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Show i 4 a Emery County Progress Wednesday, November 16, 1983 IB aporm and recreation Hoopsters high on 84 season 3 by Larry W. Davis Progress Editor When Coach James Nelson talks about the upcoming basketball season for Emery High School, his enthusiasm is obvious. After all, the coach heads a team which has six lettermen and two starters returning from the states fourth place team of a year ago. Despite playing what the coach calls the toughest schedule in his five years as head coach at Emery while entering a new region which includes the states second place team from 1983, Nelson said, I expect us to finish first or second in the region. For Emery, that region includes Wasatch, which lost to Lehi in the championship game a year ago, Union, Grantsville, and Morgan. Coach Nelson said that among Region 9 teams, Wasatch will be the team to beat since many of last years regulars are returning. The Spartans will have the guns, however, to shoot it out 2-- A 2-- A with anyone, Coach Nelson believes. We have more depth than in previous years with a lot of individual talent. We need to work on coming together as a team through the preseason, and if we can do that, well be tough. individual That centered around talent is returning starters Blaine Peterson and Terry Thomas. Peterson, a 57 senior guard, led the team in assists last year while scoring eight points per game. Thomas, in his sophomore year, averaged 10 points per game in a starting role. Blaine is a heady ball player, the coach said. Hell be our point guard, the quarterback so to speak, who will be involved heavily in our pressing defense while being responsible for bringing the ball up the court and setting up the offense. The coach called Peterson an exceptional passer who can also shoot well from outside. Thomas provides added experience to the team although he is just a junior. At Thomas plays a forward-guar- d position which will allow the coach to use him inside for his rebounding skills as well as outside for his ball handling ability and outside shooting talent. Thomas was the third leading rebounder on the team 62, last year. Joining Thomas and Peterson team are four seniors who provided the core of the JV team last year which finished with a 3 record. Each also had some on the 15-- varsity experience. The leading scorer off that JV team was Ryan Baker, a 61 guard. Ryan is an exceptional shooter, the coach said. He has a deadly jump shot and can hit from anywhere on the floor. He is bigger and stronger this year so well be using him at forward some. Also playing forward will be 63 Jeff Thomas. He, too, had an outstanding JV season and plays well inside. The coach Said Thomas has one of the smoothest jump shots of his players which is very accurate inside 15 feet. Thomas is also a solid rebounder. Rebounding is one of the greatest assets of Ryan Young, a 62 forward-centeRyan is really quick and a tremendous leaper. He has the greatest r. vertical jumping ability on the team, Nelson said, adding that a big key to the success of the team wiil be Youngs ability to rebound. Another good leaper is David Brown, who at 61 will play forward for Emery. Brown, the coach said, is much stronger than he was as a junior and has looked good in practice this fall. However, the senior is coming off knee surgery, which may hamper his performance early in the season. Another senior on the team, although he has had previous experience, is Robert Stevens. One of the real surprises on the team thisyear is junior Bobby Grant who saw limited JV action last year. This year however, the coach said that Grant, at 64 180 lbs., will be right in the thick of varsity action. Grant is a great leaper, the coach said, pointing out that he won the CEU slam dunk contest this past summer and has been the only junior ever to do so. He is a good shot blocker and rebounder. He just needs to work on staying out of foul trouble, the coach said. Also playing on the inside for Emery will be 63 junior Eric Wells. The coach called Wells a talented rebounder with good defensive skills. He will be joined on the front line by Kelly Killpack, a 6 junior forward. Kelly has a nose for the rebound, Nelson said. He also no The hopes of a successful basketball season at Emery County High School will ride heavily on the shoulders of these team members. Coach James Nelson, kneeling at right, is now in his fifth season at Emery and will be looking to junior Terry Thomas and senior Ryan Young, praised his desire and hustle. Another junior on the team is David Leamaster who 59 plays guard. Leamaster was a spot starter on the JV team last year and has what the coach calls great quickness and shooting abiliy. He said he will be valuable in the Emery pressing defense this season. At least one sophomore will likely see varsity action this season. Coach Nelson is high on is Stewart Albrecht, who at capable of playing guard as well as forward. He is an excellent 63, passer, rebounder, and Coach Nelson said, shooter, he will be able to that adding come in for Emery and fill a lot of roles. Other sophomores are Troy Arnold, a 510 guard with good shooting abilities, Scott Cannon, a 66 center whom the coach says has great potential which should surface with experience, and Darrell Huntsman, a 5H ball guard who is an player. Two more sophomore guards have bright futures at Emery. The coach said that Ravis Kescoli and Brian Williams each can shoot the eye out of the basket and are quick as a cat. On the other hand, Chris Olsen and Gary Robinson are rugged ball players with a lot of strength underneath. They will be part of a front line which includes Shon Roper, a 61 forward who Coach Nelson said is a deadly shooter with a smooth jump shot. Coach Nelson believes that, despite some team height, Emery is weak when it comes to Well be conrebounding. on the boards centrating through the preseason, Nelson said. He added that it will be important for the players to learn to play together as well. Well need to jell as a team if He we are to be successful. added that he wants the team to enter the region schedule with a winning attitude which he hopes to establish in the preseason. On the other hand, the coach believes that the kneeling left to right, as well as David Brown, Jeff Thomas, and Blaine Peterson, all seniors, back, left to right, for leadership during the season which opens for Emery Friday in Richfield. W Photos by Larry those to enter the state tournament in March at BYU. However, in order for Emery, any other Region 9 team, to get to the tournament, they must place in the top three of a region tournament to be held at the conclusion of the regular season. I dont like the tournament format, Coach Nelson said. I think it gives the advantage to the weaker teams and takes away the incentive to Or Davis do well during the regular season. For Emery, the season begins Friday with a game at Richfield. The first home game will be Nov. 23 when the Spartans host East Carbon. The region schedule begins on Dec. 21 when Union comes to Emery. Other highlights of the schedule include games against teams, Cedar City at home on Dec. 6 and Carbon on the road on Dec. 3-- A 15. team quickness is its greatest asset. We will be able to fast break and press effectively, he said. Also, the coach said that some of his tallest players are very quick which will enable them to play in the back court, giving the team an extra dimension. Along with Wasatch in Region 9, Coach Nelson singled out North Sanpete, Pineview, Dixie, South Sevier, Richfield, and San teams Juan as the best he adds that although Emery should be among them. These teams are expected to be among 2-- A Grapplers look to team depth 0 by Larry W. Davis become Progress Editor A lot of depth with little experience tends to describe the Emery wrestling team for 1983-8Coach Reed Fehlberg says that he has more wrestlers out this season than for any other season during his four-yetenure, but few of the wrestlers have varsity experience, 4. ar leaving many of the weight divisions open. Six lettermen will anchor the team which opens the season at home against Monticello on Friday. They include Jordan Hatch at 167, Shawn McCourt at 138, Mike Peacock at 132, Boyd Pugmire at Leonhardt at 112, Daymon 112, and Dale a transfer from Springville, who wrestles at 145. The depth will allow Emery to Thomas, fill every weight position although the 126 slot presently has not been filled. However, the Inexperience will get the team off to a slow start, the coach said. Well get stronger as the season goes on. We have some very fine athletes who only need the experience to good wrestlers, he said. Region 9 will provide Emery with added competition this year. Wasatch, last years champions, will be strong again this season while Union is coming off a second place state finish. The coach added that 2-- A Morgan has some tough wrestlers as well, and Intermountain Indian School, which joins the region wrestling also has some competition, talent. The Emery schedule, which Fehlberg said was set up to give his wrestlers the toughest competition he could, includes several tournaments as well as dual meets. On Jan. 6 Emery hosts the second annual Emery Tournament which features teams from Lehi, Delta, Millard, Wasatch, Manti, Intermountain, Morgan, and American Fork. The region tournament will be held at Morgan on Feb. 4 while the state tournament is scheduled for Wasatch on Feb. Many of the weight 10-1- 1. (Continued on Page 2B) Don't tell this group of wrestlers that Emery High doesn't have any wrestling experience this season. Lettermen, left to right, Boyd Pugmire, Dale Thomas, Daymon Leonhardt, Shawn McCourt, and Mike Peacock will provide much of the Spartah strength on the mats this season. Coach Reed Fehlberg says that the team has more depth than In recent years. |