Wildcat Boys Move to Heartland
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP — Central Mountain boys’ basketball coach Scott Baker has been doing this for a while and after watching his team in preseason practice, he believes “things are definitely looking up.”
Baker won’t make any bold predictions, given that he has no returning starters from last year’s 8-15 squad, and this year’s Wildcats are young, 10 sophomores on a senior high roster of 19 players. But he likes the skill level among his players, “maybe more skilled than we have ever been.”
Baker said the goal is to improve, making no claims about wins early on, but said it is a team that should only get better as the season progresses.
The Wildcats have but three seniors on the roster and only three letter-winners return in seniors Nick Moore (6-4) and Wes Jolly (6-0) and junior point guard Alex Garbrick (6-1).
Garbrick is the leading returning scorer from a year ago, averaging 7.9 points per game, Moore the top returning rebounder, pulling down 4.2 rebounds per game. Jolly averaged 6.6 points a game in his junior season.
Others vying for playing time include senior Ty Meeker, juniors Cole Reeder and Wyatt Koch and sophomores Brody Baker, Landon Breon, Wyatt Bumbarger and Kyle Everhart.
Given the skill level, plus a lack of size, this year’s Wildcat team will be a four-guard setup, going with what Baker called a “wide-open game.” He said CM will attempt to “open things up” through spreading the floor.
Baker is high on team chemistry, stating squad members “like to play, like each other, and put in the time in the off-season.”
He likes that Central Mountain is now a member of the Heartland Conference, providing the team an opportunity to play for a league title and players an opportunity for individual recognition, but said there has been little talk about that, instead focusing on the players’ “getting better every day.”
Central Mountain has some familiarity with some of its upcoming Heartland foes, having played Jersey Shore and Shikellamy regularly. Baker said he looks for physical play from some of the new league teams, as opposed to his belief that Central Mountain will be generally more skilled. The question to be determined, according to Baker, is “does skill outweigh physicality” or vice-versa?”
The Wildcats open at home Friday night against Bald Eagle Area. The first Heartland Conference game will be at Shikellamy on Tuesday, Dec. 9. New Heartland foes will include Midd-West, Shamokin, Milton and Mifflinburg High Schools.
