Buck Basketball 2014-15: A Search for Points
by Jim Morgan
FARWELL – Bucktail boys basketball coach Dave Pentz and assistant coach Bob Kelley may not have answers to questions like who is your go-to guy? Who will be your scorer? Who is that leader at the point? Coach Pentz probably will not have a clear answer until the first couple of weeks into the season. He is hoping to have that answer after the Tip-off Tourney this Friday and Saturday as the Bucks will travel to Cowanesque Valley for a 5 p.m. game.
Bucktail finished last year’s season with a 9-13 record in which they surprised everyone in winning the Coudersport Christmas Tournament. Most people felt that the Bucks would win at the most five games last season.
The 2014-2015 Bucktail Bucks are returning five of the seven-man rotation that coach Pentz had from last year. They are seniors Ryan Fantaskey and Willie Hopkins with juniors Derrick Long, Josh Knauff and Ryan Prebble. All five of these Bucks have seen plenty of floor time over the last two years. Going into his seventh season as head coach, coach Pentz is scratching his head and wondering where are his points going to come from. Last year between Chuck Probst and Trent Risley, they combined for 67 percent of the points.
With the five returning, they combine for 17.5 points a game. So who will become the scorer? What guard will step up and become that leader on the court to create points for the team?
Coach Pentz surely cannot complain of not having much height this season as Fantaskey, Prebble and junior Trent Bixler and first year player senior Collin Burrows all reach the six foot plateau. Fantaskey started showing to be a good shot blocker last season. Between him and Prebble who averaged 5.8 rebounds per game last season, I believe they will need to double that average in order for the Bucks to be successful. Bixler, Burrows and junior Tristan Schelb will need to help out on the boards during their time on the court.
In the guard position, Hopkins is coming off his football injury and is working hard to get to full strength for the season. With Hopkins will be Knauff, Long, sophomore Mike Casper and Mitch Intallura who will also see some forward position as well. These guards are going to need to see the floor quickly; because there is speed among this team and they are going to have to see the fast-break. Coach Pentz said “they need to understand as guards you need to move without the ball to create a shot.”
Coach Pentz knows starting out it will be a big team effort for wins. “I do not have that go-to player or players showing up yet. But our hopes are high on some of them to step up big this season in order for us to be successful this year.” With only thirteen players on the roster, some of them will be asked to play both games. Also on the team are sophomore John Michitsch and freshmen Aaron Lucas and Delmar Blackwell.
After the weekend Tip-off Tournament at Cowanesque Valley, the Bucks will play Millville at home next Tuesday, Dec. 9 starting at 6 p.m.
