Pirate hoopsters look to make noise in SRV
Payette returns five starters
By Ray Rodriguez
Argus Observer
Wednesday, November 21, 2007 11:12 PM PST
Payette - Three.
That’s the number of wins the Payette boys basketball team strung together in the 2006-07 season.
That was then, this is now.
The Pirates welcome five returners from a season ago, led by sharpshooter Collin Hershey, Brad Pollock, Jordan Schultz, Jake Novotny and Jake Dyer as they try to make some noise in the Snake River Valley Conference.
Hershey averaged 14 points per game last year from the shooting guard slot and Pollock (4.5 pts) mans the point guard position.
“He’s going to be the key for our success,” Payette head coach Shawn Scow said of Hershey. “Many teams’ defense is geared towards him, so he needs to share the ball and make his teammates better. He’s been trying to focus on attacking the basket and looking for an open teammate to give the ball.”
Kacee Hirchert, Brad White and big man Tyler Kuder all get their first crack at varsity play this year, with Kuder set to take charge on the blocks.
“He by far is our biggest inside presence,” Scow said. “He’s a true center. He’ll be a load. At 6-feet-4, 250 pounds, he’s got as a good a motor as anyone in program. He’s raw basketball-wise, but his attitude and heart are exceptional.”
On offense, the coach has a different plan of attack in place for this season playing a variation of the motion, but as Scow put it, not a true motion in the classical sense.
It’s a mixed bag of sorts.
“We’ll run a different offense this year because we don’t have the post presence we have had in the past,” Scow said. “We’re going to be an equal opportunity offense. Any kid could be our leading scorer on any given night. Once we attack the basket and hit a few more jumpers, it will open it up for kids to have more chances.”
Defensively, the fourth-year coach will implement a set to counteract what the opponents run.
“We’ll try to play to the strengths of our opponents on any given night,” Scow said. “We have multiple defenses we can go to. It depends on what our strengths are, and a lot depends on the kids we have on the court. The situation will dictate what we run on defense.”
No team captains have been named and Scow is looking at his roster for someone to step to the forefront.
Many have potential, but who’s the one?
“We’re still looking for kids to fill that role,” Scow said. “Some kids have the potential. It’s about whoever works hard or has the right attitude and how hard he is working. It doesn’t have to be a senior, so it’s open for anyone. This allows them to weed themselves out to see what type of leaders they can become.”
Scow said that leader doesn’t have to be flashy or score points, it can be the player that does all the little things that wins games.
“It can work in a positive way, where a kid says ‘I can be a leader, I can step up,’” Scow said. “It doesn’t have to be the rah-rah type, it can be in their actions showing their teammates how to play and doing the right things.”
Just as any coach will say, a new season brings optimism and with his team in place, the future looks bright for the Pirates.
“Anybody in our league can step up and get that berth to state,” Scow said. “The biggest thing is taking care of the ball. That was our Achilles heel last year. We play good as long as we take care of it. If we do that, than we have a really good chance.”
