Team Preview: Can Mustangs continue strong pace started last season?
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs will have a different look in some aspects of their varsity lineup, as they need to replace a longtime point guard and players in the post with the 2014-15 season set to begin.
For LC, they will be coached by Matt Carson for a second consecutive season, as LC looks to improve upon their season from last year where they had an overall record of 17-6.
The last time the Mustangs were on the court for an actual game was the sectional finals at Waverly High School, where they lost on a buzzer-beater shot to the Portsmouth Trojans by a 55-53 score.
With that being the the end of last season, the Mustangs are now looking to replace former point guard Gage Waits and post player Ryan Inman. Both Waits and Inman were also Associated Press All-District players, while Inman was also a special mention All-Ohio player in Division III.
Inman averaged 16.8 points per game last season, along with 10.5 rebounds per game.
"It has been interesting replacing our point guard position," Carson said. "We've had some kids step up. At times we'll ask Devin (Pierson) to handle the ball, but at other times it will be a committee of people. We've had some kids step up in practice and scrimmages in handling that role.
"We are a fast-breaking team, so we have a lot of guys capable of starting the break and dribbling the ball down the floor.
“We preach passing the basketball and working around for a good shot. They have done that thus far, and we'll see in the coming weeks who steps up and assumes that role."
To replace that caliber of players, the Mustangs will look to a roster of seniors through freshmen to be the next winning team of the program.
[[In-content Ad]]Seniors this season are Jordan Wilt, Tristan Wilbanks, Quinton Lewis and Noah Buck.
The junior class will consist of Zach Blankenship, Devin Pierson, Josh Ahrmann, Brandon Storer, Tyler Barton, Christian Inman, Morgan Ryan and Joshua Goble.
Sophomores are River Mullins and Joe Giordano, and the lone varsity freshman player is Eric McLaughlin.
As for Pierson, he averaged 19.6 ppg, along with 3.5 rpg, 2.5 assists per game and 1.7 steals per game. As a sophomore, he also shot 42 percent from the field and 65 percent from the free-throw line. In 23 games last season, Pierson scored 450 points.
"We have some experience back, having five back with us who have some varsity experience," Carson said. "That experience was different for all them, because some of them were role players and some started.
"Devin is back, and he was our leading scorer last year, while Josh and Christian came on for us late in the year. Quinton and Jordan also provided some positive things for us as well."
LC may not have the experience like they had on the court last season, but the depth of this team is greater, and it should show once the games begin in December.
"I think we have the potential to be a pretty good team by the time the season is over with, but I'd like to see us progress as the season goes along," Carson said. "I'd like to see us play our best basketball as the season goes into February and hopefully March.
"I want to see us get tough and be a physical basketball team. I want to see improve as individuals. There are a lot of guys out here that bring a lot to the table. They are sacrificing a lot for the betterment of the team, because we have a lot of guys who can get in and play. We just want to get better as the year goes on and establish ourselves as a defensive basketball team."
With that said, Carson did speak about the players who are returning and what he expects from them, plus what he is expecting from those new to the varsity level.
"As far as the guys who are returning, we want Christian and Josh to assert themselves more since they have that year of varsity experience," he said.
"They will most likely take over the post. Ryan (Inman) graduating leaves a big spot empty in the post. We have post players who make their living off the pick-and-roll and hitting mid-range jumpers, so I don't know if we'll be a more perimeter-oriented team or not, but our post players will continue to play a big role with rebuilding on the defensive end."
For LC, they will be coached by Matt Carson for a second consecutive season, as LC looks to improve upon their season from last year where they had an overall record of 17-6.
The last time the Mustangs were on the court for an actual game was the sectional finals at Waverly High School, where they lost on a buzzer-beater shot to the Portsmouth Trojans by a 55-53 score.
With that being the the end of last season, the Mustangs are now looking to replace former point guard Gage Waits and post player Ryan Inman. Both Waits and Inman were also Associated Press All-District players, while Inman was also a special mention All-Ohio player in Division III.
Inman averaged 16.8 points per game last season, along with 10.5 rebounds per game.
"It has been interesting replacing our point guard position," Carson said. "We've had some kids step up. At times we'll ask Devin (Pierson) to handle the ball, but at other times it will be a committee of people. We've had some kids step up in practice and scrimmages in handling that role.
"We are a fast-breaking team, so we have a lot of guys capable of starting the break and dribbling the ball down the floor.
“We preach passing the basketball and working around for a good shot. They have done that thus far, and we'll see in the coming weeks who steps up and assumes that role."
To replace that caliber of players, the Mustangs will look to a roster of seniors through freshmen to be the next winning team of the program.
[[In-content Ad]]Seniors this season are Jordan Wilt, Tristan Wilbanks, Quinton Lewis and Noah Buck.
The junior class will consist of Zach Blankenship, Devin Pierson, Josh Ahrmann, Brandon Storer, Tyler Barton, Christian Inman, Morgan Ryan and Joshua Goble.
Sophomores are River Mullins and Joe Giordano, and the lone varsity freshman player is Eric McLaughlin.
As for Pierson, he averaged 19.6 ppg, along with 3.5 rpg, 2.5 assists per game and 1.7 steals per game. As a sophomore, he also shot 42 percent from the field and 65 percent from the free-throw line. In 23 games last season, Pierson scored 450 points.
"We have some experience back, having five back with us who have some varsity experience," Carson said. "That experience was different for all them, because some of them were role players and some started.
"Devin is back, and he was our leading scorer last year, while Josh and Christian came on for us late in the year. Quinton and Jordan also provided some positive things for us as well."
LC may not have the experience like they had on the court last season, but the depth of this team is greater, and it should show once the games begin in December.
"I think we have the potential to be a pretty good team by the time the season is over with, but I'd like to see us progress as the season goes along," Carson said. "I'd like to see us play our best basketball as the season goes into February and hopefully March.
"I want to see us get tough and be a physical basketball team. I want to see improve as individuals. There are a lot of guys out here that bring a lot to the table. They are sacrificing a lot for the betterment of the team, because we have a lot of guys who can get in and play. We just want to get better as the year goes on and establish ourselves as a defensive basketball team."
With that said, Carson did speak about the players who are returning and what he expects from them, plus what he is expecting from those new to the varsity level.
"As far as the guys who are returning, we want Christian and Josh to assert themselves more since they have that year of varsity experience," he said.
"They will most likely take over the post. Ryan (Inman) graduating leaves a big spot empty in the post. We have post players who make their living off the pick-and-roll and hitting mid-range jumpers, so I don't know if we'll be a more perimeter-oriented team or not, but our post players will continue to play a big role with rebuilding on the defensive end."