school and face that competition, but I never thought that way”.
“I’ll tell you what: I probably wouldn’t have worked as hard at practice for anyone else as I did for coach Farias.”
“He likes to compete and play, and he’s not afraid,” says Farias. “He’s got that desire to succeed, and he backs it up.
“He’s got exceptional skills. He can jump. He’s strong. He’s smart. He doesn’t have a weakness. I miss him already.”