By Chase Porter
Staff Writer
With the varsity basketball team nearing its season opener against Plano East next Tuesday, the team is hustling to get the underclassmen up to speed.
Last year, the Coppell High School basketball team had a very productive season, finishing 13-0 as district Champions. Nine of the players from last year’s team graduated, leaving this year’s team under new leadership and a roster full of underclassmen.
“We had a special group last year, and graduating nine seniors is a little unusual,” basketball coach Brad Chasteen said. “We have four returning varsity teammates who are all great players, but we have a pretty inexperienced team this year. We are going to have to find some depth during the non-district games.”
The team’s official season started Nov. 2, beginning practice for the season opener on Nov. 9 against Plano East. To prepare, the team has been conditioning and practicing every day, focusing on execution of the offense and defense.
“To prepare for the season we have been conditioning a lot,” senior captain Jett Raines said. “We have also been working on our offensive execution to help get the less experienced players ready for the season.”
With only four veterans on the varsity team, senior forward and guard Austin Mankin, post Jett Raines, point guard Warren Oishi and sophomore post Simi Socks, will have to lead the team. They all agree that this year’s team is already showing signs potential, but it will be a very different season without their former teammates.
“The team this year is young, but is already starting to show a lot of talent and maturity,” senior captain Warren Oishi said. “Since only three of us have had experience on varsity the younger guys are having to learn quickly.”
Despite having young players on the team, the biggest challenge this year for the team is the different type of line up. This season the Cowboys roster is much taller than the past years, forcing both the coaches and players to make strategic offensive and defensive changes. These changes include using the height of the players to the Cowboys advantage rather than having shorter players who were outside, quick shooters.
“We have a new style of play from last year which was more of a run and gun offense, but this year we are trying to take advantage of our height,” senior captain Austin Mankin said. “With our big roster we are going to try and play an inside out offense which means we are going to try to force the ball inside to the guys on the paint.”
The Cowboys scrimmaged Creek View and Trinity on Nov. 9 and will scrimmage L. D. Bell and Love Joy on Saturday at the CHS gym. On Nov. 15the team will play their season opener against Plano East, a continuing 15-year tradition. The Cowboys are ready for the opening game and hope to get positive momentum for the rest of the season.
