Thursday, November 9, 2017

HIGH EXPECTATIONS SURROUND WIZARDS AS THEY BEGIN TO TAKE THE COURT

By TUCKER CERGOL

On Monday, November 6th, the start of the boys’ basketball season commenced.  The first tryout of the year was underway as head coach, Todd Rose, tried to find the right boys to assemble in order to create a squad that will hopefully take Washingtonville to some rarely chartered territories. 

Although tryouts are underway, some of the athletes that were on the team last year will, thankfully, be returning this season as well.  These include names well-known throughout the halls of WHS such as Brendan O’Leary, Ryan Johnson, Parker Gallacher, Devin Lewis, and Kareem Lubin.  

It is anticipated that most of this year’s squad will be made up of many underclassmen, as Washingtonville has a very talented sophomore and junior class.  Also, the talent that will be entering the program this year is eye opening; it highlights how great this team really can be, not only this year, but in the upcoming years as well.  A couple of young players that are primed to make an impact this season are Justin Higgins and Sean Walters. 

TUCKER CERGOL FOR THE WIZARD WEEKLY
Even with a younger team than usual, the Wizards still have high expectations for the season.  With seniors Brendan, Ryan, Devin and Parker leading the team, a playoff appearance and a deep playoff push isn’t out of the realm of possibility.  Brendan played impressively last season, being a threat everywhere on the court.  It was not uncommon to see the spectators’ eyes glued to him every time the ball was in his hands.  He could be described as the top playmaker on the team, and is a serious candidate to lead the team in the scoring department.

Brendan’s best friend, Ryan Johnson, is going to be an integral part of  this team as well.  Ryan is great in transition and can definitely be described as the top defender on the Wizards.  His active hands and determination to win makes him a lethal threat to opposing teams.

Seniors, Parker Gallacher and Devin Lewis, are a little simpler to describe: knockdown shooters.  When a shot or three pointer is needed, fans can expect to hear their names being called to go into the game.  Parker expressed his thoughts on how he thought the team was going to perform this season.  “I feel as though the team has an overall good chance to compete in the section, and I firmly believe we’ll be a playoff team.” 

Some of the younger athletes that will play a crucial role on this team will be Kareem Lubin, previously mentioned, and Ryan Graham and Ryan Hendricks.  Kareem is primed to breakout this season as he will most likely be starting at the center position.  Imposingly standing at 6 feet 2 inches, he is a possible candidate to lead the team in rebounds and be an anchor on the defensive side.

Ryan Graham and Ryan Hendricks are entering their sophomore year at WHS but are still expected to be big contributors to the team this season. They can be found in the backcourt, taking a plethora of jump shots and dishing the ball to other players on the floor.  With this being their first year on varsity, Hendricks emphasized how he felt he and Graham will mesh with the rest of the Wizards. “I think Graham and I will be very important to the team this season.  I also think it’s key that we are underclassmen so we can keep the team successful in the years to come.”

With the youth that this team holds, the amount of raw athleticism and willpower to win will be through the roof.  However, since they are so young, spectators can expect mistakes along with some miscommunication.  Hopefully, the young men can overcome those obstacles.  

High expectations surround the team this season, and a long playoff run is highly anticipated.  In the end, Wizard Nation hopes to see the Washingtonville Wizards winning the section 9 championship come February.

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