Basketball full of youth and depth
Andy Buss
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: Sports
After losing nearly the entire starting lineup to graduation entering this year, the Charger men's basketball team will look to new faces and several veterans to pick up the slack this season.
Head coach John Tharp summed up the two-sided vibe surrounding the group.
"Obviously there's a lot of excitement at this time of the year," he said. "There's also some uncertainty I think. We're asking some guys to step up their play and fill some big shoes with who we've lost."
The team returns only two seniors, Tyler Brand and Luke Laser, who will be serving as the team co-captains this season. Brand said their roles are crucial and clear.
"Luke and I realize we have a real young team," he said. "And we realize it's our job to be leaders on and off the court. We know we have to have intensity and set the tone every practice, every game. It kind of starts at the top and the others will follow."
To join those who remain from last year's third-place GLIAC team, Tharp and assistant coach Dan Evans brought in an infusion of new players. Not the least of which is sophomore Brent Eaton who transferred this year from Division I University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. Four freshman and one redshirted freshman enter the scene as well.
A major aspect-both literally and figuratively-of the graduated seniors that will be missed is the size. Chris Skaggs and Tony Gugino were solid, tall interior players. Their loss left the team with some holes to fill.
"We're going to be pretty small," Brand said. "We're going to be more perimeter-oriented with the loss of Skaggs and Tony. We got some guys who have really played well so far though."
Tharp mentioned freshman Nick Washburn, sophomore Kyle Jazwiecki and sophomore John Bagge as necessary contributors this year with the gap left inside the paint. Still the team will work together as a unit to get the job done, he said.
"Not necessarily one or two specific guys will carry the burden," he said. "With the large roster, it will be spread out. I don't think we'll have a kid in the top five for scoring, but we may have five or six guys in double digits. That to me is a fun team to coach."
Tharp added the program is beginning to resemble what he envisioned when he began at Hillsdale two years ago-a team of "hardnosed, intelligent players" that rely on "different guys on different nights."
Coming off a highly successful season in 2008-09, Tharp was careful not set a limit for what this young team can accomplish.
"This team is trying to establish its own identity," he said. "To predict an outcome at this time would be unfair. We have confidence. We know they'll battle."
Brand, however, was not shy about establishing goals for the squad.
"The loss to Michigan Tech [University] really left a bad taste in our mouths and we missed the tournament because of that loss," he said. "Finishing on top of the conference and making it to the NCAA tournament are our top two goals this year."
Evans said the Chargers stiffest competition in the GLIAC will again come from Findlay University and Grand Valley State University.
Head coach John Tharp summed up the two-sided vibe surrounding the group.
"Obviously there's a lot of excitement at this time of the year," he said. "There's also some uncertainty I think. We're asking some guys to step up their play and fill some big shoes with who we've lost."
The team returns only two seniors, Tyler Brand and Luke Laser, who will be serving as the team co-captains this season. Brand said their roles are crucial and clear.
"Luke and I realize we have a real young team," he said. "And we realize it's our job to be leaders on and off the court. We know we have to have intensity and set the tone every practice, every game. It kind of starts at the top and the others will follow."
To join those who remain from last year's third-place GLIAC team, Tharp and assistant coach Dan Evans brought in an infusion of new players. Not the least of which is sophomore Brent Eaton who transferred this year from Division I University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. Four freshman and one redshirted freshman enter the scene as well.
A major aspect-both literally and figuratively-of the graduated seniors that will be missed is the size. Chris Skaggs and Tony Gugino were solid, tall interior players. Their loss left the team with some holes to fill.
"We're going to be pretty small," Brand said. "We're going to be more perimeter-oriented with the loss of Skaggs and Tony. We got some guys who have really played well so far though."
Tharp mentioned freshman Nick Washburn, sophomore Kyle Jazwiecki and sophomore John Bagge as necessary contributors this year with the gap left inside the paint. Still the team will work together as a unit to get the job done, he said.
"Not necessarily one or two specific guys will carry the burden," he said. "With the large roster, it will be spread out. I don't think we'll have a kid in the top five for scoring, but we may have five or six guys in double digits. That to me is a fun team to coach."
Tharp added the program is beginning to resemble what he envisioned when he began at Hillsdale two years ago-a team of "hardnosed, intelligent players" that rely on "different guys on different nights."
Coming off a highly successful season in 2008-09, Tharp was careful not set a limit for what this young team can accomplish.
"This team is trying to establish its own identity," he said. "To predict an outcome at this time would be unfair. We have confidence. We know they'll battle."
Brand, however, was not shy about establishing goals for the squad.
"The loss to Michigan Tech [University] really left a bad taste in our mouths and we missed the tournament because of that loss," he said. "Finishing on top of the conference and making it to the NCAA tournament are our top two goals this year."
Evans said the Chargers stiffest competition in the GLIAC will again come from Findlay University and Grand Valley State University.
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