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2007-08 Times Basketball Preview: Patriot District Boys
Annandale Boys
Coach: Anthony Harper (1st year)
2006-07 Record: 6-16
Last season, senior guard Erik Etherly was playing out of position. Because of an abundance of guards, Annandale's best player hit the blocks and became a forward. The 6-foot-4 junior still thrived, averaging 19.3 points per game and nine rebounds per game.
But with the graduation of three seniors, Etherly can now focus his talents on leading an Annandale attack from his natural guard position.
“[Etherly] has been looking good. During our first two scrimmages, teams have been trying to double-team him and triple-team him a lot,” said first-year coach Anthony Harper. “I told him, 'You're going to see a lot of that.' I think that's an adjustment for him, but I think he's adjusting pretty well.”
Etherly, a first-team all-District selection, was joined on the all-District squad by junior Allen Stalp (honorable mention). This duo should provide the bulk of Annandale's scoring, as Stalp averaged 10 points per game in 2006-07.
Keep an eye on Etherly's low-post replacement, freshman Melvin Robinson, who's already earned a starting role, according to Harper.
“Hopefully, we can stay under the radar,” Harper said. “I think that once we get rolling, we can start something big with our program.”
Edison Boys (National District)
Coach: Kevin Quinlan (1st year)
2006-07 Record: 20-5
Having lost seven seniors, a head coach and a heart-breaking National District title game to Yorktown in 2006-07, Edison could've viewed this season in a negative light.
But don't worry. Edison's new coach, Kevin Quinlan, wouldn't allow it.
The first-year head coach has devised “pillars” for his program, which include displaying honesty, responsibility and respect. He also expects his team to adhere to what he calls “touchstones.” Those on-the-court-oriented goals include playing with intensity, intelligence and togetherness.
“At times I think it's a little bit foreign to these guys,” Quinlan said, speaking of his newly instituted mindset. “It's been challenging, but it's been exciting, too.”
Edison returns two key players from last year's 20-win team in seniors Jamire Davis (18 points per game in 2006-07) and Kendall Wallace (16 ppg in 2006-07).
“Those guys bring a really high level of toughness, which is an attribute that we want to develop in our program,” Quinlan said.
Quinlan, an admirer of coaching greats like Wooden, Thompson and Smith, explained that his pillars and touchstones evolved from those before him.
“My philosophy is a mosaic of the philosophies of all those men. I see them as being great men.”
With Edison's young talent, Quinlan could quickly turn into a great man of his own.
Hayfield Boys
Coach: Ron Palmer (1st year)
2006-07 Record: 6-15
Since 1997, Hayfield has won six Patriot District titles; however, this season isn't about another title run for the Hawks.
Hayfield is mostly looking to build toward that eventual title run.
Under first-year coach Ron Palmer, Hayfield will rely on a bevy of underclassmen, as well as the talents of senior point guard Aaquil Atkins (15.6 points per game in 2006-07) to improve upon last year's 6-15 mark.
“We're focusing on fundamentals and a lot of times trying to emphasize footwork, balance and defense,” Palmer said. “It'll take time for these kids to make an adjustment, but the good thing for them is that they're young.”
Palmer has six sophomores on his varsity team, but he'll still look to his senior star to set up the offense. The 6-foot-4 Atkins will run the point, and hopefully, according to Palmer, Atkins will improve the play of the younger players around him.
“The assists have to go up as a point guard,” said Palmer, speaking of Atkins' responsibilities. “The whole mentality for a point guard is totally different from what it is for the other players. He's got to make guys better and he's got to distribute the ball, as well as being able to knock down open shots.”
Only time will tell whether Atkins – and Hayfield – will be able to make the adjustment.
Lake Braddock Boys
Coach: Brian Metress (7th year)
2006-07 Record: 18-8
Lake Braddock's seventh-year head coach Brian Metress could possibly enjoy a luxury this season. His best player – guard Greg Delaney – graduated, but the Bruins return more than enough talent to account for the scoring loss.
“We're still young, but we're relatively experienced, so that's a good thing,” Metress said. “We'd like to be considered in the mix.”
Juniors Dominic Morra (14 points per game in 2006-07) and Michael Landon have both started since their freshman year, as Morra will look to direct a Lake Braddock offense that likes to run, choosing to push the ball on fast breaks as opposed to a slow, methodical offense.
“Dominic is the one who drives the team and pushes the ball as far as getting out in the open floor,” Metress said.
The 6-foot-4 Landon will join senior forward Hobbs Petros (12 ppg in 2006-07) to forge a pair of taller players who can shoot, instantly creating defensive problems to the opposition.
Despite holding T.C. Williams' Mike Davis to a single point, Lake Braddock lost to the Titans, 60-43, in the district title game last season.
“We have to stop them,” Metress said, speaking of the reigning district champions. “We haven't proven that we can do that in the past two years.”
Lee Boys
Coach: Mike Harris (14th year)
2006-07 Record: 6-15
Lee finished with only three Patriot District wins last season, while losing five seniors from that team.
So, despite the factors that would appear to be stacked against them, the Lancers still return several key offensive ingredients needed to improve upon last year's record.
Senior forward Tad Dickman should generate the bulk of the scoring, but, according to 13th-year coach Mike Harris, it's not just Dickman that'll need to contribute.
“Well, I would hope [Dickman] would [contribute],” he said. “We've got [Dickman] and a couple other seniors that we're expecting to be leaders. It's not just all on him.”
Dickman averaged 10.8 points per game in 2006-07, and he'll be joined by a veteran-laden backcourt in senior guards Andres Vitola (8.7 ppg in 2006-07) and Vonelle Cherry.
Sophomore Walter Griffin has been a pleasant surprise so far this season, averaging 17.5 points per game and 10.5 rebounds per game in Lee's first two contests this season.
When pressed for his thoughts on what will enable his team to find success this season, Harris answered, “Execute on both ends of the floor. If you're on offense, you want to execute your offense; if you're on defense, you want to execute your defense.”
South County Boys
Coach: Mike Pflugrath (9th year)
2006-07 Record: 9-13
In every district, there's always a player or team that will inevitably sneak up on its competition, and South County – with the emergence of 6-foot-8 senior Chris Panneton – could be that player on that team.
Panneton, who averaged 9.1 points per game last season, was hidden behind two other standout players on the South County roster – Matt Vane and Steven Ware. But this dynamic duo graduated, leaving Panneton, along with junior guard Karlos Morgan (8 ppg in 2006-07), to assume the reins of the offense.
“He's probably one of the most improved players that I've ever seen from one year to the next,” said ninth-year coach Mike Pflugrath, speaking of Panneton. “I'm real impressed with Chris. He's put a lot of time in.”
South County runs a ball-pressure defense, an asset that will provide a spark in its transition offense, but something that Pflugrath said he hopes will ultimately result in points.
“Defense is the key for us, so we're hoping to get some points out of our defensive ball pressure,” he said. “We [run a transition-based offense], but we're probably more of a 'controlled chaos.' We're still pushing [the ball], but we're running more half-court sets than some of those other teams probably do.”
T.C. Williams Girls
Coach: Jim Lewis (1st year)
2006-07 Record: 25-4
For the past two seasons, T.C. Williams' third-year head coach Ivan Thomas has known that his Titans have been a marked team on opponent's calendars; however, it wasn't until this year that another team in the Northern Region could seemingly do anything about it.
In 2007-08, T.C. Williams will hope to continue a 28-game streak of district perfection, despite the fact that the team lost six seniors from last year's state-playoff team, including 6-foot-9 forward Mike Davis, who's now enrolled at the University of Illinois.
One reason the Titans have been so successful during the past two years has been their coach's willingness to extend his bench.
“I think the key is that we've been able to wear teams down and play so many people,” Thomas said. I always try to play 10 people in a rotation, but I don't know if we're going to be able to do that this year.”
Thomas will turn to 6-foot-6 senior forward Anthony Winbush (9.4 points per game in 2006-07) to account for the loss of Davis, while junior guard Edward Jenkins (7 ppg in 2006-07) and senior guard Travis Berry (6 ppg in 2006-07) will provide supplementary scoring.
When asked how his players will respond to being a target among Northern Region teams, Thomas said, simply, “They only have one way to respond and that's to meet the challenge head on.”
West Springfield Boys
Coach: Dick Wickline (11th year)
2006-07 Record: 20-7
Two factors could alter the success of the West Springfield boys basketball team this season, and both revolve around one of the most notorious athletes at the school – Bryn Renner.
On the gridiron, Renner led the football team to an appearance in the Northern Region title game, but on the court, Renner (7.9 points per game in 2006-07) is one of only a handful of players who return this season for the Spartans.
Practice started several weeks ago, but Renner was still consumed by football, something that his coach, 11-year veteran Dick Wickline, hopes won't affect his senior guard.
“We just got the football players [last] Monday,” he said. “We're trying to integrate them. It's kind of 'overload,' with regards to what we're trying to put in, but I anticipate [Bryn] having a smooth transition. I don't expect him to be perfect, but he'll be a competitor.”
Wickline's team suffered a one-point, last-second loss to Wakefield in the semifinals of the Northern Region tournament a year ago, a loss that Wickline hasn't forgotten, but one that his players probably have.
“Hopefully, they'll want to get back there. That's the only carryover that I think is going to happen.”
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