FRESHMAN BOYS BASKETBALL: Due to a lack of size, the Rams were forced to play a scrappy, hustling brand of basketball this season.
By: Neil Hay
With no starting player taller than 6-feet, the Hightstown boys’ freshmen basketball team could always expect to be at a disadvantage when it came to rebounding.
But despite this obvious shortcoming, the Rams still managed to win seven games this season, against 13 losses.
Hightstown did not allow taller opponents to outplay them. The Rams realized that, to win games, they would have to excel in other areas.
"We had no size. We were a scrappy, hustling team. We played hard every game. We strengthened our fundamentals. But we were at a disadvantage when it came to rebounding," said coach Al Lozier.
The Rams seemed to play their best against the best teams on their schedule. Against Nottingham, which went 21-1, the locals lost two close games.
"We could not handle them on the boards," Lozier noted.
Against Trenton, the Rams lost twice by eight points each.
"We were in the game right to the end," Lozier noted. "I was very pleased. Of all the freshmen teams I’ve had this one was the least intimidated by (Trenton’s home court) ‘The Alley’."
Hightstown’s wins came over Hopewell Valley, Allentown, Peddie, McCorristin, Princeton, Lawrence and Hamilton. Five of the wins Allentown, Lawrence, Hopewell Valley, Peddie, Hamilton were on the road.
Hightstown’s core was built around five players. Of the 12 on the roster this group of five "can contribute to the varsity in the future," according to Lozier.
The offense was built around three guards. Chris Luberto, the point guard, got high marks as a "playmaker, good ball handler, and was capable of shooting the three-pointer," said Lozier.
Another guard was Durrell Whitmore, an "excellent all-around athlete who is quick, a good defender, and a good jumper" who often played up front.
The third guard in the starting lineup was Andrew Nagle, an "excellent" outside shooter with good range. "He was our bomber," said Lozier.
Rounding out the starting lineup were forwards Jarrell Brown and Josh Hernandez. At 5-11, Brown was an "outstanding jumper who shoots the three," said Lozier. "We relied on him to battle underneath.
"Hernandez was very quick with an exceptional first step. He was good to the basket with a nice short range jumper," said Lozier.
Lozier counted on three reserves to complement his starting five: forward David Novak; Penales, an excellent shooting guard; and Aidan Thornley, "an aggressive player with a nice outside shot."
Lozier employed an aggressive man-to-man defense which featured the full-court press to neutralize the team’s height disadvantage.
"It worked sometimes. It kept us in games. The kids developed as the season went on. That’s our goal to make them better players. We were successful in that."