Dealing with roster turnover is an annual issue in high school basketball, but the team Collinsville High School will send on to the floor in 2013-2014 will bear little resemblance to the team that finished 13-18 last season.
Emondre Rickman / Photo by Roger Starkey
Gone are the top four scorers and top three rebounders. Junior center Sean Davis averaged less than an assist per game last year, good for sixth on the team and the best average among returning players. The team brings a combined 11.6 points and 10.9 rebounds back from last season.
The most noticeable person missing from last year’s team is guard Falando Wilkinson. The team’s leading scorer (17.3), second leading rebounder (4.0) and top assist man (2.23) has moved on to Southwestern Illinois College.
The Kahoks will not try to replace Wilkinson, Head Coach Darin Lee said. “I’ve never looked it as replacing guys, I just look it at that I have a different team. What can we do with this team?” Lee said.
Collinsville will try to take advantage of its low-post size this season. With Davis at 6-foot 7-inches and junior Emondre Rickman at 6-feet 8-inches, Lee said the Kahoks probably have the biggest low post tandem in the Southwestern Conference.
Wanting to score down low and actually doing it are two different things, Lee said. “Scoring in the post is a highly difficult thing to do, even if you are taller,” Lee said. “It’s very physical and it’s something that is not easy.”
Davis averaged five points and 3.8 rebounds last year. Rickman, who is drawing recruiting interest from mid-major schools, grabbed four rebounds per game last year and scored just over two points in 27 games.
A variety of guards with little varsity experience will attempt to feed the post players this year. Senior Jacob Shaffer (1.4 points and .62 assists per game) played in 26 of the Kahoks 31 games last season. Junior Anfirnee Wilkinsons’ 18 varsity games played makes him the second most experienced guard.
“Whoever can get us into our offense will be our most important player,” Lee said.
The Kahoks will use eight or nine players early in the season, Lee said. The influx of new faces will mean some tinkering to Lee’s system. “I run a lot of the same plays, but I’ve always tweaked it to the players we have on the team,” Lee said.
Collinsville may use more zone than in past years, to take advantage of their size. In addition to Davis and Rickman, 6-foot 5-inch senior forward Matt Chambers is expected to be a major contributor.
The Kahoks length may also lead to more running opportunities. “We do have some guys who can get it off the backboard; that gives us a chance to run a little bit,” Lee said. In the half-court offense, the team has players that can knock down shots, Lee said.
With numerous questions heading into the season, and a league that Lee called the strongest in the state, the coach’s aspirations for the team to improve on last season’s 4-10 conference mark are guarded. “We would like to get to .500,” Lee said. “It would be nice if we could get to 7-7.”
Related:
CHS boys basketball 2013-2014 schedule: http://metroindependent.com/2013/11/14/boys-basketball-2013-schedule-and-results/2191/
CHS boys basketball 2013-2014 roster: http://metroindependent.com/2013/11/21/chs-boys-basketball-2013-2014-roster/2281/
