Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home boys basketball team brings back an experienced core of four players to start this year’s campaign.
They are seniors Grant Kauffman, Bryce Daniels and Chace Hutchins and junior Hunter Jutte. Kauffman, Jutte and Daniels were starters.
Joining them are three others who also spent some time on the varsity court, including senior Kyle Rose and juniors Ryan Adams and Kobe Galster.
Rounding out the varsity are sophomores Tyler Plebuch and Justin Tow, and freshmen Tyler Funk and Tucker Porter.
Funk is a good, solid player, said Coach Tim Porter.
Kauffman, last year’s MVP, led the team in scoring from the field and from the free throw line, where he shot 72.4 percent.
“(Kauffman) is obviously a good player,” Porter said. “He can really create his own shot, execute really well and is always under control. Defensively, he’s quick. He does a good job defending – good hops, a good overall player, fundamentally pretty sound.”
While Kauffman was out during summer league, Jutte stepped up, Porter said. “I love his competitive will. He is a competitor. He’s savvy. His basketball instincts are very good. It’s one of those things you can’t teach.”
Daniels’ biggest strength is his shot, Porter said. “He can shoot the lights out from outside. He tends to box out really well.”
“(Hutchins) has improved significantly from last year to this year,” Porter said. “He’s always been a smart defensive player, always hustles really hard, but his offensive skills have risen significantly.”
Adams, Galster and Rose were all integral parts during the summer season, Porter said, and all three can shoot well.
The lineup gives Porter options for different positions, he said. Positions aren’t set for the most part with the team’s rotating motion offense.
“We have a bunch of good shooters again,” Porter said, and they’ll rotate around the perimeter when they’re in the half-court looking for opportunities. With Funk, they may have an inside game too if he improves enough.
JV 1 BOYS BASKETBALL team members are, from left, in front: Jake Long, Tucker Porter, Brett Blachly, Justin Carpenter, Eric Burks and Jake Bangot. In back are Coach Eric Plebuch, Daniel Virtue, Justin Tow, Tyler Plebuch, Tyler Funk, Nick Rodgers, Jesus Patricio and Coach Dan Tow.
“The nice thing about our offense, they seamlessly go from five-out to four-out (with someone inside) without hesitation,” Porter said. “We don’t have to have a set post.”
The team is generally quick and small, although it has a couple of taller players, he said.
Defensively, “we like to be disruptive, as disruptive as we can,” Porter said. “we like to play the percentages and make people take the hardest shot we can.”
The team will play man-to-man most of the time, dropping into the zone to deal with matchup problems, Porter said. The Huskies will run a couple of full-court presses again this year.
Last year, the Huskies finished better than .500 and made playoffs, where they fell to Central in the first round.
The Huskies start off with a tough preseason schedule, including 5A Redmond, Lebanon and North Eugene, and Ridgeview, a new Redmond-area high school, Porter said, and that will help the team as it goes into league play. Though currently a 4A school, Ridgeview is slated to move up to 5A next year.
“That’s a more difficult type of competition than if you’re playing someone from a lower division,” Porter said.
Around the league, Sweet Home probably lost the fewest players, Porter said, but they’ll face some good competition in the Sky-Em this year.
“I think Cottage Grove will be pretty good,” Porter said. “Cottage Grove is going to be tough.”
Elmira lost some players, but “you never know what’s going to happen,” Porter said. Sisters can never be overlooked either.
Junction City struggled last year, but the team was young, Porter said. He thinks the Tigers will be better this year.
La Pine has a new coach, Porter said, so it’s hard to tell how good the team will be at this point. Last year, the Huskies faced La Pine in the league playoffs to get to state.
All of that said, “I think we will be competing for the league championship,” Porter said.
The JV1 team includes Jake Long, Tucker Porter, Brett Blachly, Justin Carpenter, Eric Burks, Jake Bangot, Jesus Patricio, Daniel Virtue, Justin Tow, Tyler Plebuch, Tyler Funk and Nick Rodgers.
The JV2 squad includes Allen Maderos, Justin Clark, Ryan Krause, Keanu Aiona, Codie Brown, Bryce Spencer, Jacob Erickson, Dustin Loewen, Logan Kline and Tristan Graham.
Assisting Porter is Eric
Plebuch. The JV1 team is coached by Dan Tow. The JV2 team is coached by Ryan Graville and Mike Carpenter.