Mancos boys set goals for basketball tournament

Mancos boys set goals for basketball tournament

Dec. 1, 2001

BY JIM THOMAS
Times Sports Editor

Nothing would please Mancos High School coaches, players, and fans more than making another return to the Class AA State Basketball Tournament in Pueblo in mid-March of 2002. The Blue Jays played in the elite tournament a year ago but lost two games and were done. However, this year the Jays have a chance to not only get a ticket punched for State but do well in the tourney.

"We have some good kids this year," longtime head coach Gary Hill remarked. "They worked hard last summer. They really trust each other. They like each other and they have good chemistry. I think they work well as a team and teamwork will be a real strength."

Hill has some veteran players as in 6-foot-2 senior post Travis Clark who works inside well and is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder returning; 6-3 senior forward Kyle Yeomans who has good shooting range; 6-2 forward-guard Kelley Smith who is a good inside and perimeter player and the leader of the team. Junior 5-11 Clint Hill, who has started at point guard for the past two seasons, is back. Ryan Shepherd, 6-5 post who weighs 260 pounds, will play a lot down low. Good athlete in senior 5-11 guard Nick Rubino is back.

Others who will Hill is expecting to come in and do good things are 5-11 junior forward Preston Hennrich, and sophomores 6-1 guard Kent Russell, 6-1 guard-forward Tory Clark, 5-8 guard Jordan Rubino. Hennrich can shoot the ball well. Russell is a scrappy player, Clark has a magnet for the ball, and Rubino can play well.

Offensively, the Blue Jays will push the ball up and down the floor. They will set up when forced to but generally the like to run.

Defensively, the Jays like to play the 2-3 matchup zone with some variations. They will press and man trap. Once they learn recognition and learn the matchup, Mancos will have a good defensive team.

"Defense is the key to how far a team wants to go. I think these kids could be really good," he added.

Hill said the team still needs to work on rebounding and blocking out.

The Blue Jays open the 2001-02 season by hosting Class 3A Ignacio on Tuesday, Dec. 4, in the Mancos Performance Center. The game will start about 20 minutes after the girls’ game ends that evening.

They travel to another 3A team in Bayfield on Dec. 8. They travel to meet Durango JVs Dec. 15. The annual Blue Jay Classic is slated Dec. 17-22. The visiting teams include Ignacio, Montezuma-Cortez JVs, and Farmington High JVs. The Jays will then break for the holidays.

Two non-conference games are on tap for MHS before it starts Class 2A San Juan Basin League games. First up is a return date with the Bobcats in Ignacio on Jan. 5. The Jays host Bayfield at home Jan. 12.

"We have a good preseason, one that will get us ready for league. Our league will be much more balanced than in the past. Dolores will be tough although it lost its leading scorer (Justin Schmitt). Dolores County will be good with the (Keith) Pierce kid. Norwood has some transfers. Telluride will be improved. Nucla will have a new coach and may be down a bit," he remarked.

League play begins with a date against Dolores County at home on Jan. 19. This should be an interesting contest because former MHS standout Ty Gray is the new boys head coach at DCHS. Gray played for Hill as a sophomore and as a senior (1995 MHS graduate).

"That should be interesting. This will be the first time I have faced one of my former students. I’m looking forward to it," Hill added.

Two more games wrap up the month as they host Nucla on Jan. 25 and travel to Norwood Jan. 26.

February is always a busy month. MHS plays at Telluride Feb. 1 and hosts Dolores on Feb. 2. The Jays take a break from league play to host Cortez JVs on Feb. 5. The return games in league play starts with a trip to Dove Creek to face DCHS on Feb. 9. The Blue Jays host Norwood Feb. 15, visit Nucla Feb. 16, host Telluride Feb. 22, and visit Dolores Feb. 23.

The District III Tournament is set for Cortez March 1-2. Regionals will likely be in Grand Junction on March 9 with State slated March 14-16.