SBHS bothered by inexperience

By Rich Fisher, Sports Editor
   Although many of the players on South Brunswick High’s basketball team are seniors and thus, all grown up in terms of high school years, the Vikings are still suffering from growing pains.
   The problem is that of the 10 seniors on the roster, only a precious few had even a small bit of playing time prior to this season.
   The result has been a 2-4 start for the Vikes, who won their second game by outlasting Edison, 40-39 on Monday. “Right now, the biggest issue is getting these guys experience,” coach Joe Hoehman said. “We graduated our top six guys from last year, and none of these guys have any varsity experience. Probably two or three played a little last year and the rest are jumping in for the first time.”
   The season started with a blowout loss to Piscataway, followed by a 47-44 setback to Sayreville in which a potential game-tying shot fell short.
   ”If we had some more experience we could have won that game,” Hoehman said. “We made a couple of key mistakes at the end of the game that hurt a little.”
   SBHS finally got into the win column with a 50-38 win over New Brunswick, but a bad start against Monroe led to a 15-point defeat. The latter three games were in the Monroe Holiday Tournament.
   Last Saturday against Woodbridge, foul trouble killed the Vikings. South led by two entering the fourth quarter but the Barrons made seven straight free throws to take a lead they would not relinquish. Woodbridge shot 17-for-20 from the line.
   ”We had three guys with four fouls in that game,” Hoehman said. “We’re making bad fouls, reaching in at halfcourt when we’re getting a three and four count, instead of waiting for the five-second call.”
   Defense has been part of the problem in the early going, as the Vikes allowed 67 points to Woodbridge and 63 to Monroe.
   ”We were in the Sayreville game because we kept them at 47,” the coach said. “We’re not going to score 75 or 80 points. We scored 60 against Woodbridge and I thought we were shooting pretty well and we could win. But the fouls killed us.”
   The defense stood up against Edison, although the Vikes did allow the Eagles to score the game’s final seven points to make it close.
   A big problem for the Vikes is their size, which is about as scarce as their playing experience. Consider that — at 5-foot-11 — Cody McHugh is the team’s center.
   But he has also been the team’s top performer, as he collected 15 points and 11 rebounds against Edison.
   ”He’s actually held his own,” Hoehman said. “He’s averaging 10 points and between five and six rebounds even though he’s giving up four and five inches a night.
   ”He’s definitely a bruiser. If we can get all the other guys to play as hard as him, we’ll be OK. It’s taken them a little while to catch on.”
   Andrew Buckner has contributed close to nine points per game, while Vito Ross is averaging just under eight and has been a sparkplug from his guard position.
   But with so many seniors, this isn’t a case of trying to improve for next year. Hoehman is hoping the upperclassmen will turn things around quickly so the Vikes will have a shot at reaching the states.
   ”There’s really nobody out there that I think we should beat, if you look at the talent levels,” he said. “But there are a lot of teams out there that we could beat. We have to beat the teams that are right on the same level as us.”
   The coaching staff actually held a four-hour practice on Sunday in hopes of improving the team’s defensive tendencies.
   ”We were breaking down film, showing them what to do on the defensive end,” Hoehman said. “I’m hoping that it will pay off and they’ll actually buy into the defensive concept and what they need to do.”
   One of the problems for the Vikes is that during last year’s 14-12 season, every game was tight. Without blowouts, the reserves deeper on the bench and the JV players did not get many chances to play.
   ”We were in every game,” Hoehman said. “So you had to worry more about the season itself, then trying to get guys playing time for the next year.”
   They’re getting that time now.
   Hoehman just hopes it pays off soon.