Black And White Game Scores Big Insight Into Season
Coach Boyce talks to his varsity players at halftime
November 21, 2014
Highland boy’s basketball hosted their annual “Black and White” scrimmage this past Friday, November 21, giving fans a preview of what’s to come this upcoming year. This team scrimmage, highlighting players from both the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams, is held each season as both a game time experience builder for young players and a chance for coaches, parents and fans to get a legitimate look at this seasons team. With a new coach, court and offense, the Rams have high expectations for this season. First year head coach, Jim Boyce, showcased the Rams unseen pick and roll offense, along with an up-tempo defense that includes a man-to-man full court press. With strong performances from Brandon Warr and Ryan Lambson, players seem to be adjusting well, with a win for the varsity team, the score, 50-25. Brandon Warr led the offensive attack, finishing with 10 points.
“We need to play a lot better as a team defensively and also rebound on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball,” Warr said.
The Rams are looking to build off their quarterfinal loss last year. They lost two of their leading scorers to graduation last year but the coaches are confident that those roles will be filled by both under and upper classmen. Juniors Brevin Elsholz and Ryan Lambson showed some promise at the point guard position and the defense was very active with traps and turnovers.
“I need to be able to come off ball screens and facilitate to my teammates and also push the ball up the floor so I can get my teammates involved,” Lambson said.
Ball control will be an important point of emphasis for this year’s team, along with strength in the post for offensive and defensive boards. It will be vital for the Rams to take care of the ball with a tough, defensively minded region schedule. The rams also lack size so they need their smaller guards to be able to cover the boards.
The JV squad put up a good fight for the first half of play, but in the end, the Varsity squad was too much to handle.
“The scoreboard says it all,” Spencer Divver said after finishing with seven points.
The rams tip off the season at home against Viewmont, December 3rd.