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Sweet Home returns only one starter, four players If you've attended a Sweet Home boys basketball game the last couple of years, you would be familiar with names like Terrell Rankin, Glenroy Carr, Steven Roberts and Eric Schnirel. If you go to a Panthers' game this year, you'll be wondering, who are these guys? The 2007-08 version of Sweet Home basketball does not at all resemble the rosters which went 40-10 and won back-to-back Section VI Class A and AA championships. Eight seniors and every starter except senior 6-foot-3 forward Ali Ramadan graduated. The other three returning seniors, Marcus Johnson, Brian Pappagallo and Richard Rush, saw limited time, if any. The rest of the team is JV call-ups, another played modified and another didn't try out for varsity last year. The team has already gotten off to a late start as nine of the 13 players were on the Panthers' football team which won a Section VI Class A title win and appeared in the Far West Regionals in Rochester. Where other teams had tryouts on Nov. 1, coach Paul Schintzius didn't have his tryouts until Nov. 14, 15 and 16. Schintzius said his starting five are a work in progress but he does expect Ramadan to be the team's best inside presence. Johnson, the starting running back from football, could start at small forward. Senior Brian Pappagallo, who backed up Roberts at point guard, should start this year. However, sophomore Keon Williams, who played JV last year, should push Pappagallo for playing time. Senior 5-foot-11 guard Jamel Werts, another returning guard, has the inside track to start at shooting guard. Schintzius said the fifth starting spot is up for grabs. Others on the team are senior guard Richard Rush (was on varsity last year), senior 6-foot-1, 270 pound forward Nick Christman (played JV as sophomore, did not tryout as a junior) and JV call-ups, junior guards Casey Kacz, Brandon Hudson, Will Reese and Bryan Price, and junior forward Donald Watkins. Kacz is still feeling the effect of a lingering knee injury he suffered during the football sectionals but should not miss any games, Schintzius said. Watkins was the JV's leading scorer, averaging 10 points. Rounding out the team is senior forward Hanif Russell. Schintzius said his players aren't the greatest shooters or ball handlers yet but are extremely athletic. "They are good athletes so I hope they will be able to use their athleticism to generate some offense," said Schintzius. He also hopes his team can play good defense. "We've taken a lot of pride in our defense in the past so hopefully we can pressure other teams and score in transition," said Schintzius. After a two-year hiatus, Sweet Home moves down from ECIC I to II but will still compete in the Section VI Class AA sectionals. Schintzius sees Hamburg and Williamsville East as favorites in ECIC II. Schintzius knows his team could have some ups and downs early but is hoping they peak for sectionals. "I don't want to rush things," said Schintzius. "It's a marathon, not a sprint. We're going to have to be better teachers and go slower so the kids understand what to do." Sweet Home, 19-5 last year, hosts Niagara-Wheatfield in its opener at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
"We're on top until someone knocks us off," Schintzius said. "Granted, these guys weren't the ones responsible for the climbing the ladder to finish No. 1 in Western New York but we're there until someone knocks us off the pedestal. We're not going to go without a fight." |
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