Posted: Feb 05, 2024

A late teammate is very much in the hearts and minds of the Salem State men’s basketball team

By Trevor Hass Globe Correspondent, Updated February 5, 2024

Before every Salem State men's basketball game, the Vikings set the shot clock to 20, gather in a circle, and put their arms around one another.

They think of their former teammate, Carl-Hens Beliard, who was shot and killed on Halloween night — seven days before his first collegiate game and 10 days before his 19th birthday.

The Vikings drape his jersey over a chair on the bench and proudly sport No. 20 circles on their warmups. They frequently glance up at a poster of him on the wall that reads: "In Loving Memory: Carl-Hens Beliard, 11/11/04-11/1/23."

Teammate LJ Hicks points to the sky whenever he hits a 3-pointer, reminding Beliard he's still with them in spirit.

"Every day, I just try to give it my all for him," Hicks said.

Though Beliard spent just a few months with the program, the Vikings rave about how his smile lit up every room he entered. Even when a situation looked bleak, Beliard was always laughing and spreading positivity as "a ball of light."

As the Vikings (11-9) try to stay afloat during this difficult time, they do so knowing Beliard would have wanted them to persevere. Three months have passed, yet sorrow still consumes them.

"It's honestly really tough," guard Jaden Castillo said. "For the short amount of time I knew him, we got really close. He just had a good aura to him. We try to honor him."

Salem State coach Chris Harvey discovered Beliard through longtime friend Al Pettway, the coach at Worcester North. Pettway told Harvey he had a 6-foot-5-inch player who was on the rise and would be an excellent teammate.

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Photo By: Emily Jancauskas