Henson, Whitko More Comfortable
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SOUTH WHITLEY - When Whitko named Dave Henson as the basketball coach last year, the season began any way but normal.
Practices had already begun before Henson arrived. Coach had to learn about the players on the fly. The players had to adapt to a new coach on the run.
All the Wildcats managed to do was go 17-6 and win the sectional.
Imagine what coach and players can do now that this season is actually a normal season.
"I came in here a year ago today," Henson said on Nov. 11. "I feel like we're ahead of the game."
Henson is in place. His players are in place. Now Henson's game plan is also in place, moreso than last year.
"I think we'll be more exciting," Henson said. "We'll try to play a little more like I like to coach. That's up and down the floor, pressure on the ball, that kind of thing."
The players may be in place, but Henson faces a legitimate question: Are these players as good as last year's players? Graduation hit Whitko as hard as anybody. Only one starter returns, Zach Henson. Gone are Tim Hill, Jay Esterline, Arrick Custer and Tracey Brandenburg, last year's other four starters.
Forty points and 17 rebounds. Those are the numbers Custer, Esterline and Hill combined for each game last year. Whitko needs to find a way to replace that.
Starting this year will be Zach Henson at shooting guard, Jason Ayres at small forward, Bo Mullins at power forward and Jeremiah Laws at center. A sophomore will start at point guard, either Ben Mohr or Josh Gonzalez. Don't be surprised if junior Chad Schipper works his way into the lineup as the starting point guard.
Three things, not two, seem to be a given in life: death, taxes and tall Whitko players. Six players are 6-foot-3 or taller.
Still, Henson is not without doubts. His team has only three seniors.
"The thing that concerns me the most is inexperience," Coach Henson said. "We're young. The kids haven't been tested. We're worried about that.
"Our post defense scares me a little bit right now. Jay Esterline was a strong kid. He could focus on somebody that had strength inside and hold his own.
"This year, that's a big question mark. The five seniors we had, four played a lot. We're not even going to try to replace them. What we're going to do is attempt to establish the identity of these young kids."
That identity should be developed quickly. Henson plans on giving solid minutes to 10 players. Kevin Miller, Tim Mason, Chad Schipper, Ray Smith, Corey Green and Jared Deckena will come off the bench. Henson won't be scared to use any of them, a rarity. Coaches typically trust eight or nine players at the most to be contributors.
"We're going to be deeper than last year," Coach Henson said. "We're going to be a little more versatile. We can go with a smaller, quicker lineup. Or, we can go with a pretty big lineup. That will give us a little more flexibility.
"What we hope to do is run kids in and out, keep pressure on the opponent. Try and run the ball up and down the floor."
Henson knows he couldn't have picked a better year for depth to pop up as a team strength.
"If I see a weakness (of other teams) in the area, it would be depth," Coach Henson said. "That's one of our strong points, so we'll try to exploit that as much as possible."
Three people will ultimately determine how Whitko does this year: Ayres, Zach Henson and Mullins.
Zach is a proven player. He averaged 15 points per game last year, along with 7 rebounds and 5 assists. He is clearly the best player on this team. He scored 19 of Whitko's 31 points in the jamboree.
Ayres and Mullins still must prove themselves offensively. They each scored 4 points a game last year. They combined for seven in the jamboree.
Coach Henson expects more this year. He's asking them to help carry the offensive load.
"With Zach, Jason and Bo, we have three players who can shoot, rebound and do a lot of things," Coach Henson said. "We have the nucleus for a good team."
Whitko Wildcats
Coach - Dave Henson (2nd season)
Last year - 17-6, (5-2) TRC; regional semifinals
Key returners - Zach Henson, Jason Ayres, Eboka Mullins
Key losses - Jay Esterline, Tim Hill, Tracey Brandenburg, Arrick Custer
1996-97 Whitko Roster
Name Pos. Ht. Yr.
Chad Schipper G 5-7 12
Jason Ayres F 6-1 12
Zach Henson F 6-5 12
Josh Gonzalez G 5-8 10
Ben Mohr G 5-9 10
Kevin Miller F 6-5 11
Tim Mason F 6-1 11
Ray Smith F 6-4 11
Jeremiah Laws F 6-4 11
Bo Mullins F 6-3 11
Jared Deckena C 6-5 11
1996-97 Whitko Schedule
Nov. 27 at Columbia City
Nov. 30 HOMESTEAD
Dec. 6 NORTHFIELD
Dec. 7 CENTRAL NOBLE
Dec. 13 at Tippecanoe Valley
Dec. 20 CHURUBUSCO
Dec. 27 at Huntington North
Jan. 4 at Caston
Jan. 10 at Manchester
Jan. 11 WABASH
Jan. 17 FW DWENGER
Jan. 18 BLUFFTON
Jan. 25 at FW North
Jan. 31 at Wawasee
Feb. 5 at North Miami
Feb. 7 OAK HILL
Feb. 14 at Triton
Feb. 15 ROCHESTER
Feb. 21 SOUTHWOOD
Feb. 22 at NorthWood [[In-content Ad]]
SOUTH WHITLEY - When Whitko named Dave Henson as the basketball coach last year, the season began any way but normal.
Practices had already begun before Henson arrived. Coach had to learn about the players on the fly. The players had to adapt to a new coach on the run.
All the Wildcats managed to do was go 17-6 and win the sectional.
Imagine what coach and players can do now that this season is actually a normal season.
"I came in here a year ago today," Henson said on Nov. 11. "I feel like we're ahead of the game."
Henson is in place. His players are in place. Now Henson's game plan is also in place, moreso than last year.
"I think we'll be more exciting," Henson said. "We'll try to play a little more like I like to coach. That's up and down the floor, pressure on the ball, that kind of thing."
The players may be in place, but Henson faces a legitimate question: Are these players as good as last year's players? Graduation hit Whitko as hard as anybody. Only one starter returns, Zach Henson. Gone are Tim Hill, Jay Esterline, Arrick Custer and Tracey Brandenburg, last year's other four starters.
Forty points and 17 rebounds. Those are the numbers Custer, Esterline and Hill combined for each game last year. Whitko needs to find a way to replace that.
Starting this year will be Zach Henson at shooting guard, Jason Ayres at small forward, Bo Mullins at power forward and Jeremiah Laws at center. A sophomore will start at point guard, either Ben Mohr or Josh Gonzalez. Don't be surprised if junior Chad Schipper works his way into the lineup as the starting point guard.
Three things, not two, seem to be a given in life: death, taxes and tall Whitko players. Six players are 6-foot-3 or taller.
Still, Henson is not without doubts. His team has only three seniors.
"The thing that concerns me the most is inexperience," Coach Henson said. "We're young. The kids haven't been tested. We're worried about that.
"Our post defense scares me a little bit right now. Jay Esterline was a strong kid. He could focus on somebody that had strength inside and hold his own.
"This year, that's a big question mark. The five seniors we had, four played a lot. We're not even going to try to replace them. What we're going to do is attempt to establish the identity of these young kids."
That identity should be developed quickly. Henson plans on giving solid minutes to 10 players. Kevin Miller, Tim Mason, Chad Schipper, Ray Smith, Corey Green and Jared Deckena will come off the bench. Henson won't be scared to use any of them, a rarity. Coaches typically trust eight or nine players at the most to be contributors.
"We're going to be deeper than last year," Coach Henson said. "We're going to be a little more versatile. We can go with a smaller, quicker lineup. Or, we can go with a pretty big lineup. That will give us a little more flexibility.
"What we hope to do is run kids in and out, keep pressure on the opponent. Try and run the ball up and down the floor."
Henson knows he couldn't have picked a better year for depth to pop up as a team strength.
"If I see a weakness (of other teams) in the area, it would be depth," Coach Henson said. "That's one of our strong points, so we'll try to exploit that as much as possible."
Three people will ultimately determine how Whitko does this year: Ayres, Zach Henson and Mullins.
Zach is a proven player. He averaged 15 points per game last year, along with 7 rebounds and 5 assists. He is clearly the best player on this team. He scored 19 of Whitko's 31 points in the jamboree.
Ayres and Mullins still must prove themselves offensively. They each scored 4 points a game last year. They combined for seven in the jamboree.
Coach Henson expects more this year. He's asking them to help carry the offensive load.
"With Zach, Jason and Bo, we have three players who can shoot, rebound and do a lot of things," Coach Henson said. "We have the nucleus for a good team."
Whitko Wildcats
Coach - Dave Henson (2nd season)
Last year - 17-6, (5-2) TRC; regional semifinals
Key returners - Zach Henson, Jason Ayres, Eboka Mullins
Key losses - Jay Esterline, Tim Hill, Tracey Brandenburg, Arrick Custer
1996-97 Whitko Roster
Name Pos. Ht. Yr.
Chad Schipper G 5-7 12
Jason Ayres F 6-1 12
Zach Henson F 6-5 12
Josh Gonzalez G 5-8 10
Ben Mohr G 5-9 10
Kevin Miller F 6-5 11
Tim Mason F 6-1 11
Ray Smith F 6-4 11
Jeremiah Laws F 6-4 11
Bo Mullins F 6-3 11
Jared Deckena C 6-5 11
1996-97 Whitko Schedule
Nov. 27 at Columbia City
Nov. 30 HOMESTEAD
Dec. 6 NORTHFIELD
Dec. 7 CENTRAL NOBLE
Dec. 13 at Tippecanoe Valley
Dec. 20 CHURUBUSCO
Dec. 27 at Huntington North
Jan. 4 at Caston
Jan. 10 at Manchester
Jan. 11 WABASH
Jan. 17 FW DWENGER
Jan. 18 BLUFFTON
Jan. 25 at FW North
Jan. 31 at Wawasee
Feb. 5 at North Miami
Feb. 7 OAK HILL
Feb. 14 at Triton
Feb. 15 ROCHESTER
Feb. 21 SOUTHWOOD
Feb. 22 at NorthWood [[In-content Ad]]