BHPRSD Boys' Basketball Preview: Survival's the Key

For the boys’ basketball teams in the , the first few weeks of the season will be all about survival.

Whether it is a difficult early-season schedule, the absence of standout players or the implementation of a new system, each team has a major hurdle to overcome if it is to keep its head above water in the early stages of the season.

At Highland, head coach Andy Thies returns for his fifth year at the helm, but will be without the services of last year's starting backcourt for at least the early portion of the schedule. The unexpected transition has left the Tartans a little short in the scoring department, but Thies said he has the type of players that would rather work hard to improve than look for excuses.

“The kids that are there have never once mentioned or felt sorry for themselves about people who aren’t there,” Thies said. “I told them I am not going to feel sorry for you and the team you are playing certainly won’t feel sorry for you. Right now, they are relishing the chance that they get. We have a high-character team.”

Seniors Aaron Canty, Marvin Ayi’bamah and Tim Brown are the only returning varsity players and will be counted on to play big minutes until some of the newer players can develop. Thies knows things might not come easy at first, but is hopeful a few players now given a chance will emerge.

“From what we projected we would have in the summer to the first day in tryouts has not been what we expected in terms of players, but the kids we have right now have played the way we wanted,“ Thies said. “They are playing hard defense, which is what I have taught in my five years. We will have three or four kids that will have to play significant minutes who haven’t played varsity before so we will see how they handle that.”

At Triton, the early-season schedule may be the biggest hurdle in the Mustangs getting off to a fast start. Triton opens the year with seven of its first nine games on the road, including stops at Paul VI, Bishop Eustace and Eastern—all of which are looked at as top 10 teams in South Jersey.

Head coach Butch McLean does have a go-to player to count on in senior forward Brian Keller. Last year, Keller was selected second team All-Olympic Conference Patriot Division. McLean will also be counting on junior guard Dylan Daniluk and senior forward Dante Vaughn.

“Dylan started as a sophomore and is an excellent shooter,“ McLean said. “Vaughn should also have a big impact on us. He has shown vast improvement and he is 6-foot-3 and athletic for us.”

With a good mix of size and athleticism, Triton has the look of a team that should stay in the mix for the Patriot Division title. They just have to survive the early schedule, which McLean called one of the most difficult he has seen in a while.

“We have some experience and by the end of the year we will be a pretty good team,“ McLean said. “It’s just getting through the early part of the schedule that is our biggest challenge.”

For Timber Creek, there’s not only almost an entirely new varsity roster, but also a new general.

Richard Bolds takes over as the Chargers’ head coach and is looking to bring the basketball program up to the level of success that other Timber Creek athletic programs—football, wrestling and soccer—have had.

“I know we have the athleticism and winning tradition with all the sports here at Timber Creek. I’m just trying to establish that here with basketball,” Bolds said. “So far it’s taken lots of work, but it has been fun.”

Bolds was a volunteer coach at Timber Creek from 2001-06 before taking over as an assistant coach at St. Joseph’s. He inherits a team that has just two returning varsity regulars in junior forward Dajaun Drennon and senior guard T.J. LaScala. Drennon should be a force down low with his 6-foot-5 frame, while LaScala will be counted on to knock down some outside shots.

The Chargers' roster also figures to include several football players who are getting into the mix a little late thanks to their fall season extending all the way to the South Jersey Group III championship. Bolds said the group, which includes Drennon, Eric Church, Justice Davila and Jeff Lewis, are gradually getting into basketball shape, but he will need the rest of his players to hold the fort down in the early stages of the season.

“We just have to keep our heads above water and we will be fine,” Bolds said.

It looks like that motto will apply to all three local teams.

Below is a glance at how the teams stack up this winter.

HIGHLAND

Coach: Andrew Thies

League: Tri-County Royal Division

Last year: 11-14

Returning letter winners: Aaron Canty (Sr./F); Marvin Ayi’bamah (Sr./G); Tim Brown (Sr./G)

Promising newcomers: Kerron Johnson (Jr./F); Steve Trimh (Sr./G); Ahmad Randall (Jr./C)

Team(s) to beat: Kingsway, Williamstown

Expectations: The team should be better in the second half than in the first. They may take some lumps early, but the progress should be noticeable and a playoff spot is the expectation.

TIMBER CREEK

Coach: Richard Bolds

League: Olympic Conference Patriot Division

Last year: 7-17

Returning letter winners: Dajaun Drennon (Jr., F); T.J. LaScala (Sr., G)

Promising newcomers: Eric Church (Jr./G); Dominick Lee (Jr./G); Brandon Cornelious (Jr./G); Joel Grant; (Jr. G) Justice Davila (So., G/F); Kevin Casey (Jr., G/F); Jeff Lewis (Jr., G/F)

Teams to beat: Shawnee, Winslow

Expectations: With all of the newness surrounding the program, it may take the Chargers some time to develop an identity. The team has the low-post presence necessary to be competitive, though, and should still be a playoff team.

TRITON

Coach: Butch McLean

League: Olympic Conference Patriot Division

Last year: 10-15

Returning letter winners: Brian Keller (Sr./F); Dylan Daniluk (Jr., G); John Bowers (Sr., F)

Promising newcomers: Isaiah Baylor (So., G); Nick Concepcion (So., F); Dante Vaughn (Sr., F)

Teams to beat: Shawnee, Winslow Township

Expectations: Despite the rigors of the first third of the schedule, the Mustangs should remain in the race for a division title. The team will lean on Keller, Baylor, Vaughn and Daniluk to play heavy minutes and provide the bulk of the scoring.