Ok hoops fans, here we are, on the brink of a new high school hoops season. Here in Danville, the off-season has been filled with bitter-sweet anticipation of what the opportunities the new season will offer these boys coming off last years surreal sectional upset by an aggressive, yet over achieving North Montgomery team last season.
Last week, the Warriors went to Speedway to test the waters in a scrimmage match of two teams of polar opposites. Danville, essentially on the rise and approaching what many presume to be their peak, have been brewing a concoction of talent, coaching and success, in hopes of making a run deep into the state tournament this coming season. Speedway is a team loaded with athletic and basketball talent, particularly but certainly not limited to, the senior class. Despite their lack of size, they have enough role players that should complement a very tough starting five, to make them deep and dangerous in their otherwise weak conference. Their athleticism and intelligence showed signs of brilliance. However, all of that will once again be over-shadowed by selfishness and lack of discipline that can only be attributed to lack of unity which ultimately points to the lack of overall leadership from the bench.
Danville started out slow, with a few bad passes, lack of hustle to get back on defense, and some missed defensive assignments. Indeed the product of the brilliant strategy of Head Coach Brian Barber. Barber had attempted to somewhat deflate his teams growing egos with a strong lecture of humility and hard work the night before the scrimmage while forcing the boys to run until they almost vomited. No doubt, a fantastic maneuver to tire them and force them to rise above their fatigue and turn a otherwise routine scrimmage into a tough Friday night/Saturday, back to back game scenario. Well done.
However, despite a slow start against Speedway, the Warriors, true to form, finally found their groove. Utilizing a second wind, they increased their intensity, tightened down on defense, forced too many passes, and forced shots, at times making Speedways offense look orchestrated and confused. Offensively, they began pushing the ball up the floor and utilizing their offensive arsenal that may prove difficult for many teams to handle throughout the season if they execute properly. Though only a 17 point overall difference on the “scoreboard”, had it been a real game involving strategy, time outs, defensive changes, proper substitution, this would have been no contest as a regularly scheduled, season game.
Player recap from Thursday:
This scrimmage was the “homecoming” of 6’3”, junior guard, Tyler Hall. After transferring to Danville his freshman year, Hall has anticipated this scrimmage for well over a year (last year Speedway cancelled citing football reasons).
Hall, did a great job of working through the anticipation and awkwardness and focusing on the tasks at hand. He was able to put together a solid pre-season performance with several assists, several rebounds, reliable shooting and intense defense, showing why he posted respectable stats in four categories (ppg 11.1, rebounds 5.3, assists 3.2, and steals 1.3) as a sophomore. Thus proving, his versatility and his well rounded game.
Hall is being recruited by Ohio, Valpo, Indiana State, Penn University and IPFW to name a few. He is un-decided.
Purdue bound, 6’10”, senior, Travis Carroll. Though despite apparently fatigued from practice the night before, Carroll still was too much for Speedway to handle, which may be the theme most of the year. With his uncanny and balanced footwork, intelligence and understanding of the game, and increased mobility up and down the floor….he was just too much. Carroll carried the bulk of the scoring responsibility last year, and will continue to this year but with less pressure to do so.
Michael Humphrey, 5’11”, senior guard, was no disappointment. He is one of four, quietly dominant, solid all round players in this backcourt. He is a natural leader that understands sometimes the best leaders must also lead by following. He is a true team player that can penetrate, shoot and find the open man. He is a hustler with an unbelievably upbeat attitude.
Jordan Weidner, is a 6’2” senior guard (transfer from Franklin Central) is a man amongst boys. Weidner may be the most physical guard on the roster. He plays bigger than he is and knows how to use his strength to get what he wants. It makes him extremely versatile and will definitely cause matchup problems.
Kyle Mackey, 6’0” senior guard showed what we all know he is capable of. A deadly shooter, with a beautiful stroke. Mackey, despite going through a small mental slump last year, at times came up big. He is a threat anytime he holds the ball within 22 feet of the basket. His shooting skills, combined with the force of Carroll, and the other trio of slashing guards (Hall, Weidner, and Humphrey) will be a defensive nightmare.
Mackey is being recruited by Wabash, Hanover and Depauw.
Other Danville players to watch:
Senior Austin Chalfant is a strong and fearless player. He is aggressive and smart and will prove to be a physical asset on defense.
Senior Trent Schaffer is an all around athlete. Known more for his football ability, he is an intelligent player with good athleticism. He will be a key role player that won’t hurt you in critical situations but more importantly will be able to help maintain unity and intensity on the floor.
The junior class: Logan Cooper, Drew Mitchell, Luke Fields, Jordan Leonard, Steve Konechnik, Jon Pedigo…..these kids can play. This is a class that has been overshadowed by a particularly bright starring cast of upper classmen to this point. However, they will be responsible for helping maintain continuity throughout the year, while developing into a very strong senior class next year. It will be fun to watch them grow and develop during this highly anticipated season.
This team has everything in place. The talent is here, the coaching is incredible, the teamwork and dedication is there. The only things that can hold this team down (we don’t talk about injuries here) is selfishness and/or arrogance. I don’t see that happening with these well adjusted, dedicated kids, especially with Barber at the helm. With a little luck……
Bradley Hall
Independent Fitness Consultant
AAU Coach
Freelance Sports Writer
www.facebook.com/unclefraddy
bradleyhall@comcast.net
Bradley has coached AAU for many years, including North Centrals Terone Johnson (Purdue), Hamilton Heights Austin Ethrington (IU), Danville’s Travis Carroll (Purdue), Randall Lowe (Huntington University), NC Christian Marshall Plumlee, Brownsburg’s Torrey Nibbs, Perry Meridian’s Max Landis, Howe’s PJ Boutte, Howe’s Giovante Hazelett, Zionsville’s Chris Welker, Plainfield’s Chris Page, Ben Davis’ Dwight Cliff, Ben Davis’ Bradley Elam, Noblesville’s Michael Deines, Danville’s Tyler Hall.
Bradley is an independent fitness consultant and basketball trainer for hire. He also is a free lance sports writer for the Crawfordsville Journal-Review.
In addition he is a firefighter, husband, father to three beautiful children and a full time student.
Last week, the Warriors went to Speedway to test the waters in a scrimmage match of two teams of polar opposites. Danville, essentially on the rise and approaching what many presume to be their peak, have been brewing a concoction of talent, coaching and success, in hopes of making a run deep into the state tournament this coming season. Speedway is a team loaded with athletic and basketball talent, particularly but certainly not limited to, the senior class. Despite their lack of size, they have enough role players that should complement a very tough starting five, to make them deep and dangerous in their otherwise weak conference. Their athleticism and intelligence showed signs of brilliance. However, all of that will once again be over-shadowed by selfishness and lack of discipline that can only be attributed to lack of unity which ultimately points to the lack of overall leadership from the bench.
Danville started out slow, with a few bad passes, lack of hustle to get back on defense, and some missed defensive assignments. Indeed the product of the brilliant strategy of Head Coach Brian Barber. Barber had attempted to somewhat deflate his teams growing egos with a strong lecture of humility and hard work the night before the scrimmage while forcing the boys to run until they almost vomited. No doubt, a fantastic maneuver to tire them and force them to rise above their fatigue and turn a otherwise routine scrimmage into a tough Friday night/Saturday, back to back game scenario. Well done.
However, despite a slow start against Speedway, the Warriors, true to form, finally found their groove. Utilizing a second wind, they increased their intensity, tightened down on defense, forced too many passes, and forced shots, at times making Speedways offense look orchestrated and confused. Offensively, they began pushing the ball up the floor and utilizing their offensive arsenal that may prove difficult for many teams to handle throughout the season if they execute properly. Though only a 17 point overall difference on the “scoreboard”, had it been a real game involving strategy, time outs, defensive changes, proper substitution, this would have been no contest as a regularly scheduled, season game.
Player recap from Thursday:
This scrimmage was the “homecoming” of 6’3”, junior guard, Tyler Hall. After transferring to Danville his freshman year, Hall has anticipated this scrimmage for well over a year (last year Speedway cancelled citing football reasons).
Hall, did a great job of working through the anticipation and awkwardness and focusing on the tasks at hand. He was able to put together a solid pre-season performance with several assists, several rebounds, reliable shooting and intense defense, showing why he posted respectable stats in four categories (ppg 11.1, rebounds 5.3, assists 3.2, and steals 1.3) as a sophomore. Thus proving, his versatility and his well rounded game.
Hall is being recruited by Ohio, Valpo, Indiana State, Penn University and IPFW to name a few. He is un-decided.
Purdue bound, 6’10”, senior, Travis Carroll. Though despite apparently fatigued from practice the night before, Carroll still was too much for Speedway to handle, which may be the theme most of the year. With his uncanny and balanced footwork, intelligence and understanding of the game, and increased mobility up and down the floor….he was just too much. Carroll carried the bulk of the scoring responsibility last year, and will continue to this year but with less pressure to do so.
Michael Humphrey, 5’11”, senior guard, was no disappointment. He is one of four, quietly dominant, solid all round players in this backcourt. He is a natural leader that understands sometimes the best leaders must also lead by following. He is a true team player that can penetrate, shoot and find the open man. He is a hustler with an unbelievably upbeat attitude.
Jordan Weidner, is a 6’2” senior guard (transfer from Franklin Central) is a man amongst boys. Weidner may be the most physical guard on the roster. He plays bigger than he is and knows how to use his strength to get what he wants. It makes him extremely versatile and will definitely cause matchup problems.
Kyle Mackey, 6’0” senior guard showed what we all know he is capable of. A deadly shooter, with a beautiful stroke. Mackey, despite going through a small mental slump last year, at times came up big. He is a threat anytime he holds the ball within 22 feet of the basket. His shooting skills, combined with the force of Carroll, and the other trio of slashing guards (Hall, Weidner, and Humphrey) will be a defensive nightmare.
Mackey is being recruited by Wabash, Hanover and Depauw.
Other Danville players to watch:
Senior Austin Chalfant is a strong and fearless player. He is aggressive and smart and will prove to be a physical asset on defense.
Senior Trent Schaffer is an all around athlete. Known more for his football ability, he is an intelligent player with good athleticism. He will be a key role player that won’t hurt you in critical situations but more importantly will be able to help maintain unity and intensity on the floor.
The junior class: Logan Cooper, Drew Mitchell, Luke Fields, Jordan Leonard, Steve Konechnik, Jon Pedigo…..these kids can play. This is a class that has been overshadowed by a particularly bright starring cast of upper classmen to this point. However, they will be responsible for helping maintain continuity throughout the year, while developing into a very strong senior class next year. It will be fun to watch them grow and develop during this highly anticipated season.
This team has everything in place. The talent is here, the coaching is incredible, the teamwork and dedication is there. The only things that can hold this team down (we don’t talk about injuries here) is selfishness and/or arrogance. I don’t see that happening with these well adjusted, dedicated kids, especially with Barber at the helm. With a little luck……
Bradley Hall
Independent Fitness Consultant
AAU Coach
Freelance Sports Writer
www.facebook.com/unclefraddy
bradleyhall@comcast.net
Bradley has coached AAU for many years, including North Centrals Terone Johnson (Purdue), Hamilton Heights Austin Ethrington (IU), Danville’s Travis Carroll (Purdue), Randall Lowe (Huntington University), NC Christian Marshall Plumlee, Brownsburg’s Torrey Nibbs, Perry Meridian’s Max Landis, Howe’s PJ Boutte, Howe’s Giovante Hazelett, Zionsville’s Chris Welker, Plainfield’s Chris Page, Ben Davis’ Dwight Cliff, Ben Davis’ Bradley Elam, Noblesville’s Michael Deines, Danville’s Tyler Hall.
Bradley is an independent fitness consultant and basketball trainer for hire. He also is a free lance sports writer for the Crawfordsville Journal-Review.
In addition he is a firefighter, husband, father to three beautiful children and a full time student.
