Freeman Boys, Girls Go Different Ways But Hope To End Up In The Same Place
Basketball
Freeman’s basketball teams had contrasting seasonal starts.
The boys won their opener by a couple of baskets and the girls lost by 59 points.
But both first-year boys coach Mike Thacker and second-year girls coach John Hays would like similar Northeast A League playoff appearances in February.
The score against state runnerup Tekoa-Oakesdale notwithstanding, Hayes said, “I think we have an opportunity to be in the top four in league. Tuesday was a setback for the kids, but this group is the hardest working I’ve had.”
Thacker was generally pleased with his team’s debut but knows things have to get better to duplicate last year’s playoff effort.
“To be super competitive in league we have a ways to come,” he said. “We’re not very big and will have to defend better than anybody else and block off the boards better than anybody else.”
Four seniors show way for boys
Four seniors return from last year’s fifth-place league finishing team but they got ample backing in the season-opening win at Tekoa-Oakesdale.
“Every guy played and everybody scored,” said Thacker. “It was good even scoring and I would kind of like to keep it that way.”
Seniors Andy Hill, Garin Friberg and Nick Schuerman were all double figures scorers, accounting for 60 percent of the points.
Other senior veteran is post player Marc Reed.
Sophomore newcomer Josh Sheffield is another starter who shows promise.
Rounding out the team are juniors Aaron Hill and Andy Schmidt, sophomores Matt Miller and Josh White.
“I was pleased with the way they ran the offense,” said Thacker.
But there are things to be done, particularly in the way of details.
“My philosophy is to keep throwing things at them and eventually get to the saturation point,” sais Thacker. “That’s when I slow down and start refining things. We’re getting there.”
Girls team continues to improve
A summer of play and improvement is the reason Hays is optimistic despite the opening loss.
“We wouldn’t have won anyway,” he said, “but we were without Wilkerson and Smith.”
Jennifer Wilkerson, a 5-foot-9 junior, missed most of last season with mononucleosis and was ill for the season opener.
Beth Smith, a returning senior guard, was also ill.
“We’re actually running the offense better and the other thing we’re doing is better team defense,” said Hays.
Turnovers and lack of rebounding, coupled with the missing players proved disastrous.
Other returning seniors are Rachel Boston and Becky Brown. The latter has shifted from guard to join Boston in the post.
Point guard Angela McCathern returns, as do fellow juniors Sarai Coffey, Jamie Watkins and Christina Graham.
New to the team are backup point guard Brook Watson, junior Amy McDonald and freshmen Sarah Pratt and Raehanne Wasley.
“Sara is the best freshman I’ve seen in 11 years here,” said Hays. “She’s very fast and can leap through the ceiling.”
The girls are committed to improvement and he’s excited about their possibilities, said Hays.
, DataTimes