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Sports

Experience, New Talent Mix in Wildcat Basketball Program

Centreville basketball season starts slow but picks up win in tourney.

In 2009, the varsity basketball team finished 13-7 after reaching the AAA Northern Regional Tournament for only the second time in nine years. But last year the team took a steep drop, winning just five games on the season and was bounced out of the Concorde tournament in the first round. However, Coach Drew Murphy feels positive about the “new and interesting mix” of five seniors, two juniors, two sophomores and one freshman on his 2011 varsity squad.

The Wildcats stand at 1-2 versus (45-37) and 68-50). But they regained composure to nab their first victory on the year against in the South Lakes Tip-Off tourney last Friday, 44-37.

“Last year we were the last place team in our league but we ,” said Murphy. “I think we have a chance to make the tournament but it’s going to be a different road. We have that will be a little behind, but I think we’re going to be competitive.”

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Murphy said his team got shocked early in the opener against the Bruins but rallied back to take the lead at the half. Unfortunately, Lake Braddock extended its lead and ran away with it in the last eight minutes.

“It got away from us a little bit in the fourth quarter,” Murphy said. “We’ve got some younger kids who we’re asking to play big roles right way so it’s going to take some time.”

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One of those younger kids is freshman David Liddle, who the fourth-year coach said should have a solid year. But for now, the seniors have taken the reigns and displayed experience and leadership for the Wildcats. Robert Coker, Mitch Mahoney, Evan Fuller and Hunter Campbell represent the senior class as starters along with junior point-guard Rahji Johnson. Murphy calls Coker his “gamer” and believes he has a strong grasp of both the offensive and defensive schemes.

“Right now Evan and Robert Coker are probably our most seasoned varsity players as far as minutes,” Murphy said. “Evan has been awesome so far and we’re looking for big things out of him. All of our seniors are way ahead in terms of our system on offense and defense.”

Mahoney also proved he deserved a starting role after hitting the weight room hard during the off-season. He has shown vast improvement from last year, Murphy said. Look for the senior to put up bigger numbers in 2011. Murphy said his Wildcats plan to focus on the half-court game offensively and play it tight on the opposite side of the ball.

“We’re going to be man-to-man on defense,” he said. “We want to be tough, physical and scrappy.”

Although he is confident in his team, Murphy said learning to win consistently should be a “process” this season. He added that he and his players want to win every night but they have also set realistic goals.

“Since the first day we’ve been telling our guys it’s not how you’re playing at the beginning of the season, it's how you’re playing at the end,” he said. “You can’t lose sight that we’re all working towards one goal and that’s to be playing well at the end of the year.”

Centreville plays at Yorktown at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 6.

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