West Side Christian will open its basketball season Thursday, hosting Stephens Christian, beginning at 4 p.m.
Both senior high teams are coming off deep runs into the Heartland Christian Athletic Association Tournament last season. The Warriors went 20-8 and the Lady Warriors went 21-5 and advanced to the finals.
This season Coach Randall Miller said the senior boys could be set up for a big year.
“They have pretty high expectations,” Miller said. “We are replacing five seniors. Elijah (Narciso) did so many things for us. He did a bit of everything for us. So we’re replacing that. We probably had our best practice of the year (last Wednesday). It was a really good practice. The ball is moving well. I think there’s probably going to be eight or nine guys that I’m comfortable putting in there. We’ll see how it goes but right now I’d feel comfortable with eight or nine in there at different points.”
The Warriors will return senior guard Nathan Pearson, who was the Sports Alley/News-Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year last season.
Playing around Pearson will be the key to the season. Miller said senior Cayson Martin, who was the team’s second-leading scorer, will return in the backcourt.
“His game has grown a little bit,” said Miller. “He’s always been a good outside shooter but he’s gotten better at going inside. He uses his body to finish. He’s a strong kid. That’ll show up this year, his ability to do a little bit more.”
Two-year starter Gabriel Moncrief also returns on the perimeter.
“He’s primarily been a defensive specialist but he’s added some things to his game offensively as well, finishing great around the basket, great footwork.”
Micah Wake could take over the point guard position from the graduated Narciso.
The painters will be led by 6-foot-5 Stephen Spencer along with Enoch McNabb (6-3) and Clayton Rogers.
The rest of the roster includes senior Gage Cotterman, juniors Bryce Martin and AJ Leggett, sophomores Braylon Alexander, Blane Jones and Ben Narciso and freshmen Jax Bain, Aubrey Berglund, AndyCraig Dumas and Dylan Johnson.
“I’m excited for the year for a couple reasons. Number one, it looks like this style of play that we committed to last year, it looks like they’re more comfortable in it now. The reads are happening faster. The ball is moving faster. It feels like we get it a little more. We won’t know until we start playing other teams but right now it looks like we really get how to play. I’m excited for that,” said Miller.
“And then I’m excited that we’ve got some depth. If someone is struggling, we can throw somebody in there. If we get fatigued, we can throw somebody in there that’s dying to go. I’m excited for them. I think they’ll do well. Their mentality is great so even if we have a game that we don’t perform well, they own that right away. There’s no excuses with that group. That’s one of the things that make them fun to coach.”
The Lady Warriors had to reshuffle plans when junior Camille McKnight opted out and decided to focus on volleyball.
The offense could now center around 5-foot-10 Jenna McAdams.
“We’re going to shoot a ton of threes and we’re going to feed Jenna on most possessions,” said Miller. “She’s an excellent passer at the high post running that Princeton stuff. Hoping we can get some back cuts and some open shooters. And if we get a good mismatch, we can pound it to her down low and she’s worked on her perimeter game as well.”
Also returning are 5-9 junior guard Carley Bain and senior Vivian Conley along with shooters Sophie Jerry and Anabelle Brown.
Miller was excited about a healthy season from sophomore Maddee Conley.
“She’s one to watch. She is the smoothest guard I’ve had here,” he said. “Good outside shooter, excellent finisher, great body control. She is a basketball player and will be fun to watch if we can get her untracked.”
The rest of the roster includes sophomores Kamya Jones and Julia Porsch and freshmen Braelyn Allen and Sienna Sappenfield.
Most of the girls just finished volleyball season so conditioning could be a factor early. But Miller is hopeful it will lead to a strong finish.
“We’re going to be tested,” he said. “It’s a new way of playing so there’s going to be some adjustment time. We will try to continually get better because the goal is to peak in February, not right now. I told them this year, we are gunners. If you’re open and you’re a shooter, that ball is going up. We have to be a little bit free flowing and play with some confidence.
“I’m enjoying coaching them. I’m looking forward to seeing how we do. I know the arc of the season is probably going to look a little different in that it’s going to take us longer to click. I do think it’s a tight-knit team and we will click.”