For a glimpse of what the Auburn basketball team's season will be like, one needs only to look at Game 1. Final: Auburn 61, Cicero-North Syracuse 55. Three-pointers: Auburn 0, C-NS 10.
The Citizen file photo
Auburn forward Damien Whitaker lays the ball in against Rome Free Academy on Friday, at Auburn High School. The Maroons won 63-49.
Auburn forward Damien Whitaker lays the ball in against Rome Free Academy on Friday, at Auburn High School. The Maroons won 63-49.
“Potentially we could be a really good 3-point shooting team,” Maroons coach Al Giannone said. “We're just looking for consistency.”
For now, he'll have to stick to his bread and butter: rebounds and transition.
Damien Whitaker and Jimmy Pitts will be back to crash the boards, and Giannone likes his two big men.
“It's not so much that they're big, they play bigger than they are,” Giannone said.
And Whitaker, who averaged 12 points and 12 rebounds a game last year, has returned stronger, faster, better.
“Damien is just flying now,” Giannone said of the senior, who is a perfect complement to Pitts' 13 points and 12 rebounds per game last season. “He must have added three, four inches to his vertical leap, and he's finishing much better this year.”
Combine that with excellent team speed, and Giannone hopes to exploit some teams on defense with the Maroons' athleticism.
Heading up that department will be Dave Foltz. The senior slasher, who averaged 14 points and five assists last year, returns to the court after missing the end of last season, and his coach has already called it “a joy” to have him back.
“He's been fantastic playing the point for us,” Giannone said. “He played the three spot last year, and point guard is his natural position. He has a big floor game and we're looking for a lot from him in that regard.”
It didn't take long for Foltz to deliver. In the season opener, he netted 11 points and dished nine assists in addition to coming up with some key steals to preserve the win.
As for the behind-the-arc woes, Giannone isn't worried. Foltz is a strong shooter, but he won't have very many looks at the point guard position. Nick Chapman, a senior who connected 23 times from behind the arc as a junior, is a streaky shooter who can heat up, and the inexperienced Nick Granato, the only freshman on the roster, has caught Giannone's attention, but his youth could limit his minutes.
The bottom line for the Maroons is chemistry.
“We're stressing getting everyone on the same page and we're stressing defensive intensity,” Giannone said. “Those types of things could take us quite far. Time will tell whether or not that happens. That's a player thing. They got to buy into it, and if they do, we can be tough.”
Cato-Meridian Blue Devils
2006-07 record: 13-7
Top returners: Andy Wegman (junior point guard), Cody Humberstone (junior small forward).
Top newcomers: Preston Dennison (junior small forward), Dillon Caswell (junior shooting guard), A.J. Rothenburg (junior center).
Season outlook: With only two seniors on the roster, Ryan Brunelle will be faced with an inexperienced squad. That'll be quite a change from being a No. 2 seed in sectionals a year ago. Nathan Modafferi (15 points, 11 rebounds per game) and Tim Pierce (17 points six rebounds per game) have left some big shoes to fill, but the Blue Devils have a number of candidates who can step up. It's just a matter of how quickly some one can make that step.
“The inexperience of the team will be a challenge early, and the faster we learn to compete at a high level the better we will be,” Brunelle said. “The team is deep with good athletes who have a lot of upside.”
Jordan-Elbridge Eagles
2006-07 record: 5-17
Top returners: Tyler Williams (senior forward), Richard Benesch (senior guard/forward), Geoff Doyle (senior forward).
Top newcomers: Tom Graff, Jeff Donohue.
Season outlook: The Eagles lost many key contributors from last season's squad, including leading-scorer Nick Chartrand. Williams will be a big part of Jordan-Elbridge's success this season. The senior emerged as a scorer and a big-time rebounder as the Eagles knocked off Solvay in the first round of the Section III, Class C playoffs. It was the first playoff win for Jordan-Elbridge in over 10 years. Doyle has also impressed in the early season. The senior scored 21 points and helped lead the Eagles to a 70-63 victory over Port Byron.
Moravia Blue Devils
2006-07 record: 4-16
Top returners: Justin Stanton (senior guard), Pat Mott (sophomore guard), Kurt Berry (senior forward), Jeremy Stewart (sophomore forward), Taylor Mackey (senior forward)
Top newcomers: Dillon Langtry (freshman guard), Greg Pasho (sophomore guard), T.J. Powers (sophomore forward)
Season outlook: The Blue Devils qualified for sectionals last season, but were ousted by a strong Union Springs squad in the first round. First-year coach Todd Mulvaney will have his work cut out for him with four seniors and five underclassmen. The losses of Greg Langtry and Chris Schillawski won't help either. Stanton, a second-team all IAC selection a year ago, will have to step up and take a leadership role on a team that stresses defense. Moravia has good team size, with seniors Berry and Mott measuring in a t 6-4 and 6-3, respectively, the Blue Devils will likely endure early growing pains that could make or break the squad.
Port Byron Panthers
2006-07 record: 9-13
Top returners: Brad Anderson (junior guard/forward), Mitchel David (senior forward), Frank Smart (senior center), Brian Locastro (senior guard).
Top newcomer: Zach Kudla (sophomore).
Season outlook: The Panthers return their leading scorer (Anderson) and leading rebounder (Smart) but lack overall varsity experience. Port Byron's strength is its size and head coach Chris Ford expects his squad to be competitive every game. The Panthers biggest loss from last season is Neale Taylor, who routinely scored in the 20s. The Panthers' upperclassmen do have postseason experience though, which could be key. They knocked off Pulaski 69-67 in a first-round sectional victory.
Skaneateles Lakers
2006-07 record: 9-13
Top returners: Eric Richards (senior forward), Jacob Tracy (senior forward), Devlen Murphy (senior guard), Jonathan Morris-Eppolito (senior center).
Top newcomers: Nick Pesarchick (junior forward), Thomas Redmond (junior guard), Thomas Schoener (sophomore guard).
Season outlook: The Lakers are a senior-laden team with plenty of experience. They are off to a 4-2 start and have been led in scoring by Eric Richards, who has stepped in nicely to replace last season's leader Gregg Cooper. Jake Tracy and Jonathan Morris-Eppolito have also had big games thus for Skaneateles. The Lakers were plagued by injuries last year but when players went down, underclassmen stepped up. Richards, Tracy, Murphy and Morris-Eppolito each played significant minutes last season and helped Skaneateles advance to the second round of sectionals where it lost to top-ranked Canastota.
Southern Cayuga Chiefs
2006-07 record: 2-17
Top returner: Andrew Dean (senior guard).
Top newcomers: Casey Underwood (junior guard), Sean Driscoll (junior guard), Dylan Parmenter (junior guard/forward).
Season outlook: The Chiefs have just one senior but have plenty of juniors who have played together at the junior varsity level. They do lack size so the Chiefs will have to out-run and out-hustle opponents. Former girls varsity coach Will Schonfeld moves over to the boys side to take over this year. While coaching the girls team to multiple playoff appearances, Schonfeld instilled an up-tempo style of play, one that probably will translate to the boys squad as well.
Union Springs Wolves
2006-07 record: 13-7
Top returners: Julius McClary (senior forward/center), Devon Brady (senior guard/forward), Nick Schooley (senior point guard), Mike Howell (senior guard), Pat Chandler (senior guard), Robert Ferro (senior guard)
Top newcomers: Michael Bean (sophomore forward/center), Jim Burns (sophomore guard/forward), Jason Schenck (junior guard)
Season outlook: Coach Tim Darnell's biggest problem could be too much leadership. The Wolves return six seniors to the roster, including five of the top seven players from last year's team, which advanced to the second round of the Section IV, Class C tournament before folding to Elmira-Notre Dame. Despite a healthy number of veterans, the key will be to keep them healthy - the Wolves only have a nine-man roster and they'll have an inexperienced bench. Darnell knows that taking his team all the way will depend on how quickly the youngsters develop and can be inserted into the lineup. The Wolves are used to being near the top, though, posting back-to-back 17-win seasons prior to last year's 13 wins.
Weedsport Warriors
2006-07 record: 8-13
Top returners: Justin McDeid (senior forward), Oliver Jordan (senior forward).
Top newcomers: Sean Ashby (junior forward), Craig Mietz (junior guard).
Season outlook: McDeid and Jordan control the interior for Weedsport. McDeid is the team's top returning scorer (13.1 points, 8.1 rebounds in 2006-07) and is a double-double threat every time out. The Warriors do have to deal with the loss of outside shooters Brandon Pepin and Justin Picciano. They have the height and strength to control the glass but must have some players step up and establish themselves as a perimeter threat. Newcomers Mietz and Ashby have already contributed early on as the Warriors have raced out to a 3-1 record.
For now, he'll have to stick to his bread and butter: rebounds and transition.
Damien Whitaker and Jimmy Pitts will be back to crash the boards, and Giannone likes his two big men.
“It's not so much that they're big, they play bigger than they are,” Giannone said.
And Whitaker, who averaged 12 points and 12 rebounds a game last year, has returned stronger, faster, better.
“Damien is just flying now,” Giannone said of the senior, who is a perfect complement to Pitts' 13 points and 12 rebounds per game last season. “He must have added three, four inches to his vertical leap, and he's finishing much better this year.”
Combine that with excellent team speed, and Giannone hopes to exploit some teams on defense with the Maroons' athleticism.
Heading up that department will be Dave Foltz. The senior slasher, who averaged 14 points and five assists last year, returns to the court after missing the end of last season, and his coach has already called it “a joy” to have him back.
“He's been fantastic playing the point for us,” Giannone said. “He played the three spot last year, and point guard is his natural position. He has a big floor game and we're looking for a lot from him in that regard.”
It didn't take long for Foltz to deliver. In the season opener, he netted 11 points and dished nine assists in addition to coming up with some key steals to preserve the win.
As for the behind-the-arc woes, Giannone isn't worried. Foltz is a strong shooter, but he won't have very many looks at the point guard position. Nick Chapman, a senior who connected 23 times from behind the arc as a junior, is a streaky shooter who can heat up, and the inexperienced Nick Granato, the only freshman on the roster, has caught Giannone's attention, but his youth could limit his minutes.
The bottom line for the Maroons is chemistry.
“We're stressing getting everyone on the same page and we're stressing defensive intensity,” Giannone said. “Those types of things could take us quite far. Time will tell whether or not that happens. That's a player thing. They got to buy into it, and if they do, we can be tough.”
Cato-Meridian Blue Devils
2006-07 record: 13-7
Top returners: Andy Wegman (junior point guard), Cody Humberstone (junior small forward).
Top newcomers: Preston Dennison (junior small forward), Dillon Caswell (junior shooting guard), A.J. Rothenburg (junior center).
Season outlook: With only two seniors on the roster, Ryan Brunelle will be faced with an inexperienced squad. That'll be quite a change from being a No. 2 seed in sectionals a year ago. Nathan Modafferi (15 points, 11 rebounds per game) and Tim Pierce (17 points six rebounds per game) have left some big shoes to fill, but the Blue Devils have a number of candidates who can step up. It's just a matter of how quickly some one can make that step.
“The inexperience of the team will be a challenge early, and the faster we learn to compete at a high level the better we will be,” Brunelle said. “The team is deep with good athletes who have a lot of upside.”
Jordan-Elbridge Eagles
2006-07 record: 5-17
Top returners: Tyler Williams (senior forward), Richard Benesch (senior guard/forward), Geoff Doyle (senior forward).
Top newcomers: Tom Graff, Jeff Donohue.
Season outlook: The Eagles lost many key contributors from last season's squad, including leading-scorer Nick Chartrand. Williams will be a big part of Jordan-Elbridge's success this season. The senior emerged as a scorer and a big-time rebounder as the Eagles knocked off Solvay in the first round of the Section III, Class C playoffs. It was the first playoff win for Jordan-Elbridge in over 10 years. Doyle has also impressed in the early season. The senior scored 21 points and helped lead the Eagles to a 70-63 victory over Port Byron.
Moravia Blue Devils
2006-07 record: 4-16
Top returners: Justin Stanton (senior guard), Pat Mott (sophomore guard), Kurt Berry (senior forward), Jeremy Stewart (sophomore forward), Taylor Mackey (senior forward)
Top newcomers: Dillon Langtry (freshman guard), Greg Pasho (sophomore guard), T.J. Powers (sophomore forward)
Season outlook: The Blue Devils qualified for sectionals last season, but were ousted by a strong Union Springs squad in the first round. First-year coach Todd Mulvaney will have his work cut out for him with four seniors and five underclassmen. The losses of Greg Langtry and Chris Schillawski won't help either. Stanton, a second-team all IAC selection a year ago, will have to step up and take a leadership role on a team that stresses defense. Moravia has good team size, with seniors Berry and Mott measuring in a t 6-4 and 6-3, respectively, the Blue Devils will likely endure early growing pains that could make or break the squad.
Port Byron Panthers
2006-07 record: 9-13
Top returners: Brad Anderson (junior guard/forward), Mitchel David (senior forward), Frank Smart (senior center), Brian Locastro (senior guard).
Top newcomer: Zach Kudla (sophomore).
Season outlook: The Panthers return their leading scorer (Anderson) and leading rebounder (Smart) but lack overall varsity experience. Port Byron's strength is its size and head coach Chris Ford expects his squad to be competitive every game. The Panthers biggest loss from last season is Neale Taylor, who routinely scored in the 20s. The Panthers' upperclassmen do have postseason experience though, which could be key. They knocked off Pulaski 69-67 in a first-round sectional victory.
Skaneateles Lakers
2006-07 record: 9-13
Top returners: Eric Richards (senior forward), Jacob Tracy (senior forward), Devlen Murphy (senior guard), Jonathan Morris-Eppolito (senior center).
Top newcomers: Nick Pesarchick (junior forward), Thomas Redmond (junior guard), Thomas Schoener (sophomore guard).
Season outlook: The Lakers are a senior-laden team with plenty of experience. They are off to a 4-2 start and have been led in scoring by Eric Richards, who has stepped in nicely to replace last season's leader Gregg Cooper. Jake Tracy and Jonathan Morris-Eppolito have also had big games thus for Skaneateles. The Lakers were plagued by injuries last year but when players went down, underclassmen stepped up. Richards, Tracy, Murphy and Morris-Eppolito each played significant minutes last season and helped Skaneateles advance to the second round of sectionals where it lost to top-ranked Canastota.
Southern Cayuga Chiefs
2006-07 record: 2-17
Top returner: Andrew Dean (senior guard).
Top newcomers: Casey Underwood (junior guard), Sean Driscoll (junior guard), Dylan Parmenter (junior guard/forward).
Season outlook: The Chiefs have just one senior but have plenty of juniors who have played together at the junior varsity level. They do lack size so the Chiefs will have to out-run and out-hustle opponents. Former girls varsity coach Will Schonfeld moves over to the boys side to take over this year. While coaching the girls team to multiple playoff appearances, Schonfeld instilled an up-tempo style of play, one that probably will translate to the boys squad as well.
Union Springs Wolves
2006-07 record: 13-7
Top returners: Julius McClary (senior forward/center), Devon Brady (senior guard/forward), Nick Schooley (senior point guard), Mike Howell (senior guard), Pat Chandler (senior guard), Robert Ferro (senior guard)
Top newcomers: Michael Bean (sophomore forward/center), Jim Burns (sophomore guard/forward), Jason Schenck (junior guard)
Season outlook: Coach Tim Darnell's biggest problem could be too much leadership. The Wolves return six seniors to the roster, including five of the top seven players from last year's team, which advanced to the second round of the Section IV, Class C tournament before folding to Elmira-Notre Dame. Despite a healthy number of veterans, the key will be to keep them healthy - the Wolves only have a nine-man roster and they'll have an inexperienced bench. Darnell knows that taking his team all the way will depend on how quickly the youngsters develop and can be inserted into the lineup. The Wolves are used to being near the top, though, posting back-to-back 17-win seasons prior to last year's 13 wins.
Weedsport Warriors
2006-07 record: 8-13
Top returners: Justin McDeid (senior forward), Oliver Jordan (senior forward).
Top newcomers: Sean Ashby (junior forward), Craig Mietz (junior guard).
Season outlook: McDeid and Jordan control the interior for Weedsport. McDeid is the team's top returning scorer (13.1 points, 8.1 rebounds in 2006-07) and is a double-double threat every time out. The Warriors do have to deal with the loss of outside shooters Brandon Pepin and Justin Picciano. They have the height and strength to control the glass but must have some players step up and establish themselves as a perimeter threat. Newcomers Mietz and Ashby have already contributed early on as the Warriors have raced out to a 3-1 record.
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