As Webster County’s Bev Hart enters his third year as head coach of the Trojans, he’s looking for two things from his troops ... aggressive play and a nasty attitude in rebounding.
The Trojans begin the 2007-08 campaign without the services of last year’s talented seniors, Jordan Coomes, Logan Dennison and James Tapp. The trio took with them a ton of points, rebounds and more importantly that hard-nosed play that the WCHS coaching staff is looking for.
“Early this summer we were pretty rough around the edges. But our play got better the last two weeks of the summer and won 10-of-12 games,” Hart explained. “We really got into a rhythm and played very well.
“But right now, I don’t think we’ve gotten back to that level. We’re still a little slow in decision-making and our biggest concern is defense and rebounding. I’m not sure how much progress we’ve made in those two areas,” Hart added.
This lack of aggressive play concerns the Webster coaching staff, especially with a very tough early schedule. But Hart is hoping his squad will hold it own in the first month of the season and then make a nice run down the stretch.
“I feel like we can have a pretty solid team and be pretty strong in the second half of the season. We’re just not there yet,” he said. “Other than Drew (Dement), we just don’t have anybody that really goes after the basketball. If it comes to us, we’ll get. But right now, we just don’t have that will to go and take the ball. We have a problem of standing and be a spectator on the floor.”
But Hart admits that the Trojans’ cupboard is far from being bare. Webster will return two starters in junior point guard LaBrice Williams and fellow junior Drew Dement at center. Williams was the team’s third-leading scorer last year while Dement, a three-year starter, was the team’s second-leading rebounder.
“I think we’re more talented this year than last year, we’re more athletic and we’re deeper when it comes to our bench,” Hart explained.
Also earning valuable minutes last year was 6-4 forward Kyle Marsh along with forwards Logan Stull and Trevor Turner.
“We’ve got enough experience returning that we certainly shouldn’t have that ‘deer-in-the-headlights’ look when we tip it off this week,” Hart grinned. “All of these kids played well last year and we’re going to rely upon them very heavily to get us going early this year. We’re not a veteran or seasoned, three-or-four starters returning type team, we’re but we do have a little experience. We just need some games under our belt right now.”
Williams and Stull will get the starting nod at the two guard slots while Turner and Marsh will be the forwards. Dement will be the man-in-the-middle again this season.
“We moved LaBrice to the point (guard) this year and he’s much move comfortable. He really played well the last two weeks of the summer and I think that had a lot to do with our team playing better,” Hart explained. “I suspect he may need the first couple of weeks of the season to get grounded and take control as a point guard. But he has the potential to be a really nice point guard. He just has to make sure that he plays hard all the time, on both ends of the floor. But he’s able to go to the basket really well and can make things happen in the open court.”
Hart points to Dement, the 6-foot-4 junior with great leaping ability, as the team’s best rebounder and defender. He’s hoping for more at the offensive end this season.
“He works really hard all the time, both offensively and defensively. He’s just got to learn to finish (score),” Hart said. “Sometimes he gets off-balance and can’t finish. But if he can get that down, then he’ll have a really nice year.”
The Webster coaches feel that Kyle Marsh is just the opposite of Dement in the paint. The strong and athletic senior knows how to put the ball in the basket but sometimes his rebounding and defensive skills come-and-go.
“He does a really nice job of finishing at the basket, he just needs to work on defense and being aggressive on the boards. Just like Drew, he has some length with long arms and is very athletic and strong. He just needs that desire to get the basketball on the defensive end,” stated the WCHS head coach.
One player that has shown that intensity both last year and during summer workouts is forward Trevor Turner. The 6-foot-1 junior has battled some injuries early this year but should be 100 percent by opening night.
“Trevor has been hurt twice and has had a difficult pre-season. But we really like his aggressive play and we certainly miss him when he’s not on the floor. He brings a very hard-nosed game to the court,” said Hart.
Fellow junior Logan Stull drew high praise from Hart with his work ethic and improvement over the summer.
“He’s played about as good as anybody this summer and fall compared to where we thought he would be. Logan does a nice job of shooting the ball and taking care of the basketball, something that will be very important for us this year,” Hard continued.
Webster will have nice support off the bench in junior swingman David Stubblefield and 6-foot-5 sophomore James Winstead.
“Both of these players should earn valuable minutes. David is a very nice shooter and does a good job of catching the ball. When he spots-up, he’s pretty dangerous. James has some size and some skills, just inexperienced. If both of these guys can develop that aggressive play and toughness, they could really help us,” he added.
Morgan Jones, a senior point guard, will provide stability at that position off the bench. What he lacks in size, he certainly can make up for with basketball knowledge and savvy. Although Jones is just joining the Trojans after finishing the football season, Hart likes what he sees.
“He just needs some practice time and he’ll be fine. Morgan is a very intelligent player and will do a solid job for us once the basketball skills return,” Hart stated.
The Webster coaching staff has been thrilled with the addition of Kendall Copeland and Jonathan Darnes, both joining the Trojan squad after playing at Providence High School for several years. Hart feels they both have handled the transition very smoothly and are ready to make a contribution to the Webster County program.
“Kendall does a really good job on the offensive end. He just needs work defensively and has to learn how to play hard all the time,” Hart said. “Jonathan is much more athletic than you would think just by looking at him. Both just need some playing time and experience and once they understand you can’t quite playing just because the ball has been passed, then they could really help us in the second half of the season.”
Another valuable player off the bench will be Aaron Paris, a junior forward.
“He really battles and plays hard. Doesn’t have the skills as some of the rest of the guys but he makes up for that with hustle and hard work,” said Hart.
One very pleasant surprise for the Trojans has been the return of DeAdrian Rollins to the basketball program. The four-year football star played basketball as a freshman, but opted not to play the past two seasons. This year he’s returned to the court in his senior year and his strength and aggressive play has really opened the eyes of the WCHS coaches.
“From the first day of practice, DeAdrian has shown that aggressive style of play that we’re looking for. I can see him bringing some of that physical play and intensity that we’re missing. Hopefully that style of play will rub-off on some of the other guys as the season progresses.”
After running down the list of personnel Hart points to one key factor for this year and the next and the exciting possibilites that may follow.
“We’ll probably be starting four juniors and one senior, so you really got like the fact that you’re gonna have four starters back next year with three players off the bench with a lot of experience,” he smiled. “I think we can be very solid this year and have a really nice team next year.”
Webster could look to get ‘up-and-down-the-floor’ this year, much like the play of Hart’s first year at WCHS. He feels he has the personnel to be a much more up-tempo style team with good bench support to help in the fast-paced style of play.
“Last year we just couldn’t move the ball like we wanted. But if we can get LaBrice the ball in the open floor, then he has the ability to distribute the ball and make his teammates better. That’s one of his strengths as a point guard, much like we had when Charlie (Hust) was running the show two years ago, getting the ball to people where they have a chance to score. I think we’ll definitely be more up-tempo, but we struggled some this summer with our decision-making, trying to force things and making too many turnovers,” explained Hart.
He did admit that the WCHS coaching staff might have to ‘bite-the-bullet’ and accept a few more turnovers early in the season in order to progress and develop that type of game for the second half.
“This summer, when we played well, we were able to push the ball and got it to the open court where LaBrice really made things happen. But right now, at the point in the pre-season, we’ve still got a ways to go,” Hart said.
Webster will sport another very tough schedule which includes Second Region powers Madisonville, Henderson County and Hopkins Central.
“All three of those teams could win the regional title, they’re all that good,” Hart explained. “Of course the Sixth District title will have to go through Henderson, somebody’s got to prove they can beat them. And Union County suffered through a lot of injuries last year and I feel like they’ll be much better this year.”
Webster will be tested early, taking on a veteran Hancock County team in the season-opener and then one of the best shooting teams in the Third Region when they host McLean County Nov. 30. The Trojans will tangle with two more Third Region tradition-rich programs in Owensboro Catholic and Ohio Catholic.
“We have a very tough early schedule that concerns me a little bit. We better be ready to play or we could go a couple of weeks without a win. Those teams are just that good,” he admitted.
He noted that the Trojans had a difficult time with Third Region powerhouse in their first pre-season scrimmage two weeks ago.
“We really got a rude awakening against Apollo,” laughed Hart. “We found out pretty quickly the intensity it takes to be at that level. Of course, they’re pretty good and they’ve got a lot of returning players and talent, but they were by far more aggressive and just dominated us on the boards in the first three quarters.”
But Coach Hart and his staff have high hopes for the Trojans this year and they continue to push and develop that drive that is the mark of every championship team.
“This group has very good team chemistry and good camaraderie and they come to work every day. We’re still trying to get them to understand they must be more aggressive, that’s key to having a really good team,” Hart said. “That’s just something we’ve got to keep working at everyday.”
