EAHS boys basketball preview

Note: all of these previews can be found in this week's issue of the Chronicle.

Head Coach: Kevin Dolan, first season.

2006-2007 Record: 4-19 overall, 2-14 Lancaster-Lebanon League.

Key Returners: Tilghman Grandstaff, senior, F; Jordan Hallman, senior, G; Nate Koach, senior, F; Nate McCurdy, senior, G; Mike O’Shea, senior, G; Quinn Cozzens, junior, G; Kyle McNeil, junior, F; Chad Styer, junior, F; Jordan Hoover, junior, G.
This group got its feet wet last season as all of these players saw their first varsity action a year ago. All of these players are athletic and can run the court. They also have some decent height up and down (only McCurdy and O’Shea are under six foot, and they are both 5’10”) and that should give them an advantage, especially in rebounding.
Having a year of playing together under their belts should help this group jell and improve on-court chemistry for the Bears. This is a bunch that should get even better as the season goes along as they learn each others’ tendencies and adjust to the playing style implemented by Dolan.
O’Shea will likely handle most of the point guard duties for the Bears this year, and he’ll look to get the ball to Koach and McNeil in the post, where they will form a potent scoring threat. Cozzens and Styer are both excellent all-around ball players and can score from pretty much anywhere on the court. McCurdy and Hoover are quick and excellent from the outside. Hallman’s athleticism is unmatched and gives the Bears a ton of speed, not to mention leaping ability. Grandstaff will be an excellent complement to Koach and McNeil down low and will be able to provide some points and tough rebounds.

Key Newcomers: Scott Billheimer, senior, G; Weston Parrett, senior, G; James Bard, junior, F; Bradley Garber, sophomore, F.
This is a good group that will likely be relied to contribute from the bench, with the starting five likely consisting of the returning players. Getting quality minutes from its reserves will be very important to E-town’s success this season. Keep an eye on Garber, a young, talented player who plays with a lot of hustle and has the
ability to score in bunches.

Key Losses: Brett DeGroat; Cameron Sweigart; Sean Freeman.
E-town lost only three players to graduation from last year’s team, unlike two years ago when the entire team graduated. DeGroat, Sweigart and Freeman were all important players a year ago and contributed but were not among the team’s leading scorers. The Bears will miss their leadership, but have enough talent on the roster to make up for the loss.

How they’ve fared so far this year: 2-1
So far so good for the Bears, as they are off to a 2-1 start. They beat Lancaster Mennonite in their season-opener and crushed Donegal on Tuesday night. E-town didn’t win its second game until the 10th game of the year last season. Against Donegal, Hoover, Cozzens and Styer led the Bears to the win, showing that E-town has a lot of players that can hurt you in a lot of different ways.

What they do well: Play hard, work together.
The Bears are loaded with speed and athleticism and have a roster filled with players with great attitudes. E-town will play their hearts out for their new coach and won’t quit until the final whistle. The players also know that they are in this thing together. They came onto the varsity level for the first time together and they are returning with a year of experience under their belts together. This is a close-knit group and that usually translates into on-court success for basketball teams. And that’s what could be the Bears’ No. 1 strength – their hustle and determination.
Because they are so athletic and they give 100 percent at all times, the Bears should find themselves in just about every game. There won’t be many deficits they won’t be able to at least cut into.

What they need to work on: Learning how to win.
The Bears took their lumps last year, with every player on the roster taking the court at the varsity level for the first time. So this year, when they find themselves in the middle of a close game against a section opponent, E-town must find a way to get more victories this season. Playing in the L-L League isn’t easy, so E-town will be in plenty of close games. The key will be for the returning players to step up and make big plays in the second halves of games.

Outlook:
The Bears should definitely show vast improvement from last year. They’ve got a brand new coaching staff and last year’s tough season should be a distant memory. This team is talented enough that, if it plays with confidence and believes in Dolan’s coaching, can make a lot of noise in the section.
They won’t be the biggest team in the league, but they will be scrappy and they won’t stop coming at you. They aren’t exactly tiny either. Koach is 6’4” and Grandstaff, McNeil, Styer, Cozzens and Garber are each 6’2” or taller, which will give opposing coaches plenty to worry about. What should be the Bears’ biggest strengths are their team cohesion and their balance. They can beat you with Koach and McNeil inside, or with O’Shea and McCurdy outside. And then, Styer and Cozzens can shoot from outside or drive to the basket.
This is a deep team and that will be important, especially in league games. Watch for E-town to be the surprise team in Section Two this year, win at least 12 games and be in the league playoff hunt in late January.