Starfires trying to rebound

The Starfires scored their fair share of points last season.
They put up more than 60 points eight times, and cleared the 70-point plateau twice. But that scoring output didn’t lead to a lot of success.
After winning its second game of the year 68-59 over Daleville, the South Adams High School boys basketball team dropped 18 in a row to end the season.
While scoring nearly 55 points per game, they allowed almost 70. Opponents cleared 60 against them in 16 of 20 games, and posted 90 twice (both by Leo).
And as the Starfires try to fight back from 1-19 toward the .500 mark, they also lost their leader in nearly every category to graduation. Nick Teeter, who was their top player in scoring (25.9 points per game), rebounds (6.9 per game), 3-pointers (80), assists (72), steals (41) and free-throw percentage (81), is now playing at Huntington University.
"We're going to have to have some of the upperclassmen step up a little bit,” said SAHS coach Ryan Biegel, whose squad is made up heavily of juniors. “Last year they didn't have to score, they weren't called upon to. ... We won't really have one person to carry us (this season).
"It kinds of makes it fun in a way as a coach to try to explore the possibilities. We don't have a superstar, but we have good players who are excited to be here and work hard."
Two full-time starters, senior Trevor White and junior Dustin Wanner, return from the 2009-10 squad.
Wanner was second on the team in scoring last season behind Teeter at 5.7 points per game. He is also the returning leader in assists (48), steals (27) and free-throw percentage (65).
"He can shoot, dribble and drive. He can play D,” said Biegel. “We're going to look at him to pick up his scoring from last year. He's very capable of scoring some points for us."
White averaged 5.3 rebounds per game last season.
The only other senior on the squad is Taylor LeFever, who started seven games last season and average 3.0 points.
"He's a very athletic defender,” noted Biegel.
“He can get to the basket pretty well. He's just an all-around athletic kid."
Six other juniors join Wanner on the roster, including point guard Scott Hoeppner, who started four games last season. The rest of the group includes post players Matt Alig (nine blocks), Ben Meshberger, Zach Morgan, Mark Muselman and Logan Steiner.
Meshberger, at 6-foot-8-inches, and Alig, 6-6, give the Starfires a formidable pair of big men inside.
"Last year we didn't really have that,” said Biegel of the duo, which averaged less than 10 minutes between them last season. “This year, I think they are ready. I think they are capable. The definitely are going to be a great value for us."
The squad also has one sophomore, Blake Fox, a 6-2 guard who saw action in two games last season.
"The sky is the limit for him,” Biegel said. “He's athletic, he just kind of needs to develop. He can do whatever he wants to do. He's capable of a lot of things."
The fifth-year coach said he hopes his teams size and athleticism will help the team improve on a couple of key weaknesses from last season — rebounding and defense.
His team will still look to score on the fast break and speed up the tempo of games, but with a goal of taking smart shots and protecting the ball.
"We still want to push the ball,” he said. “I think when the defense is retreating is one of the best times to score.
"I don't I necessarily feel like we'll be able to press the entire game. We'll try to mix things up (defensively) and try to keep them off balance. ... Whatever it takes to win the game."
Biegel said he understands after last season, and the loss of Teeter, that people may not be expecting much from his squad. He’s hoping to prove those doubters wrong as the Starfires strive for their first winning season in four years.
"They've been working hard,” he said of his team. "If we're around .500 this season … I think that would be a success.
"If we flirt with .500, I think everybody around here will be ecstatic."[[In-content Ad]]