Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home High School boys varsity basketball team will start the season with little experience, but new Coach Tim Porter believes the team has talent and will be competitive.
Though the Huskies have only two returning starters in senior Christian Porter and junior Grant Kauffman, junior Bryce Daniels and sophomore Hunter Jutte both have varsity experience.
Joining them are seniors Austin Dixon and Jason Sarter; juniors Jacob Richardson, Chace Hutchins and Kyle Rose; and sophomores Kevin Seiber, Ryan Adams and Kyler Gaskey.
“They’re pretty young,” Porter said. “Not a lot of varsity experience, but I like who we have. We have a pretty good group.”
The Huskies are going to be a little unique this year, Porter said. They’re pretty much all perimeter players. They won’t really field a post, and there won’t really be a point guard.
There is no true point out of that group, Porter said. Christian Porter ran point last year, but Coach Porter will be looking at the court much differently.
“Kyler Gaskey, Austin Dixon and Jason Sarter would be more what you would consider forwards,” Porter said. “They might play some post time.”
Several players can get things going at the top of the court, Porter said. Daniels and Jutte played some point, and Kauffman can bring the ball up.
“We have some really good outside shooters,” Porter said. “A lot of the kids can handle the ball really well.”
The team will play a style that fits the players, Porter said. They’re fast and give a big effort. They’ll play a tough defense aimed at scoring transition buckets.
They’ve got to get the rebounds first, Porter said, and they’ll be outsized. It’s going to come down to everyone taking care of his assignment.
Small size is probably the team’s biggest obstacle, Porter said. “It’s also our strength. Sometimes your greatest strength is your greatest weakness.”
It means the team has a strong perimeter, and it will take the shots, but larger teams may give them a hard time.
The team will continue with a man-to-man defense, Porter said, but it’ll look a little different than it has the past few years.
The Huskies will continue a full-court game, Porter said. “My belief is, with the people we have, we have to put a lot of pressure on the ball.”
Last year, the team used a UCLA 1-4 high offense, followed by the Grinnell system, Porter said. This year’s team will run five men out and sometimes four out and one in, but he doubts he’ll ever use a three-out, two-in offense.
Last year’s league champion Sisters has lost all but one of its taller players, but Porter expects the Outlaws to be “decent,” along with Cottage Grove and Elmira. He doesn’t know what to expect out of La Pine.
“I think we’ll do OK,” Porter said. “I think we’ll contend for a playoff spot, definitely.”
The team has a brand new coach, a brand new system and four returning varsity players, Porter said. There will be a transition period, but he thinks the Huskies will do all right in preseason play.
His real concern is league, he said, and he’ll use the preseason games to see the players in a game situation and get a good idea what they can do.
“I’m excited about this team,” Porter said. “We’re young, but so far, what I’ve seen in practice, I’m really pleased.”
The junior varsity roster includes Jacob Webb, Kevin Seiber, Brycen Mitten, Jacob Richardson, Eric Flierl, James Brown, Rashaun Galster, Eric Burks, Kyle Rose and Ryan Adams.
Freshmen include Jesus Patricio, Justin Tow, Nick Rodgers, Isiah Miller, Garrison Whitfield, Jake Bangot, Allen Madero, Jake Long, Ryan Hackworth and Desmond Ely.
Randy Hutchins continues this year as assistant varsity coach. Ken Anderson, who started coaching golf for the Huskies last spring, is the JV coach after helping some with the varsity last year. Jeff Burgess is assisting him.
Matt Matuszak coaches the freshmen with Andrew Allen assisting.