“These
boys have all worked very hard and they have all
improved. As far as finding playing time for all of them, the situation is
really no different than it was last year. You start the game with a plan for
a certain rotation. But if a certain group is working well, you're not going
to break it up just to stick to the rotation. You need players who can
understand that and accept that. Some nights there won't be much playing time
for some players. I don't think we have anyone who counts points on this team.
They've always been pretty good about that. If someone makes a play, the guys
on the bench are the first ones cheering for him. We
have a lot of guys who do a lot of things. They play multiple positions. I
think that makes us difficult to scout. I hope so.”
15.....MARK
PATRICK (Sr.) 5-11 - guard
“Mark
was a good player for us last year. He started about 20 games at the point
guard position. He's a really solid ball-handler and passer. Mark had a really
good off-season in AAU ball. He has bought into our (weight lifting) program
and he's gotten bigger and stronger. He's penetrating
with the ball better and that's strength and confidence. Mark is one of those
kids who's never put the ball down since the end of last season. And he's one
of those kids who's always here (at the school). We're just looking for him to
continue to get better.”
12.....MIKE
SMITH (Sr.) 5-11 - guard
“Mike
is another one who had a very good off-season and he should get a lot more
playing time. He's a good defender and he's a guy who makes big plays
defensively. Mike's our other point guard and our offense has improved and his
ball-handling has improved. He was our best player when we went to the 'team
camp' in Fort Wayne. Here's another guy who is stronger than he was last year
and it shows at the offensive end of the floor as well. We'll won't usually
play both of them (Patrick and Smith) at the same time but they will be on the
floor together during late game situations.”
23........Chachi
Albrecht (Sr.) 5-11, 170 - guard
“Chachi
was our leading scorer last year, our only consistent scorer. Some other guys
came on at the end of the season and scored in double figures but we could
count on him almost all year. The game has slowed down for him, if you know
what I mean. He's seeing what's out there. Chachi's always been a good passer
but he's really seeing the floor now, making good decisions. Here's another
guy who has benefited from our weight-training facility. Chachi
was small when he got here. He was about 5-8 and 140 pounds when he was a
freshman. Now, he's about 5-11 and 170 pounds and the added size and strength
has just added to his confidence.”
24...........Jordan
Ham (Sr.) 5-11, 165 - guard
“Jordan
was primarily a shooter for us last year but he's gotten much better at
putting the ball on the floor and going to the basket. He's worked on his
defense and he's a much better defender now. Jordan is like Chachi and a
couple of the others in that he hasn't put the ball down since last season
ended. I thought we finished well last year (upset Chesterton) and they've
just run with it. Look for him to be a more complete player.”
25.......Sam
Henderson (Sr.) 6-2, 185 - guard/forward
“Sam
started almost every game last year and he scored in double figures
occasionally late in the year. We want him to be a more consistent scorer and
not score 15 one game and six the next. Sam shoots the ball well and he plays
well defensively within the team concept. What I
mean is, he'll make a defensive play and you'll think it was just luck. Until
he makes it again. He just has a nose for the ball. Sam can play the '2', the
'3' or the '4' positions, like a lot of our guys. We like to use him at the
'4' (power forward) position because he causes matchup problems.”
33.......Seth
Henderson (Sr.) 6-2, 185 - guard/forward
“Seth
comes off the bench for us and makes things happen. He'll get rebounds that he
has no business getting and he plays with as much
enthusiasm as anyone I've ever coached. Seth is the consummate
team player. He's the first one up to cheer his teammates on. He can guard big
people. Last year at Valparaiso, he went in in the second half and shut down
(6-9) Brian McMillan. The one thing about him is that, as soon as he gets in
the game, something happens.”
30.....Donovan
Garletts (Sr.) 6-2, 180 - forward
“Donovan
is coming off the junior varsity and he had a really good fall. He really
hustles and he's capable of shooting the ball. He's pretty versatile on
defense and he faces the basket well. Here's another guy who can create
mismatches. Donovan plays hard all the time and we'll use him to come off the
bench and make things happen.”
31.......Ryan
Brown (Sr.) 6-3, 215 - center
“Ryan
is a big boy now. He's gained 30 pounds from last season and he's gotten a lot
stronger. His skills have gotten much better because he's comfortable
with his back to the basket. Nobody can push him around. Physically, you can't
move him. He's a strong rebounder and we're looking
for him to be a more consistent scorer. He had games where he scored 13 or 14
points and grabbed seven or eight rebounds. We want him to have those games
every night and he can.”
44.......Brian
Maloney (Sr.) 6-5, 195
“Brian
worked very hard in our off season weight program
and he had as good a summer as anyone we have. He was a rebounding machine
over the summer. But then he broke his foot playing football. Actually, he had
broken it before then, he just didn't know it.
But he's been released to play and we're going
to bring him along slowly.
He
has the ability to face the basket as well as play with his back to it. He can
play the '5' or the '4'. We're looking forward to him being healthy because he
made greater strides than anyone on our team over the summer.”
10.......Matt
Ernest (Soph.) 6-1, 160
“Everybody
saw him in football (1,000 yards in pass receptions) so it's obvious he's
capable of doing a lot of things. His potential has not even been scratched.
He can handle the ball and he can shoot better than he thinks he can. Right
now, he's on a team full of seniors and he's trying to find his place. This is
a good group of seniors for him to break in with. They know what he can do.
“He
needs to play instinctively. Right now, he is a
little tentative. We don't want him to have to stop
and think about things. Just react. We're going to
see a kid who is an outstanding contributor this year and will be a major
contributor the next two seasons.
I'm
not an expert on baseball and football (Ernest is already a starter in both
sports) but I've been around long enough to recognize a special kid and we're
happy he's here for the next three seasons.”
Head
varsity coach Tom Johnson (9th year) 102-75
“Our
nonconference schedule is pretty challenging with
Munster and East Chicago and South Bend Riley. In the league (the Duneland
Conference), it's still the same. Valparaiso doesn't
have much coming back, but they always have plenty coming up. Merrillville and
Chesterton are good. LaPorte is reloading. And it doesn't
matter. As long as you're playing the same team twice in league play, by the
time you see them the second time, they've got a handle on you.
And
then if you play them a third time in the sectional, they know you.”
CROWN
POINT
Coach
Tom Johnson, 6-16 in 2003-2004
